Soviet Union - Focus - Power Struggle following the death of Lenin

Question 1

Democratic Centralism, what is it?

Answer 1

1. Systematic internal party/government debate key to the idea of Marxist-Leninism or the ‘vanguard party’.

Question 2

Features of transition from democratic centralism to bureaucratic centralism.

Answer 2

1. Growth in party membership - Leading to corruption of Politburo, Orgburo and Secretariat.
2. Secretariat became most important body, this led to development of bureaucracy.
3. Ban on factionalism, party purges and admin posts of party took exploitation of it.

Question 3

Question on Soviet Economy - Early developments in power struggle

Answer 3

1. Impact of NEP was inner party debate, inner conflict, especially with Lenin’s absence of leadership… (later death).
2. Lenin’s testament further elevated this, leading to conflict between party; figures joseph stalin, Buhkarin, Kamenev, Rykov, Leon Trotsky, Zinoviev and Tomsky.

Question 4

Stalin’s early development in power struggle.

Answer 4

1. Stalin’s Accumulation of power; General Secretary, Commissar for Nationalities, commissar for workers’ and peasants’ inspection and member of politburo.
2. Stalin creation of Triumvirate with Zinoviev and Kamenev.
3. Sided with Left and right opinion of the party, later sighting left toward then end on the opinion of the economy.

Question 5

Features of the Leftists and Rightists of the party, attitude toward economy

Answer 5

Leftists
- Trotsky, Stalin, Kamenev, Zinoviev.
- Backed end to NEP.
- State control over industrialisation and agriculture.

Right
- Buhkarin, Rykov and Tomsky.
- To continue NEP and State capitalism/

Question 6

Key Reasons for Stalin’s Victory during late 1920s.

Answer 6

1. Manipulation of Party; Cult of Lenin, Methodology of cult mentality, playing political game.
2. Ideology and party appeal
3. Ban on Factionalism.