Stalin's Rise to Power Flashcards

1
Q

What was Lenin’s 1921 ban on factions?

A

In 1920 Lenin became concerned about diverging views within the Communist Party.

Lenin regarded these as distractions within the party when unity was needed in order to neutralise the major crises of 1921, such as the famines, and Kronstadt Rebellion

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2
Q

How was Stalin able to secure his power?

A

Several powerful positions within the party (Party Secretary)

Underested by his rivals

Skillful political operator

Able to outmaneuver Trotsky

Decision not to publish Lenin’s Testament

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3
Q

Proof that Stalin was able to operate successfully politically?

A

Formed alliances with Kamenev and Zinoviev from 1922-1925 vs Trotsky

1926: United Opposition - Kamenev, Zinoviev & Trotsky vs. Stalin

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4
Q

Why was the communist party split over the NEP?

A

Left of the party (Zinoviev and Trotsky) believed that the NEP should be replaced by rapid Industrialisation

Right (Bukharin) thought the NEP was operating well and should be maintained

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5
Q

Why was the party split on global communism?

A

Weary following the domestic upheavals from 1917-1921

Left of the party favoured ‘Permanent Revolution’ (global) seeing international revolution as essential for the survival of Socialism

Right of the party favoured ‘socialism in one country’, used Germany as an example of failures of global revolutions, focused on securing socialism in Russia

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6
Q

Who were the ‘left communists’?

A

Zinoviev, Kamenev, Trotsky

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7
Q

Who were the ‘right communists’?

A

Tomsky, Rykov, Bukharin

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8
Q

What happened in 1922?

A
  1. Stalin appointed General Secretary of the party
  2. Lenin suffered 2 strokes
  3. Zino, Kam and Stalin form trio
  4. Lenin wrote his testament
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9
Q

What happened in 1923?

A
  1. In his testament, Lenin wrote that Stalin should be removed from his post as ‘General Secretary’
  2. Left begin to question the NEP
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10
Q

What happened in 1924?

A
  1. Lenin dies
  2. Central Committee chose to hide Lenin’s testament
  3. Stalin tricks Trotsky about the date of Lenin’s funeral
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11
Q

What happened in 1925?

A
  1. Trotsky resigns as War Commissar
  2. Party congress opt for socialism in one country and for the NEP
  3. Zino and Kame begin to oppose Stalin
  4. Stalin and Bukharin ally over agreeance over Socialism in one country
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12
Q

What happened in 1926?

A
  1. Zinoviev, Kamenev and Trotsky form united opposition against Stalin
  2. United Opposition are removed from the politburo after being accused of factionalism
  3. Stalin’s supporters join the politburo
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13
Q

What happened in 1927?

A
  1. Kamenev, Zinoviev and Trotsky are expelled from the party
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14
Q

What happened in 1928?

A
  1. Stalin turns against the right, calling for rapid industrialisation
  2. Bukharin defended the NEP but was outvoted
  3. Bread rationing
  4. First 5 year plan introduced, NEP abandoned
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15
Q

What happened in 1929/30?

A
  1. Party congress sets high targets for first 5 year plan
  2. Right Opposition (Bukharin, Tomsky, Rykov) removed from the politburo
  3. Trotsky expelled from the USSR
  4. Collectivisation introduced
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16
Q

How was the power vacuum created?

A

While decisions were meant to be made collectively, Lenin dominated

Ban on Factions 1920

By 1923 it was clear Lenin would not recover from his strokes, questions about successor

17
Q

Lenin’s cult of personality

A

‘Petrograd’ renamed to Leningrad

Statues built in every city

18
Q

What was included in Lenin’s testament?

A

Trotsky; too arrogant and eager to use violence

Stalin; impatient and rude

Z + K; disloyal before revolution

Bukharin; didm’t truly understand ideology

19
Q

Contenders for power on the left

A

Trotsky;
Recognised as a hero from revolution, skilled orator, known for political skill and organisational skill.

