the power struggle within the communist party

Question 1

stalin in the power struggle

Answer 1

-born in Georgia in 1878
-was a fundraiser and agitator of bolsheviks
-old bolshevik and was loyal to lenin
-lenin viewed him in high regard and referred to him as that ‘wonderful Georgian’
-lenin supported Stalins promotion as general secretary in 1921

Question 2

trotsky in the power struggle

Answer 2

-born in 1883, known for being talented writer and good orator
-second most popular member of government
-joined in 1917, seen to be seeking power
-unpopular within government
-retained position in politburo until 1927

Question 3

kamenev and zinoviev in power struggle

Answer 3

Kamenev:
-joined bolsheviks in 1905
-initially close to lenin until opposition of April thesis
-formed troika in 1922 with zin and Stalin

Zinoviev:
-close friend and a true Leninist
-supported from the beginning
-formed troika to form majority in politburo
-in order to prevent trotsky made a number of speeches

Question 4

Tomsky and rykov in power struggle

Answer 4

Tomsky
-born in 1880 and had background into movement
-chairman of central council of trade unions in 1918
-clashed with lenin over role of TU’s in society

rykov
-born into a peasant family in 1881
-elected to succeed lenin and chairman of sovnarkom and PM of USSR
-supported NEP

Question 5

Bukharin in the power struggle

Answer 5

-from 1925-28, most prominent figure in soviet government
-true Leninist, joined in 1906
-continued to support lenin up to his death
-lenin trusted Bukharin for a number of important tasks such as editor of Pravda
-disagreed on number of issues like ending First World War and NEP