  This chapter presents some concluding remarks about Stalin's leadership, the events following his death, and his legacy. Stalin was in many respects a patrimonial leader. In his last years, most official business was transacted in private meetings between Stalin and his entourage. He secured the loyalty of his colleagues over and above their commitment to any office and, to underline this, he completely reshaped and renamed posts and committees, maneuvering his companions between them at will. Stalin's death opened the gates for the so-called new course on a variety of domestic and foreign policy issues, many of which were steered by the new collective leadership at the Council of Ministers.