2.1 RISE OF STALIN (Stalin's Soviet Union)

Question 1

FAVOURABLE CIRCUMSTANCES

Answer 1

1. NON-DISCLOSURE OF LENIN’S TESTAMENT
2. TROTSKY’S UNPOPULARITY IN POLITBURO

Question 2

STALIN’S OWN ABILITY

Answer 2

1. PERCEIVED ASSOCIATION WITH LENIN
2. USE OF LENIN’S FUNERAL TO DISCREDIT TROTSKY
3. EXPLOITED DIFFERENCES AMONG COMMUNIST LEADERS
4. CONTROL OVER PARTY ORGANISATON

Question 3

NON-DISCLOSURE OF LENIN’S TESTAMENT

Answer 3

• LENIN SUSPICIOUS OF STALIN, FELT STALIN NOT BE MADE SECRETARY GENERAL
  
  • REMOVED FROM POST
• CRITICISED ALL SUCCESSORS FOR INFIGHTING IN PARTY
  POLITBURO - DID NOT WANT WILL MADE PUBLIC FOR FEAR OF HUMILIATION

STALIN RETAINED POSITION
- MADE USE OF POSITION TO RISE EVENTUALLY (CRONYISM)

Question 4

TROTSKY’S UNPOPULARITY IN POLITBURO

Answer 4

• TROTSKY OVERCONFIDENT DID NOT ESTABLISH BROAD ENOUGH SUPPORT BASE
• BELIEVED HE WOULD SUCCED LENIN > COMPLACENT ABOUT BUILDING SUPPORT WITHIN PARTY
  - CONSIDERED ARROGANT BY PARTY
• SUPPORT FROM NARROW BASE
  - YOUTHS, RED ARMY, STUDENT
  STALIN “SOCIALISM IN ONE COUNTRY” MORE POPULAR THAN TROTSKY “PERMANENT REVOLUTION”
• LACK OF SUPPORT FOR TROTSKY GROWING APPEAL FOR STALIN

Question 5

PERMANENT REVOLUTION

Answer 5

• TROTSKY WANTED RUSSIANS TO FIGHT FOR WORLD REVOLUTION BY EXPORTING RUSSIAN COMMUNISM TO OTHER
  COUNTRIES
• PROMOTE AND INCITE REVOLUTIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD
• RUSSIAN WAR WEARY AFTER WW1 AND CIVIL WAR
• UNPOPULAR AMONG PARTY MEMBERS FAILED TO CONVINCE THEM

Question 6

SOCIALISM IN ONE COUNTRY

Answer 6

• STALIN IDEA MORE VIABLE IDEA BY PARTY MEMBERS
• PUBLIC EASIER TO UNDERSTAND AIM OF STRENGTHENING RUSSIA
• STALIN MADE SURE HE HAD SUPPORT OF PARTY MEMBERS
• GROWING APPEAL FOR STALIN AMONG PARTY MEMBERS

Question 7

PERCEIVED ASSOCIATION WITH LENIN

Answer 7

• PHOTOS OF STALIN AROUND LENIN IN HISTORICAL MOMENTS (FAKED AND REAL)
  
  • PUBLISHED IN RUSSIAN NEWSPAPERS
• CULT OF PERSONALITY > SPREADING PROPAGANDA AND MISINFORMATION TO PUSH A NARRATIVE
• SHOW THAT STALIN CLOSE TO LENIN
  
  • RIDE COATAILS OF LENIN PUBLIC SUPPORT ( SOLDIERS, PEASANTS, WORKERS )
• PARTY MEMBER AND PUBLIC IMPRESSION THAT LENIN FAVOURED AND TRUSTED STALIN
• STALIN RIGHTFUL SUCCESSOR

Question 8

USE OF LENIN’S FUNERAL TO DISCREDIT TROTSKY

Answer 8

STALIN ORGANISED LENIN’S FUNERAL
- GAVE HIMSELF ROLE OF CHIEF MOURNER > SEEMS AS THOUGH CLOSE TO LENIN
- TRICKED TROTSKY INTO MISSING THE FUNERAL BY GIVING WRONG DATE
- PARTY MEMBERS UNHAPPY AT TROTSKY FOR APPARENT LACK OF RESPECT

MADE FUNERAL A GRAND AFFAIR > ORDERED FOR LENIN’S BODY TO BE DISPLAYED IN A MAUSOLEM IN RED SQUARE
- ARRANGED FOR CITY OF PETROGRAD TO BE RENAMED AS LENINGRAD

Question 9

EXPLOTED DIFFERENCES AMONG COMMUNIST LEADERS

Answer 9

• INTRICATE SYSTEM OF ALLIANCE > REMOVE POLITICAL OPPONENTS FROM POWER
• EXPLOITED IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES
  MODERATES - FOLLOWED LENIN’S IDEOLOGY CLOSELY
  RADICALS - FORMED NEW IDEAS AND CHALLENGED THE SYSTEM
• ALLIED HIMSELF WITH BOTH SIDES AT DIFFERENT TIMES

TROTSKY
- STALIN ALLIED WITH MODERATES
KAMENEV ZINOVIEV
- STALIN BROKE TROIKA ALLIANCE CONVINCED MODERATES THEY PLOTTING WITH TROTSKY TO OVERTHROW GOV
BUKHARIN RYKHOV
- STALIN ALLIED WITH RADICALS, REMOVED BUKHARIN FROM POLITBURO IN 1929, REMOVED RYKOV FROM POSITION OF PREMIER IN 1930

DISCREDITED OPPOSITION

Question 10

CONTROL OVER PARTY ORGANISATION

Answer 10

STALIN PRACTICED CRONYISM
- PLACED HIS SUPPORTERS IN KEY POSITION
SECRETARY-GENERAL
> FULL AUTHORITY OF PROMOTION AND APPOINTMENT OF PARTY MEMBERS
- REPLACE ALLIES OF OPPONENTS WITH HIS OWN
- SHRANK TROTSKY SUPPORT BASE > LACK OF SUPPORT WITHIN PARTY
1925 Trotsky forced to resign as head of red army
1927 Stalin had Trotsky expelled from the party