Joseph Stalin was a politician.
De-Stalinization ( Russian : десталинизация , Destalinizatsiya ) consisted of a series of political reforms in the Soviet Union after the death of long-time leader Joseph Stalin in 1953 , and the ascension of Nikita Khrushchev to power . Joseph Stalin . Stalin died in 1953 and was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev , who denounced Stalin and initiated a de-Stalinisation process . Stalinism is the means of governing and related policies implemented by Joseph Stalin .