Communist Party Leader Candidates After Lenins Death

Question 1

What were the names of the 7 candidates

Answer 1

Stalin 
Trotsky 
Bukharin 
Kamanev 
Zinoviev
Tomsky
Rykov

Question 2

In order to gain power what was the name of the group Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamanev formed

Answer 2

The Triumvirate

Question 3

Name a strength of Stalin

Answer 3

Was General secretary-good at gaining loyalty

Question 4

Name a strength of Stalin

Answer 4

Worked hard to master the theories of Marxism

Question 5

Name a strength of Stalin

Answer 5

Underrated by his opponents- very good at concealing his intentions

Question 6

Name a strength of Stalin

Answer 6

Deliberately placing himself close

To Lenin during his period of illness- enables Stalin to claim he knew what he wanted

Question 7

Name a strength of Stalin

Answer 7

Made an alliance with Kamanev and Zinoviev

Question 8

Name a weakness of Stalin

Answer 8

Crude, violent

Question 9

Name a weakness of Stalin

Answer 9

Overshadowed during the 1917 revolution

Question 10

Name a weakness of Stalin

Answer 10

Lenin has turned against him

Question 11

Describe Stalin’s character

Answer 11

A man of violence 
Hard worker
Expert in bureaucratic organisation
Vast knowledge of the expanding party 
Placed loyal supporters in key positions

Question 12

Name a strength of Trotsky

Answer 12

Brilliant intellectual and theorist, an inspiring speech maker

Question 13

Name a strength of Trotsky

Answer 13

An energetic man of action

Question 14

Name a strength of Trotsky

Answer 14

Formidable political skills

Question 15

Name a strength of Trotsky

Answer 15

Helped mastermind the communist seizure of power

Question 16

Name a weakness of Trotsky

Answer 16

Many Bolsheviks feared him

Question 17

Name a weakness of Trotsky

Answer 17

Had been a Menshevik-old Bolsheviks were suspicious of him

Question 18

Name a weakness of Trotsky

Answer 18

Arrogance and sustain for anyone enjoy as intelligent as him

Question 19

Describe Trotskys character

Answer 19

Extraordinary organiser and a man of action
Exceptional ideologist and theoretician
Held power and prestige
Had formidable political skills

Question 20

Name a strength of Kamanev

Answer 20

Had great influence

Question 21

Name a strength of Kamanev

Answer 21

Entrusted with many of Lenin’s papers

Question 22

Name a strength of Kamanev

Answer 22

Had a strong power base in Moscow

Question 23

Name a strength of Kamanev

Answer 23

Ability to get things done

Question 24

Name a weakness of Kamanev

Answer 24

Lacked the ambition or ruthlessness to seek power for himself

Question 25

Name a weakness of Kamanev

Answer 25

Gained a reputation for ‘flip-flopping’

Question 26

Describe Kamanev’s character

Answer 26

Capable and a intelligent | Skilful politician, good at managing people and situations

Question 27

Name a strength of Zinoviev

Answer 27

Commanded respect from colleagues

Question 28

Name a strength of Zinoviev

Answer 28

Had been high in Lenin’s favour before 1924

Question 29

Name a strength of Zinoviev

Answer 29

His role as party boss in Leningrad gave him a strong political power base

Question 30

Name a weakness of Zinoviev

Answer 30

His opposition to Lenin and joint resignation with Kamanev and Rykov was held against him

Question 31

Name a weakness of Zinoviev

Answer 31

He and Kamanev left it to late before switching their support to Trotsky

Question 32

Describe Zinovievs character

Answer 32

Member of the politburo Spokesman for the central committee at the annual party congress Head of the Comintern

Question 33

Name a strength of Bukharin

Answer 33

Popular within the party: close to Lenin, friendly with Trotsky, close associate of Stalin

Question 34

Name a strength of Bukharin

Answer 34

Widely regarded as the bust theoretician in the party

Question 35

Name a strength of Bukharin

Answer 35

Particular expert on economic and agriculture

Question 36

Name a weakness of Bukharin

Answer 36

Had no power base

Question 37

Name a weakness of Bukharin

Answer 37

Seriously underestimated Stalin

Question 38

Name a weakness of Bukharin

Answer 38

He made tactical mistakes

Question 39

Describe Bukharins character

Answer 39

Impressive and likeable A brilliant intellectual and theoretician Highly popular within the politburo

Question 40

Name a strength of Tomsky

Answer 40

Respected for being an old Bolshevik and working class

Question 41

Name a strength of Tomsky

Answer 41

Chief spokesman for the trade unions gave him a string position. General secretary of Red international of the trade unions from 1920. Elected to the central committee and the politburo in 1922

Question 42

Name a weakness of Tomsky

Answer 42

Intense hostility to Trotsky blinded him to Stalin

Question 43

Name a weakness of Tomsky

Answer 43

Power base within the trade unions make him a massive target for Stalin

Question 44

Name a weakness of Tomsky

Answer 44

Support for NEP was used against him when the crisis of 1927 hit the economy

Question 45

Describe Tomskys character

Answer 45

Long association with trade unions From a genuine working class background Reputation for plain speaking Moderate political views

Question 46

Name a strength of Rykov

Answer 46

Widely respected in the party for his experience as an Old Bolshevik

Question 47

Name a strength of Rykov

Answer 47

Shown administrative ability in the implementation of war communism and then moving to NEP

Question 48

Name a strength of Rykov

Answer 48

Extensive support from Sovnarkom- chose him as deputy chairman in 1923 and then chairman in 1924

Question 49

Name a weakness of Rykov

Answer 49

Overshadowed by Bukharin

Question 50

Name a weakness of Rykov

Answer 50

Held a largely ceremonial position-lacked a power base

Question 51

Name a weakness of Rykov

Answer 51

Heavily taxing vodka aroused intense opposition from sections within the party

Question 52

Name a weakness of Rykov

Answer 52

Argued against Lenin over revolutionary tactics

Question 53

Describe Rykovs character

Answer 53

Moderate wing of the party Always loyal to Lenin More aligned to the views of Bukharin and Tomsky Chairman of the government-he wanted to play a unifying role