Leadership struggle Flashcards
What role did Stalin hold on Lenin’s death
Party Secretary
Why were Trotsky’s chances weakened
3 Year fever causing absences
Not a fan of political in-fighting
Clashes with majority of Politburo
Arrogance
What were Zinoviev’s strengths and weaknesses
Impressive orator but lacked substance
Initiated cult of Lenin but unpopular himself
What were Kamenev’s strengths and weaknesses
Close ally of Lenin pre-revolution
Personal charm
Good writer
Not a natural leader
Opposed many of Lenin’s ideas (April Thesis)
Supporter of Provisional government
What were Bukharin’s strengths and weaknesses
Reputation as a theoretician in Civil War
Fierce debater
Alliance between the working class & Peasants
No major Bolshevik had opposed Lenin more
Right of the party
Described as ‘soft wax’ by Lenin
What was the debate on the nature of leadership
Collective leadership or centralised control
What was the debate on the economy
Should the NEP be ended
Who supported ending the NEP
Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev
Who supported continuing the NEP and making the peasants richer
Bukharin
What was the debate on the spreading ideology
Permanent Revolution or Socialism in one country
Why did Trotsky not attend Lenin’s funeral
Stalin told him the wrong date
What was Lenin’s testament
A document that outlined how he wanted the party to proceed following his death
Why was Lenin’s testament not read
Critical of Stalin, Z & K
Praises Trotsky (but for some reason he didn’t read it possibly because of his dislike of infighting)
What happened at the 13th Party Congress
Trotsky’s attacks against the changes being made by Stalin, Z & K were dismissed by the Stalinist bloc
How did Stalin use the left wing of the party
He let Trotsky and Z &K attack each other and damaged their reputations whilst he moderated
Why did Zinoviev and Kamenev allow Stalin to increase the number of Stalinists in the party
Frightened of Trotsky and didn’t think that Stalin was a threat
Why did the right of the party swarm to Stalin in 1925
His policy of Socialism in one Country fit with their NEP plans
How did Zinoviev and Kanenev try to deal with Stalin’s new right bloc at the 14th PC
Called for a vote of no confidence against him (failed due to Stalinist control of congress)
Why were Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev expelled from the party in 1927
Accused of factionalism after joining together to take out Stalin
Who did Stalin defeat in a 1929 vote on the NEP
Bukharin, Rykov, Tomsky (all removed from positions of power)
When did Stalin become the undisputed leader of the USSR
December 1929
