1. Struggle For Power

Question 0

What was Lenin’s Testament?

Answer 0

Lenin became ill and wrote a Testament which included a set of instructions, one of which was to sack Stalin, however the Testament was kept secret.

Question 1

What was the role of Stalin in the October Revolution and the Russian Civil War?

Answer 1

He played a minor role and was known as ‘the grey blur’ because he wasn’t outstanding or controversial.

Question 2

What was Trotsky’s role in the October revolution?

Answer 2

He commanded and led it.

Question 3

What was Trotsky’s role in the civil war?

Answer 3

He commanded the Red Army.

Question 4

What did Lenin say about Trotsky in his Testament?

Answer 4

Praised him as ‘the most outstanding member’ of the party.

Question 5

How was Trotsky viewed by other Communists?

Answer 5

He was viewed as arrogant and too western, they didn’t trust him because he only joined the Bolshevik Party in 1917. He gained loyalty of members of the army but not many of them were members of the party.

Question 6

How was Bukharin described by Lenin?

Answer 6

‘Favourite’ of the whole party, however in his Testament Lenin thought Bukharin’s theories were ‘not fully Marxist’.

Question 7

Bukharin’s role after the civil war?

Answer 7

He became the leading advocate of the New Economic Policy (NEP).

Question 8

Views on Bukharin?

Answer 8

Older communists thought he was too young, radicals on the left wing were suspicious of his economic policy. He was head of the media so he could publish his own views and criticise the views of others.

Question 9

Who were Zinoviev and Kamenev?

Answer 9

They were Lenin’s closest friends and part of the first members of the Bolshevik Party, however they were known for being disloyal and cowardly. Zinoviev was head of the Petrograd Party and Kamenev was head of the Moscow party.

Question 10

How did Stalin go about obtaining gaining power?

Answer 10

He gained majority support of the Politburo. He could influence what was discussed at Politburo meetings because he was the General Secretary and he could also fill the Party Congress with his supporters. Stalin also had the power to reward those who were loyal to him.

Question 11

Stalins power as Rabkrin?

Answer 11

He could sack those who opposed him.

Question 12

Impact of the leadership struggle on Stalin?

Answer 12

Seen as mundane at first but he could appoint delegates to party congress so he had increasing control over important decisions, few recognised this before it was too late.

Question 13

Trotsky’s significance in the leadership struggle?

Answer 13

He had a high profile role of leader of the Red Army however it didn’t command any real power, also this role made him seem more threatening in the party.

Question 14

Zinoviev’s and Kamanev’s impact on the leadership struggle?

Answer 14

Their positions gave them the largest section of support in the party but Stalins Patronage meant he could undermine their power bases.

Question 15

What were the left wing views on industrialisation?

Answer 15

• High taxes on peasants to fund it
• Encourage peasants to join collective farms to increase agricultural productivity
• Rapid state-funded industrialisation

Question 16

Right wing view on industrialisation: the NEP?

Answer 16

• Low taxes for peasants for gradual industrialisation
• Allow peasants to own their own farms and trade on the free market
• Slow state funded industrialisation

Question 17

Trotsky’s view on industrialisation?

Answer 17

Left wing rapid industrialisation.

Question 18

Who supported the NEP?

Answer 18

Bukharin (leading advocate) and initially with support of Stalin, Zinoviev
and Kamanev.

Question 19

Support for the NEP from the party in general?

Answer 19

Supported initially (1920s) because they feared more taxation on the peasants may cause a backlash against the government, also because it was creating economic growth. However 1927 growth fell and so did support.

Question 20

The NEP’s impact on Trotsky’s leadership struggle?

Answer 20

Successes of the NEP gained right wing support and this undermined his power base.

Question 21

The NEP’s impact on Zinoviev and Kamanev?

Answer 21

They both abandoned the NEP in an attempt to win support of the left wing, however the NEP still was successful so they failed.

Question 22

The NEP’s impact on Stalin’s leadership struggle?

Answer 22

Stalin only abandoned the NEP in 1928 and this was after it had started to fail, this move from right to left increased his popularity whereas Bukharin stuck by the NEP.

Question 23

How did the Bolsheviks believe the world would react to revolution in Russia 1917?

Answer 23

They believed would spark revolutions across the world.

Question 24

Left wing view on world revolutions?

Answer 24

• No socialist society can exist on its own
• Communist Russia will be secure once revolutions had occurred in other countries
• Needed to use aggressive foreign policy

Question 25

Right wing views on world revolutions?

Answer 25

• Socialist can be built in Russia alone
• Russia will lead the rest of the world to revolution in time
• No need for an immediate world revolution

Question 26

Who stood where with revolution and the rest of the world?

Answer 26

Stalin and Bukharin supported socialism in one country whereas Trotsky believed in permanent revolution. 1925, Zinoviev and Kamenev shared the same view as Trotsky since they had switched to the left-wing.

Question 27

Why did socialism in one country appeal more to communists?

Answer 27

• Appealed to Russian nationalism because it showed it was the first communist country
• Permanent revolution appeared defeatist because it suggested Russia needed other revolution to succeed
• Fear that permanent revolution would lead to war

Question 28

What was the Triumvirate?

Answer 28

It was a combination of Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev and was formed to prevent Trotsky from gaining power. They successfully defended the NEP and it was the end of Trotsky’s leadership ambitions.

Question 29

What was the Duumvirate and the United opposition?

Answer 29

After defeating Trotsky the Triumvirate lost its common enemy so the alliance fell apart. Zinoviev and Kamenev moved to the left so Stalin and Bukharin allied to protect the NEP and socialism in one country, this alliance was known as the Duumvirate. 1927, party congress voted against united opposition and in favour of the Duumvirate.

Question 30

How did Stalin succeed in moving to the left?

Answer 30

After Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev were expelled from the communist party, Stalin moved over to the left wing since the NEP was failing, Bukharin stuck with the NEP but as it failed he lost his credibility.

Question 31

When was Stalin victorious?

Answer 31

1928, after he invoked emergency economic measures and after he defeated Bukharin on the right he became the lone ruler of Russia.

Question 32

What did Stalin do at Lenin’s funeral which was a dirty trick?

Answer 32

Lenin’s funeral was a chance for contenders of his position to show their loyalty to him, so Stalin told Trotsky the wrong date for the funeral, Trotsky missed the funeral and was regarded as disloyal to Lenin.

Question 33

How did Stalin use dirty tricks against Bukharin?

Answer 33

Following his split from Bukharin in 1928 Stalin prevented him from attending important meetings by insisting Bukharin to have medical checks on arriving to meet the Central Committee, Bukharin missed the chance to extend his influence within the Central Committee.

Question 34

How did Stalin use Faction Fighting?

Answer 34

1928, Stalin rumoured he was going to form an alliance with Kamenev and Zinoviev, so Bukharin called a secret meeting with them, Stalin anticipated this and revealed the secret meeting to the Central Committee accusing Bukharin of factionalism.

Question 35

What was the significance of Stalin switching sides?

Answer 35

He united the most popular policies and won support from both sides of the party.

Question 36

How did Stalins dirty tricks help him?

Answer 36

It gave him an important advantage at crucial moments of leadership struggle, also when he switched in 1928 he united the most popular policies to keep support from the right and attract new support from the left.