Ideological Debates and Issues in the Leadership Struggle Flashcards

1
Q

What had the party become split over from 1921

A

economic policy

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2
Q

what did Lenin introduce in 1921

A

the New Economic Policy

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3
Q

how was NEP seen

A

it was a radical divergence from Marxist theory because it allowed private enterprise to continue

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4
Q

What did Lenin say about NEP

A

it was a necessary compromise, to be implemented ‘seriously and for a long time’.

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5
Q

who wanted to abandon NEP

A

the ‘left’, led by Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev

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6
Q

who wanted NEP to continue

A

the ‘right’, led by Rykov, Tomsky and Bukharin

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7
Q

what was Stalin’s attitude toward NEP

A

it was inconsistent, fluctuating from, a left-leaning position up to 1925, then support for the continuance of the NEP up to 1928, finally switching back in 1928 to 1929 to a policy of replacing the NEP with a revolutionary surge towards rapid industrialisation and collectivization of agriculture

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8
Q

what ideological issues overshadowed other debates

A

the question of world revolution

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9
Q

what did all theories of Marxism-Leninism assume

A

that it was impossible for a revolution to survive in a single country

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10
Q

why was it seen the revolution could not survive

A

the capitalist countries would gang together and strangle the revolution at birth

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11
Q

how was Marxist theory contradicted by events

A

the revolutions in Germany, Hungary and elsewhere were crushed

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12
Q

what blocked the revolutionary way to the west

A

defeat in the Russo-Polish war in 1920

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13
Q

what did Trotsky and the Left still hold when it came to their ideology

A

the line of permanent revolution - maximum support should be given to the Comintern in fomenting revolution across the world until a truly socialist society was achieved everywhere

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14
Q

what pragmatic view did Stalin take in 1923

A

Socialism in One Country

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15
Q

what was the idea of socialism in one country

A

that Bolshevik Russia should aim to build a worker’s paradise in the Soviet Union as an example to the world

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16
Q

what did Stalin establish by 1924

A

a central position in the party leadership

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17
Q

what enabled Stalin to entrench his position

A

Lenin’s funeral

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18
Q

what was Stalin’s role at the funeral

A

he was placed in charge of arrangements

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19
Q

how did Stalin use the funeral to his advantage

A

he seized the opportunity to promote the cult of Leninism by making the funeral a state occasion, marked by reverend adoration for the Great Leader

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20
Q

what did Stalin insist

A

that Lenin’s body was embalmed and placed in public view

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21
Q

where was Trotsky

A

absent - far away in Sukhum on the Black sea, convalescing from a serious bout of influenza

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22
Q

what did Trotsky’s failure to attend Lenin’s funeral do

A

it gave Stalin a political advantage

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23
Q

why had Stalin’s ambitions gone unnoticed

A

due to the pressing concern to stop Trotsky

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24
Q

what happened as Trotsky’s position weakened

A

perception of Stalin changed and the Triumvirate began to fall apart

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25
Q

what was seen as the perfect occasion to move against Stalin

A

the Thirteenth Party Congress in May 1924

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26
Q

what did Trotsky do at the Thirteenth Party Congress

A

he hesitated because he was nervous of being blamed for causing a split in the party, possibly because he thought there would be a better opportunity later.

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27
Q

who did Stalin have the support of in the Congress

A

Kamenev and Zinoviev protected Stalin from criticisms arising from Lenin’s testament.

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28
Q

what was the issue with Trotsky

A

he was not a natural conspirator like Stalin; he lacked an instinct for bureaucratic infighting, or the patience needed to mobilise his supporters or win political allies until it was too late

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29
Q

who did Stalin have the support of

A

Vyacheslav Molotov (the assistant General Sec)
Lazar Kaganovich (first sec of the party in Ukraine)
Kliment Voroshilov
Sergei Kirov

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30
Q

what has Robert Service said about Stalin

A

‘Stalin demanded efficiency as well as loyalty from the gang members. He created an ambience of conspiracy, companionship and crude masculine humour. In return for their services he looked after their interests’.

