Power struggle Flashcards
1
Q
Power struggle individuals: Stalin
A
- Stalin had a basic education, referred to by his older colleagues as inferior
- 1924 Stalin gained a reputation of being a man of violence and an immensely hard worker who dealt with the details of bureaucratic organisations well.
- Despite being ‘inferior’ Stalin had vast knowledge of the expanding party machinery, and had placed loyal supporters in key positions.
- Stalin was labelled as rude, and was jealous of others but also patient, able to keep his long term aims hidden, and to wait a long time for revenge against his enemies.
2
Q
Stalin’s Strengths
A
- Held a crucial position as General Secretary when the party bureaucracy was expanding rapidly, he was good at gaining the loyalty of trusted subordinates.
- Stalin had worked to master the theories of Marxism-Leninism
- Underrated by his opponents, and was very good at hiding his intentions
- Deliberately placed himself close to Lenin during his period of illness in 1922-23, enabling him to claim that he knew and understood what Lenin wanted.
- Fear of Trotsky enabled him to make an alliance with Zinoviev and Kamenev in the Triumvirate.
- Weakness of his opponents, such as when Zinoviev and Kamenev didn’t want Lenin’s testament to be read out.
3
Q
Stalin’s weaknesses
A
- most of his colleagues saw him as crude and violent; this image was accentuated by Lenin’s criticism of Stalin’s actions as Peoples Commissar for Nationalities
- H had played only a minor role in the 1917 revolution and was overshadowed by others of greater prominence, like Trotsky, or greater popularity like Bukharin
- Although Lenin’s testament was never read out, his colleagues knew that Lenin was very critical of him.
4
Q
Power struggle individuals: Trotsky
A
- Trotsky was seen as an extraordinary organiser, a man of action, an exceptional ideologist and theoretician
- held power and prestige, both from past achievements in revolution and civil war, and as a theorist and speechmaker.
- people were more impressed with his abilities than Trotsky himself.
- Seen as dismissive and arrogant towards those with lesser abilities, often unmotivated to get involved with the more boring details of administration .
- Was also prone to sudden bouts of illness and inaction, ‘freezing in pivotal moments.
5
Q
Trotsky’s strengths
A
- brilliant intellectual and theorist, and an inspiring speechmaker
- energetic man of action during the revolution and the civil war, second in power to only Lenin
- Had formidable political skills, ruthlessness, authority, and organisational ability
6
Q
Trotsky weaknesses
A
- Many Bolsheviks feared him, assumed they’d use his control over the red army to seize power after Lenin’s death.
- due to being a Menshevik and a late converter to Bolshevism, elder Bolsheviks were wary of him
- colleagues disliked his arrogance and disdain for those he thought less clever of then himself
- badly underrated Stalin
- made no serious attempt to build support within the party
- seen as inconsistent and an opportunist, opposed the Triumvirate of Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev, but later allied with Zinoviev and Kamenev against Stalin
- could be indecisive and tended to fall ill at critical moments
- made serious errors of judgement, such as attacking the party bureaucracy in 1924 when he needed their support
7
Q
Power struggle individuals: Kamenev
A
- capable and intelligent, a skilful politician good at managing people and situations.
- closely associated with Zinoviev 2 colleagues often acted together
- like Zinoviev, Kamenev saw himself as an important player in a collective leadership, but perhaps lacked the ambition or ruthlessness to seek power for himself.
- Also gained a rep for flip flopping, being too ready to change sides
8
Q
Kamenev Strengths
A
- ‘Old Bolshevik’ helped form party policy and was close to Lenin, he had great influence, after Lenin’s stroke in 1922, trusted his personal papers to Kamenev
- had a strong power base in Moscow, where he ran the local party
- was regarded as thoughtful and intelligent, good at smoothing out difficulties amongst colleagues, with the ability to get things done.
9
Q
Kamenev weaknesses
A
- like Zinoviev, Kamenev gained reputation for inconsistency and opportunism by opposing Lenin in 1917 and later switching alliances between Stalin and Trotsky
- He was too closely linked to Zinoviev, who was more popular than he was.
- Many regarded him as being too ‘soft’ and lacking the drive to be a sole leader.
- seriously underrated rivals, esp Staling
10
Q
Power struggle individuals: Zinoviev
A
- intelligent and educated, wide knowledge of European culture.
- One of the party’s best speechmakers, with a commanding presence
- Chairman of the Conintern congresses, but had a reputation for being vain, also inconsistent, prone to unpredictable mood swings, like his associate Lev Kamenev, Zinoviev was seen as a compromiser without any consistent philophosy, and tended to fold under pressure
11
Q
Zinoviev strengths
A
- old Bolshevik, commanded respect from some colleagues for his contribution to the revolution
- had been high in lenin’s favour, before 1924, Lenin called him ‘closest and most trusted assistant’
- his role as party boss in Leningrad gave him a strong political power base, second in importance to only Moscow
12
Q
Zinoviev weaknesses
A
- opposition to Lenin in 1917 and over the timing of the Bolshevik coup was held against him.
- Seriously underestimated his rivals and opponents, especially Stalin
- He and Kamenev left it too late before switching their support to Trotsky
13
Q
Power struggle individuals: Bukharin
A
- Ranked and filed Bolsheviks regarded him as both impressive and likeable
- Brilliant intellectual and theoretician, and highly popular with his Politburo colleagues and party members.
- Lenin called him ‘the darling of the party’ He was open and cooperative and had friendly relations with people on the left as well as the right
- but he could be naïve and lacked the capacity for intrigue, which made him unsuited to Party infighting
14
Q
Bukharin Strengths
A
- was popular within party, close to Lenin and for a long time friendly with Trotsky
- in the 1920’s was a close associate of Stalin and was much respected by him
- widely regarded as the best theoretician in the party
- a particular expert on economics and agriculture, at a time when debates about the peasantry were of major concern to the Bolshevik Gov
15
Q
Bukharin weaknesses
A
- Tried to remain on good terms with everyone and to avoid factional in fighting, he had no power base
- He seriously underestimated Stalin: much more popular in the Party than Stalin, which made him a target
- made tactical mistakes, such as leaving it too late to make an alliance with Zinoviev & Kamenev
