The only thing I would say about that is, well so what if we don't dwell on criticising Stalin for his mistakes instead of focusing on his successes, which were the successes of applying Marxism-Leninism to the construction of Socialism in the SU? How many Marxists dwell on the mistakes of Marx and Engels? How many revisionists are falling over themselves to talk about Lenin's mistakes? But you're right when you say it's important to study how exactly the opportunists mounted the ladder of power while Stalin was still alive. But even then, it may not have been a mistake by Stalin, since Stalin was not the omnipotent organizer of every detail of the SU. Maybe it was the mistake of some party leaders rather of Stalin etc.
I finished it about a month ago. I am impressed by certain points, but the last chapter I found rather weak. I still dont get the rise of oppertunism in the CP. Than there are a few matters I would have seen cleared up, like the Katyn massacre for instance and the NKVD.
