Leadership Race

Question 1

Power Vacuum

Answer 1

From 1922 to 21st Jan 1924: Lenin suffered a series of strokes and died.
Created a power vacuum which led to a power struggle, lasting until 1929.

Question 2

Trotsky: Strengths

Answer 2

Brilliant intellectual and theorist
Energetic man during revolution and civil war
Second in power- influence to Lenin
Formidable political skills and ruthlessness
Organisation skills
Popular, man of action

Question 3

Trotsky: Weaknesses

Answer 3

Old Bolsheviks were suspicious of Trotsky as he was previously a Menshevik
Under-estimated Stalin
No attempts to build support in the party
Arrogant, dismissive of people he deemed to be of lower ability.
Attacked party bureaucracy when he needed their support

Question 4

Stalin: Strengths

Answer 4

Hard working
General Secretary- controlled patronage and who the voting members were, placed those loyal to him in party positions.
Close to Lenin, cared for him in his dying years.
Always loyal to Bolsheviks
Underestimated by his oppositions.
Formed alliance with K and Z, Triumvirate: gave him more support which he had initially lacked.

Question 5

Stalin: Weaknesses

Answer 5

Could be crude and violent
Small role in October Revolution compared to Trotsky

Question 6

Kamenev and Zinoviev Strengths

Answer 6

Close friends of Lenin. Members of Politburo
Strong support base in both Leningrad and Moscow.
Z: Head of Comintern
K: Deputy Chairman of Council of People’s Commissar

Question 7

Kamenev and Zinoviev Weaknesses

Answer 7

Opposed October revolution timing
Underestimated Stalin.

Question 8

Lenin’s Funeral

Answer 8

27 Jan 1924:
Stalin: Chief Mourner, gave speeches
Zinoviev gave speeches
Trotsky did not attend (illness, allegedly told the wrong date).

Question 9

Lenin’s testament

Answer 9

Written in 1923, read by K and Z after Lenin’s death: Promoted collective leadership- no sole leader. Criticised contenders.
Trotsky: Arrogant
Stalin: impatient, violent and rude(to Lenin’s wife)
K and Z: opposed October revolution, disloyal.
K and Z decided not to make it public as it heavily criticised them, thought Stalin wasn’t a threat so Lenin’s heavy criticism of him wasn’t important.

Question 10

13th Party Congress

Answer 10

May 1924: Triumvirate presented party policy, Trotsky criticised bureaucratic and less democratic nature. But defeated in votes (Stalin loyalists)
Trotsky could have tried to gain support in party but didn’t due to ban on factionalism in 1921.
Z and K campaign attacked Trotsky, who hit back.
Stalin appeared like the peacemaker

Question 11

Stalin’s Socialism in One Country

Answer 11

Wanted to concentrate solely on Soviet Union, believed Russia could achieve communism by itself.
Patriotic, appealed to nationalists and many party members

Question 12

Trotsky’s Permanent Revolution

Answer 12

Believed that communism needed to be spread.
Wanted revolutions in other countries to move society into socialism.
Less popular

Question 13

Stalin, Bukharin, NEP

Answer 13

Stalin and Bukharin form an alliance and support NEP and co-operation with peasants.
Z and K opposed, separated from Stalin.

Question 14

14th Party Congress (Left Opposition bye)

Answer 14

Dec 1925: Z and K wanted end of NEP and harsh measures on peasants. Attacked Stalin, called for a vote of no confidence, lost due to Stalin’s power or patronage.
Z, K and Trotsky united, United Opposition, and launched an attack on Stalin. They were painted to be factionalists, and all three were expelled from party.

Question 15

Stalin’s switch on NEP (Right Opposition bye)

Answer 15

1928: Stalin switched his position on the NEP and instead moved for rapid industrialisation and use of force on peasants. Opposite to what he said before.
Bukharin opposed it, lost all his influence, denied as editor of Pravda in 1929.