9. The Power Vacuum and Power Struggle 1924-1929 Flashcards
When did Lenin die?
In 1924
In theory how was the party controlled after Lenins death?
By a collective leadership; no established process for choosing a leader
This struggle wasn’t only about rivalries but also about what?
An ideological struggle about the policies that should be implemented in the newly formed Soviet Union
When was Stalin made general Secretary of the Party?
April 1922
When is the triumvirate formed?
May 1922
Which year is Lenins first and second stroke?
1922
When is Lenins testament suppressed at the party congress?
May 1924
When is Lenins third and worst stroke?
1923 - March
What did Marxist ideology suggest about leadership?
That it should be shared in a collective leadership.
Why was Lenins legacy conflicting with the Ideas of Marxism?
-Instead of encouraging democracy, he banned factions in 1921
-Centralised control by the party had replaced notions of “All Power to the Soviets”
What was Lenins Testament and when did he make it?
In December 1922, Lenin dictated a 600 word testament, where he criticised almost everyone in party leadership - but especially Stalin.
Why was Stalin particularly criticised in Lenins testament?
Partly because Stalin had been rude to Lenins wife - Nadezhda Krupskaya, and because Stalin used brute force to suppress Georgian Independence
Did Lenin endorse anyone as his successor?
No, which could suggest he wanted the party to return to collective leadership
Who was Lenins testament entrusted to?
To Nadezhda Krupskaya, to be read out at the Twelfth Party Congress - April 1923.
What did Krupskaya do to Lenins testament?
She kept it in secret, in hope that Lenin may recover, she only produced it after his death
Who was in the triumvirate?
-Kamanev
-Zinoviev
-Stalin
How did the triumvirate react to the Testament of Lenin?
They did not want it to be read out, so it was censored when being read to other party officials
Why was the triumvirate formed?
Because all three members felt that Trotsky was too large an opposition
What happened to the Triumvirate by 1924-25?
Stalin was seeming to become more dominant, so Zinoviev and Kamenev joined Trotsky in the Left
What characteristics made Rykov popular?
-He was an old bolshevik
-He was a good administrator; had helped implement war communism and NEP
-He was supported by the Sovnarkom
What characteristics made Rykov unpopular?
-He had policies of heavy taxation on vodka
-He opposed Lenin over the revolution timing
-He lacked a power base, overshadowed by Bukharin
What characteristics made Tomsky popular?
-respected as an old bolshevik - with working class origins
-Strong support base from being General Secretary of the Red International of the Trade Unions
-Natural ally of moderates in the party (Rykov and Bukharin)
What characteristics made Tomsky unpopular?
-He hated Trotsky so was blind to Stalin
-His power base made him a target for Stalins resentment
-His support for the NEP was used against him by Stalin when grain crisis hit 1927
Who were the 7 Power struggle members?
-Trotsky
-Zinoviev
-Bukharin
-Tomsky
-Rykov
-Kamenev
-Stalin
What characteristics made Bukharin popular?
-Close to Lenin and Trotsky, associate of Stalin
-Widely regarded as best theoretician
-Expert on economics and agriculture
What characteristics made Bukharin unpopular?
-So cooperative and wanted to avoid party fighting, no power base
-Popularity in party made him a target for Stalin
-Underestimated Stalin
What characteristics made Zinoviev popular?
-An old Bolshevik who Lenin once called his most “trusted and closest assistant”
-Strong power base in Leningrad, he ran the local party
-One of the Partys best speechmakers
What characteristics made Zinoviev unpopular?
-Opposed lenin October 1917
-Vain and prone to mood swings
-Underestimated Stalin
What characteristics made Kamenev popular?
-Old Bolshevik, helped shape party policy
-Had a strong power base in Moscow, local party
-Effective team player, good at reaching compromises
What characteristics made Kamenev unpopular?
-Opposed Lenin in October 1917 - leaving the party as a result
-Viewed as Zinovievs side-kick (unambitious)
-Underestimated Stalin and opponents
What made Trotsky popular?
-Recognised as hero of revolutions, for leader of MRC
-Recognised as a hero of Civil War for defeating whites
-Inspirational speaker and intellect
-Known for his formidable political skills
What made Trotsky unpopular?
-Arrogant and dismissive of unintelligent people like Stalin
-Indecisive and Inconsistent, allied with Zinoviev and Kamenev but later opposed
-Many Bolsheviks feared would use Red Army to stage coup
What made Stalin popular?
-Role as General Secretary allowed him to reward supporters
-Opponents underestimate him
-Placed himself close to Lenin 1922-23
-Zinoviev/Kamenev allied with him
What made Stalin unpopular?
-Not very prominent in 1917 revolutions
-Colleagues saw him as ill-educated and rude
-Seen as boring
-Senior Bolsheviks knew about his relationship with Lenin
