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Russian History > The Power Vacuum > Flashcards

The Power Vacuum Flashcards

1
Q

Who died in January 1924

A

Lenin

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2
Q

In Marxist-Leninist ideology, what was meant to succeed Lenin

A

collective leadership

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3
Q

Why did collective leadership seem unlikely

A

Lenin was a very forceful leader and it was difficult to imagine a future without a single figure of authority directing policy

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4
Q

What had been passed in 1921 that cemented the idea of obedience to the party line

A

the ban on factions

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5
Q

what was the ban on factions

A

it allowed senior party figures to discuss policy, ut once the Central Committee had agreed on a policy every party member ad to obey the decision. If someone disagreed, they would be forming a faction and would be expelled from the party

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6
Q

what was the debate within the party after Lenin’s death

A

the extent to which party democracy should replace the centralised control and large, state bureaucracy

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7
Q

When did the power vacuum start to take shape

A

1922, when Lenin was incapacitated following his first stroke

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8
Q

what formed in 1922-23 to block the ambitions of Trotsky

A

the triumvirate

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9
Q

who were the members of the triumvirate

A

Stalin, Kamenev and Zinoviev

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10
Q

who was general secretary at the time

A

Stalin

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11
Q

how can Stalin be described at the time

A

unpopular and underrated by his colleagues

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12
Q

who was also influential in countering the left

A

Bukharin

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13
Q

Who were some other individuals circled around the edges of the power struggle

A

Rykov, Tomsky and Radek

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14
Q

When was Lenin’s first stroke

A

May 1922

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15
Q

When was Lenin’s second stroke

A

December 1922

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16
Q

what did Lenin’s second stroke do

A

left him unable to speak and partially paralysed

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17
Q

what did Lenin’s third stroke do

A

left him bedridden and unable to speak

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18
Q

What did Lenin hope to do through his testament

A

guide the transition to new leadership

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19
Q

what was meant to happen to the testament

A

it was meant to be read out at the Party congress after his death

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20
Q

What did Lenin do in his testament

A

he cast shadows of doubt over Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev and Bukharin, but was particularly harsh of Stalin, because of his brutal actions in crushing opposition in Georgia

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21
Q

What did Lenin say about Stalin in his testament

A

‘he is too coarse’

‘that is why I suggest that the comrades think about a way of removing Stalin’

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22
Q

what would have been the consequence if the testament had been read it

A

it would have had a dramatic impact on the power struggle that followed

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23
Q

Why was the testament not readout

A

Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev managed to persuade their colleagues not to publish the testament

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24
Q

What happened to the testament

A

it remained in the political undergrowth as a dangerous secret that could be used as ammunition when the power struggle developed

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25
Q

What reputation had Stalin gained by 1924

A

a man of violence and an immensely hard worker who was an expert in dealing with the details of bureaucratic organisation

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26
Q

How did the experienced members of the Bolsheviks view Stalin

A

as intellectually inferior

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27
Q

What did Stalin possess

A

he had a vast knowledge of the expanding party machinery and had placed loyal supporters in key positions.

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28
Q

How did Bukharin regard Stalin

A

reasonable and reliable

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29
Q

What personality traits did Stalin possess

A

although jealous of others, he was patient and able to keep his long term aims hidden, meaning he could wait a long time for revenge against people he perceived as enemies

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30
Q

What crucial position did Stalin possess

A

he was General Secretary when the party bureaucracy was expanding rapidly and he was good at gaining the loyalty of trusted subordinates.

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31
Q

What had Stalin worked hard to ideologically learn

A

to master the theories of Marxism-Leninism

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32
Q

What did Stalin’s opponents stupidly do

A

underrate him, due to him being good at concealing his intentions

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33
Q

what did Stalin purposefully do

A

he placed himself close to Lenin during the period of illness in 1922-23, thus enabling Stalin to claim that he knew and understood what Lenin wanted

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34
Q

How did Stalin also benefit from fear within the party

A

fear of Trotsky aided him, meaning he could form the triumvirate

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35
Q

What was the general view of Stalin

A

he was seen as crude and violent; this image was accentuated by Lenin’s criticism of Stalin’s actions as People’s commissar for nationalities

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36
Q

What was Stalin’s role in the 1917 revolution

A

he only played a minor role and was overshadowed by others of greater prominence, like Trotsky or greater popularity, like Bukharin.

