Chapter 9

Question 1

Name 3 strengths of Stalin in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 1

-Placed himself with Lenin close to his death, to later claim he knew what Lenin would’ve wanted
- Was underrated as he was able to conceal his intentions well, siding with factions to make him popular
- Held a crucial position of general secretary, meant he was able to employ people who were loyal to him in the party
- Worked hard master the theory of socialism and Marxism

Question 2

Name 2 weaknesses of Stalin in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 2

• Most of his colleagues saw him as cruel and violet, accredited to Lenin claiming he shouldn’t be leader
• Played a minor role in the 1917 revolution
• everyone knew Lenin didn’t like him

Question 3

Name 2 strengths of Trotsky in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 3

• Played a key role with Lenin in the 1917 revolution
• Great intellectual who was a good speechmaker
• Great political skills

Question 4

Name 2 weaknesses of Trotsky in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 4

• Feared Trotsky as he had power over the red army
• He was a late convert to bolshevism and was previously a Menshevik
• Inconsistent and alwasy switching sides

Question 5

Name 2 strengths of Lev Kamenev in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 5

• An old Bolshevik who helped Lenin in the 1917 revolution
• Power base in Moscow where he was a local leader
• Intelligent

Question 6

Name 2 weaknesses of Lev Kamenev in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 6

• Closely linked with Zinoviev who was more poplar than him
• regarded as too soft
• Underestimated his rivals

Question 7

Name 2 strengths of Zinoviev in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 7

• An old bolshevik
• Closest to Lenin
• Party leader in LEningrad, gave him stong political power

Question 8

Name 2 weaknesses of Zinoviev in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 8

• Underestimated Stalin
• Opposed Lenin in the timing of the Revolution
• Left it too late to turn to support trotsky

Question 9

Name 2 strengths of Bukharin in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 9

• popular within the party; friends with everyone liek Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky
• Regarded as the best theoretician
• Expert on economics and agriculture

Question 10

Name 2 weaknesses of Bukharin in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 10

• No power base, as he didn’t like to fight
• underestimated Stalin

Question 11

Name 2 strengths of Tomsky in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 11

• Old Bolshevik
• working class origin
• General secretry of the Red Trade Union

Question 12

Name 2 weaknesses of Tomsky in regard to being a contender for leader

Answer 12

• Underestimated Stalin as he was too focused on his hatred of Trotsky
• Support of NEP was used against him when NEP was removed