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31
Q

When did tensions grow within the party

A

after the thirteenth party congress of 1924

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32
Q

why did tensions grow

A

Kamenev and Zinoviev became frustrated by their failure to control Stalin

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33
Q

who had become an ally of Stalin against the others

A

Bukharin

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34
Q

where was the mood of the party moving towards

A

Stalin’s view that stability within the USSR was more important than ‘reckless adventures’ fomenting revolution abroad

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35
Q

what did many disagree with Bukharin over

A

his enthusiastic support for peasants ‘enriching themselves’

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36
Q

where was Stalin able to place himself

A

in the ‘golden middle’, avoiding extreme positions

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37
Q

what happened to the balance of the party

A

it was swinging further away from Trotsky

38
Q

what happened at the central committee in January 1925

A

Trotsky was forced out of his post as People’s Commissar for War

39
Q

What did Zoniviev propose about Trotsky

A

he should be expelled from the party

40
Q

who rejected Zinovievs proposals

A

Stalin rejected them

41
Q

why did Stalin reject Zinovievs proposals

A

he wanted to maintain his moderate image

42
Q

what did the absence of Trotsky do

A

the triumvirate became even more fractious; Kamenev and Zinoviev opposed Stalin in the Central Committee in September 1925 and the battle lines of the power struggle were redrawn at the Fourteenth Party Congress in December 1925

43
Q

what did Kamenev and Zinoviev do at the Fourteenth Party Congress in December 1925

A

they launched a direct attack on Stalin

44
Q

what happened to Zinoviev and Kamenev when they tried to oppose Stalin

A

they were easily painted as factionalism endangering the security of the USSR at a precarious time

45
Q

what was the result of Zinoviev and Kamenev being labelled as factionalists

A

they were pushed toward joining their former enemy Trotsky

46
Q

what did Bukharin and Stalin form

A

the duumvirate, that was virtually running the country in 1926 and 1927

47
Q

What happened in mid-1926

A

Kamenev, Zinoviev and Trotsky formed the united opposition

48
Q

what was the literary discussion

A

a war of words fought out by the main contenders in a flood of books and pamphlets

49
Q

why did the war of words benefit Stalin

A

Trotsky did not win the war of words as he had expected; Stalin’s line appealed to a majority of party members.

50
Q

what did Stalin face

A

continuous criticism and, in December 1926, his frustrations led him to offer to resign as General Secretary.

51
Q

what was Stalin blamed for in 1927

A

the crushing of the Chinese Communists in Canton and Shanghai

52
Q

What did the Central Committee decide to do in October 1927

A

expel Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev from the committee

53
Q

what happened in November 1927

A

Trotsky and Zinoviev were expelled from the party altogether

54
Q

what happened at the Fifteenth Party Congress in December 1927

A

the expulsions were confirmed and dozens of other oppositionists were expelled also

55
Q

why did the Duumvirate appear secure and harmonious

A

the two families lived near each other and their private relations between them were friendly

56
Q

Why did political tensions begin to emerge in 1928

A

Stalin’s long term aims did not extend to sharing power

57
Q

what did Russia face at the beginning of 1928

A

a serious food shortage

58
Q

why was there a food shortage

A

the regime had difficulty buying enough grain from peasant producers.