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37
Q

What did Stalin’s colleagues know about his relationship with Lenin

A

despite the testament never being revealed to the wider party in 1924, Stalin’s colleagues knew Lenin had turned against Stalin.

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38
Q

Who was enlisted in 1926 to defend comrade Stalin against criticism

A

Lenin’s sister mariya

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39
Q

Who was seen as the most important man in the party besides Lenin

A

Trotsky

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40
Q

Why were Trotsky’s rivals already moving against him before Lenin died

A

because of his immense capabilities and power

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41
Q

Who were the admirers of Trotsky

A

Viktor Serge and Karl Radek

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42
Q

When did Trotsky’s position start to weaken

A

1924

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43
Q

Who were Trotsky’s new allies

A

Zinoviev and Kamenev (left opposition)

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44
Q

why did Trotsky hold immense power

A

due to his past achievements in the revolution and the civil war, as well as his abilities as a theorist and speechmaker

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45
Q

Who was the biggest admirer of Trotsky

A

himself

46
Q

what negative personality traits did Trotsky possess

A

he was arrogant and dismissive of people he saw as having fewer abilities

47
Q

What did Trotsky possess

A

formidable political skills, ruthlessness, authority and organisational ability

48
Q

Why did many in the party fear Trotsky

A

they thought he might use his hold over the Red Army to seize power after Lenin’s death

49
Q

Why were the old bolsheviks suspicious of Trotsky

A

he had been a Menshevik and was a late convert to Bolshevism

50
Q

Why did many of Trotsky’s colleagues dislike him

A

his arrogance and disdain for those he thought less clever than himself

51
Q

what was Trotsky’s view of Stalin

A

he badly underrated him

52
Q

Why did Trotsky not bother to do

A

he made no serious attempt to build a base of support within the Party

53
Q

How can Trotsky be seen as an opportunist

A

he opposed the triumvirate of Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev but later allied with Zinoviev and Kamenev against Stalin

54
Q

What bad traits did Trotsky possess

A

he could be indecisive and tended to fall ill at critical moments

55
Q

what errors did Trotsky make

A

he made serious errors of judgement, such as attacking the Party bureaucracy in 1924 when he needed its support

56
Q

How can Kamenev be described

A

he was capable and intelligent, as well as being a skilful politician good at managing people and situations.

57
Q

who was Kamenev closely associated with

A

Zinoviev

58
Q

How did Kamenev view himself

A

an important player in a collective leadership but perhaps lacked the ambition or ruthlessness to seek power for himself

59
Q

What did Kamenev gain a reputation for

A

flip-flopping

60
Q

why did Kamenev have a great influence

A

he was an old bolshevik and was a man who had helped for party policy, being close to Lenin

61
Q

what did Lenin entrust Kamenev with after his stroke

A

many of his personal papers

62
Q

where did Kamanev have a strong party base

A

Moscow, where he ran the local party

63
Q

how was Kamenev regarded as

A

thoughtful and intelligent, good at smoothing out difficulties amongst colleagues, with the ability to get things done.

64
Q

why did Kamenev gain the image of opportunism

A

due to him opposing Lenin in 1917 as well switching alliances between Stalin and Trotsky

65
Q

What was the negative to Kamenev being too closely linked to Zinoviev

A

Zinoviev was more popular than he was

66
Q

what was the negative view of Kamenev

A

he was too soft and lacked the drive to be a sole leader

67
Q

What did Kamenev stupidly do

A

he underestimated his rivals, especially Stalin

68
Q

What did Zinoviev have a wide knowledge of

A

European culture

69
Q

what was Zinoviev well known for

A

he was one of the party’s best speechmakers, with a commanding presence, for example as Chairman of the Comintern Congresses

70
Q

what did Zinoviev have the reputation for

A

for being vain as well as inconsistent, prone to unpredictable mood swings.

71
Q

Why was Zinoviev able to command respect

A

he was an old bolshevik who had contributed well to the revolution

72
Q

What was Lenin’s view of Zinoviev

A

he was his ‘closest and most trusted assistant’

73
Q

Where was Zinoviev’s party boss

A

Leningrad (Petrograd)

74
Q

how did Zonviev benefit from his role as Leningrad party boss

A

he had a strong political power base, second in importance only to Moscow.

