The leadership struggle, 1924-29 Flashcards
Who were the rivals for leadership in 1924?
Stalin, who played little part in the 1917 takeover and was little known in the party. Lenin’s will made it clear that he didn’t want Stalin to succeed.
Trotsky, who had played a leading part in the Civil War and takeover. He was commander of the Red Army and favoured by Lenin. However, he was disliked by the Politburo for being a former Menshevik and because of his Jewish origins.
Zinoviev was a founding member of the Bolshevik Party and he led the party in Petrograd. He was also Chairman of the Comintern Execute Committee.
Bukharin was a member of the Politburo, but had upset Lenin by opposing the treaty of Brest-Litovsk. He gained favour back with Lenin when he supported NEP. He was editor of the newspaper Pravda until 1929, he was seen as an able Marxist theoretician. He was also General Secretary of the Comintern Executive Committee.
Explain why Stalin became leader of the Soviet Union.
Trotsky wasn’t popular with the Politburo or the old Bolsheviks. This was due to his Menshevik past and his Jewish origins. Kamenev and Zinoviev disliked Trotsky’s political ideas. Trotsky failed to use his popularity in the army to help his cause and he and the others underestimated Stalin. He could’ve removed Stalin, as he was Commander of the Red Army.
Stalin held a key position. As General Secretary he appointed officials who supported him and built up a power base. He managed to present himself as Lenin’s closest follower, and he successfully used propaganda to criticise Trotsky and reinforce the idea that he was a devout follower of Lenin. Stalin played off Zinoviev, Kamenev and Trotsky against Bukharin and the Politburo. He was able to use his position to persuade the Central Committee to keep Lenin’s Will & Testament a secret.
Stalin also wanted to concentrate on establishing communism at home, but Trotsky wanted to spread communism. Trotsky’s ideas didn’t appeal to the Russians after four years of civil war.
Describe how Stalin removed his rivals in the year 1924-9.
1924- Central Committee kept the Will & Testament of Lenin secret because it might cause disunity.
1925- Stalin ensured his ideas of ‘Socialism in One Country’ and the Politburo dismissed Trotsky as Commissar of War.
1926-7- With three of his allies in the Politburo, Stalin had Trotsky Kamenev and Zinoviev were dismissed from the Politburo.
1928-9- Stalin argued against NEP and in favour of expanding industry. In 1929 Bukharin was forced to resign.