59
Q

what did the food crisis lead to

A

it intensified dissatisfaction with the NEP among party members keen to see Russia industrialize more quickly

60
Q

why was Bukharin criticised

A

he was seen as ‘soft’ on the peasant question

61
Q

what did Stalin want to do

A

he was in favour of tough action to compel the peasantry to increase grain supplies

62
Q

what did Stalin personally supervise in January and February 1928

A

stern measures against the peasants in western Siberia

63
Q

how did Stalin make the decision to implement measures against peasants in Western Siberia

A

he did it unilaterally, without discussing it with Bukharin

64
Q

what was Stalin preparing

A

the way for a rapid surge in industrialisation - what later became the first five-year plan

65
Q

what did Bukharin protest again

A

‘excesses; by officials

66
Q

what happened with Bukharin’s protest

A

he expected other party leaders to support him, but they did not

67
Q

what did Stalin and Bukharin clash repeatedly over

A

Bukharin’s numerous speeches and articles in favour of ‘sensible’ policies made little impact. Bukharin was now isolated and vulnerable to Stalin’s attacks

68
Q

what was Stalin reverting from

A

the golden to the middle to radical revolutionary policies in many areas

69
Q

what revolutionary policies did Stalin adopt

A

war in the countryside against the ‘kulaks’, sudden and rapid industrialisation, even a new emphasis on interventionist foreign policies and aggressive support for the Comintern

70
Q

what were Stalin’s policies followed by

A

increasing severity through 1928 and into 1929. Bukharin ceased to be a partner and became an enemy, along with other ‘rightists’

71
Q

who were the other ‘rightists’

A

Rykov and Tomsky

72
Q

what had happened to Bukharin by February 1929

A

he was desperate enough to consider making an alliance with Trotsky

73
Q

did Bukharin form an alliance with Trotsky

A

no, but Stalin was aware of the contact with them

74
Q

what happened to Bukharin in April 1929

A

he was deprived. of several of his government posts, including editorship of Pravda; in November 1929, he was expelled from the politburo

75
Q

What did Stalin do in December 1929

A

Stalin made a speech that revealed the harsh nature of the policies he now intended to follow

76
Q

what was happening to the bolshevik party

A

the era of Stalin the Reovluointary was over; the era of Stalin the Desport was just beginning

77
Q

what happened to the Bolsheviks of the 1920s

A

of those who contended for power in the 1920s, Stalin was the only one to live beyond 1940. The rest died through violence, on Stalin’s orders

78
Q

what did many of the old bolsheviks try to do

A

reconcile themselves to Stalin’s rule by making humiliating confessions of past errors and accepting subordinate positions in the party

79
Q

What did Zinoviev and Kamenev do in 1928

A

they gave into Stalin, but they lost their high posts and their place in the Politburo

80
Q

what happened to Rykov

A

he was sacked and replaced by Molotov in 1930

81
Q

what happened to Tomsky

A

he was removed from his role with the trade unions

82
Q

What did Bukharin do in November 1930

A

he admitted ‘his mistakes’ in a desperate effort to preserve some limited influence in the Party. He hated Stalin but still retained faith in the revolution and could not make a complete break from it

83
Q

what did Stalin do to his old rivals

A

he neither forgot nor forgave his former rivals. He set about purging any remnants of opposition.

84
Q

how did Stalin purge his old rivals

A

in a series of arrests and show trials in the later 1930s

85
Q

what happened to the legacy of the old Bolsheviks

A

the memory of their contribution to the Bolshevik revolution was systematically expunged by the falsification of the documentary or photographic record of their place in history

86
Q

what was the fate of Zinoviev

A

he submitted to Stalin in 1928; he was expelled from the Party in 1932; executed after a show trial in 1936

87
Q

what was the fate of Kamenev

A

he submitted to Stalin in 1928; he was expelled from the Party in 1932; executed after a show trial in 1936

88
Q

what was the fate of Tomsky

A

forced out as leader of the trade unions in 1929, removed from Central Committee in 1934, killed himself in 1936 to avoid trial and execution

89
Q

what was the fate of Rykov

A

expelled from the politburo in 1930, removed from Central Committee in 1934, executed after a show trial in 1938

90
Q

what was the fate of Bukharin

A

he was expelled from the Politburo in 1929; rehabilitated in 1934; executed after a show trial in 1938

91
Q

what was the fate of Trotsky

A

he was expelled from the party in 1927; exiled in 1929; murdered by one of Stalin’s agents in 1940