75
Q

what was held against Zinoviev

A

his opposition to Lenin over the timing of the Bolshevik cop (and his joint resignation with Kamenev and Rykov in November 1917)

76
Q

what was the issue with the formation of the left opposition

A

it was too late

77
Q

Who was associated with the right of the party

A

Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky

78
Q

What was the Duumvirate

A

Stalin and Bukharin

79
Q

why did Stalin start to dislike Bukharin

A

due to his popularity

80
Q

How did the rank and file regard Bukharin

A

as both impressive and likeable

81
Q

why was Bukharin a good potential leader

A

he was a brilliant intellectual and theoretician, as well as being highly popular with his politburo colleagues and with party members

82
Q

how did Lenin describe Bukharin

A

‘the darling of the party’

83
Q

why was Bukharin seen as a likeable figure

A

he was open and cooperative and had friendly relations with people on the LEft as well as the Right.

84
Q

what was wrong with Bukharin

A

he could be naive and lacked the capacity for intrigue, which made him unsuited to Party infighting

85
Q

How was Bukharin regarded as

A

the best theoretician in the party

86
Q

what was Bukharin an expert in

A

economics and agriculture, at a time when debates about the peasantry were of major concern to the Bolshevik government

87
Q

Why did Bukharin have no power base

A

he tried to remain on good terms with everyone and to avoid factional in-fighting, he had no power base

88
Q

Why was Bukharin a target for Stalin’s enmity

A

his popularity

89
Q

what tactical mistakes did Bukharin make

A

he left it too late to make an alliance with Zinoviev and Kamenev

90
Q

Who was a member of the moderate wing of the party

A

Rykov

91
Q

What had Rykov frequently done

A

disagreed with Lenin and the radicals

92
Q

Who was Rykov aligned with in terms of the policy

A

the views of Bukharin and Tomsky

93
Q

what role did Rykov possess

A

he was chairman of the government

94
Q

Why was Rykov widely respected

A

he was an old bolshevik who was active since the early days of the revolution

95
Q

Where had Rykov shown the administrative ability

A

in the implementation of war communism during the Civil War; and in managing the switch of policy to NEP

96
Q

Who did Rykov have extensive support from

A

Sovnarkom, who chose him as Deputy Chairman in 1923 and CHairman in 1924

97
Q

What was the issue with Rykov’s personality

A

he was a conciliator more than a plotter; and among the moderates, he was overshadowed by Bukharin’s ability and popularity

98
Q

What was Rykov’s role actually like

A

it was largely ceremonial and he also lacked a power base

99
Q

What policy of Bukharin’s was politically unwise

A

his policy of putting heavy taxes on vodka was socially correct but politically unwise and aroused intense opposition from sections of the Party

100
Q

What was held against Rykov

A

the fact he had argued over revolutionary tactics

101
Q

what did Rykov stupidly do

A

he underrated Stalin until it was too late

102
Q

who was Tomsky the son of

A

a factory worker

103
Q

who did Tomsky have a long association with

A

the trade unions

104
Q

Why was Tomsky respected

A

his long record as an old Bolshevik and his working-class origins made him popular in the party

105
Q

why did Tomsky have a strong position in the party

A

due to his role as chief spokesman for the trade unions

106
Q

what roles did Tomsky possess

A

he was General Secretary of Red International of the Trade Unions from 1920 and was elected to the central committee and the politburo in 1922

107
Q

who was Tomsky a natural ally of

A

moderate leaders, such as Rykov and Bukharin

108
Q

Who was Tomsky immensely hostile to

A

Trotsky

109
Q

what did Tomsky’s hostility to Trotsky mean

A

he was blinded to the danger of Stalin

110
Q

how did tomsky hand immense power to Stalin

A

his alliance with Stalin, Rykov and Bukharin in purging left-wingers from the party in 1926

111
Q

Why was Tomsky a target for Stalin’s jealousy

A

his power base in the trade unions

112
Q

What was going to be used against Tomsky

A

his support of NEP was bad when the grain crisis of 1927 hit the economy.

Russian History (15 decks)

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