Im going by the past not the present. Back than people like Krushchev denounce Stalin as a tyrant who was only in it for personal gain, and didn't follow Lenin's real ideology. Even Tito didn't like Stalin and broke away from him because of his power trip and his paranoid personality. Stalin purged most if the Red Army generals cause they were getting popular after the war and was afraid that they would "overthrow" him. After his death the Soviet puppet states like Hungary started riots to kick out Soviet troops from their country, as they were no longer scared of Stalin since he is gone. Though eventuality the Hungarian Revolution was crushed, and they got rid of Imre Nagy and replaced him with a more loyal Hungarian Communist, Janos Kadar.
People today didn't live through the the time when Stalin was still a leader, and that is why they like him. Just like all the skin heads worshiping Hitler now.
Different generations have different outcomes.
But like you said earlier, maybe he was a ruthless leader because it needed to be done, who knows.
FYI I don't hate Stalin, I find him to be an interesting person to read about.