Called arrogant and dismissive, failed to build a power base

Zinoviev;
Strong power base in Leningrad, commanding presence

Opposed organisation of the October rev, vain, underestimated Stalin

Kamenev;
Power base in Moscow, effective at reaching compromises

Opposed to April thesis, seen as lacking ambition, underestinated Stalin

20
Q

Contenders for power on the right

A

Bukharin;
Popular in the party, regarded as best theoretician in the party, expert on economics and agriculture

Popularity made him a target, no strong power base and wanted to avoid conflict, underestimated Stalin

Tomsky and Rykov slay but kinda snore

21
Q

Stalin

A

Loyal to Lenin from 1903 - 1921

Role as General Secretary meant he could appoint his supporters to key positions

Fallen out of favour with Lenin from 1921

Colleagues saw him as rude, crude and ill-educated

22
Q

Outcomes of the Power Struggle

A

Stalin - By 1929, secured as leader of Soviet Union

Z+K - allowed to rejoin the party in 1928, Trotsky refused to rejoin and is expelled

The right - initially allowed to rejoin the party after admitting their mistakes

23
Q

The great turn, what was it?

A

Rejected the NEP

Committed to rapid industrialisation

Begin in 1925 (announced start of the industrialisation) and lasted until 1927 (end to the NEP)

24
Q

Why did Stalin introduce the great turn?

A

Knew the country was ‘backwards’ in terms of industry and military

Well developed industrial basis in order to fight a modern war

USSR much less dependent on western imports

25
Q

The first 5 year plan 1928

A

Gosplan would set targets and a centralised approach would be taken to manage the economy

Overall industrial production expected to increase by 300% from 1928 - 1932, heavy industry was prioritised, light industry while less priority was still expected to increase by 100%

Plan caused for a huge increase in electrical power, rail expansion

Thousands of new industrial centres were planned e.g Magnitogorsk

Propaganda driving force behind the plan

Threat of punishment to ‘motivate’ workers

Foreign experts brought in in order to train workers

26
Q

Why Collectivise?

A

Agriculture now small scale following peasant land seizures

Private farming was not socialist

Grain crisis 1927-28

Stalin convinced kulaks were hoarding wealth

27
Q

Features of Collectivisation

A

2 main types of collective farms; Kolkhoz and Sovkhoz

Sovkhoz state owned and ran by state

Target under 1st 5 year plan was for 15% of farms to be collectivised

Although officially voluntary, industrial workers were sent into the countryside to force peasants to collectivise and remove the kulaks

28
Q

Impact of the ‘great turn’

A

Many party members pleased to see radical social change

Urban workers hoped for improved conditions

Bukharin opposed to rapid industrialised, in response, Stalin expelled him from the party in 1929

29
Q

Features of Stalins style of government

A

Gov centrally controlled, party leadership control the appointment of all key bureaucratic positions even at lower levels

Stalin encouraged rivalry within the party, if anyone got too powerful their rivals would get rid of them (no one powerful enough to challenge him)

Positioned himself as Lenin’s heir

Role of OGPU became more universal under Stalin, fear used heavily

Politburo filled with Stalins supporters

30
Q

Propaganda and the beginning of the Stalin’s Cult

A

Stalin relied heavily on propaganda to boost enthusiasm for his plans

Image enveloped as ‘great helmsman’

Lenin’s protégée

31
Q

Stalin’s foreign policy aims

A

Keep USSR safe while concentrating on building socialism in one country

32
Q

Stalin and the Comintern

A

Before 1929 the Comintern was low priority with focus on socialism in one country - Comintern associated with Trotsky

After 1929, announced new plans for the Comintern, an all out attack on anti communism

Wanted to use the Comintern to; ensure all foreign communist parties purged themselves of weak elements, impose strict discipline on foreign parties, all communist parties follow USSR

33
Q

China

A

1925, political rivalry between CCP and GMD

Trotsky supported the CCP who wanted to lead a proletariat revolution in China

Stalin backed GMD and urged them the join the CCP, alliance failed and GMD massacred the CCP

34
Q

Germany

A

After 1922 Treaty of Rapallo, USSR continues to build good relations with Weimar Germany

1926 Treaty of Berlin was signed promising neutrality if either country was attacked

1929 death of Stresemann and rise of Hitler led to strained relations with Germany