The Power Vacuum Flashcards
Who died in January 1924
Lenin
In Marxist-Leninist ideology, what was meant to succeed Lenin
collective leadership
Why did collective leadership seem unlikely
Lenin was a very forceful leader and it was difficult to imagine a future without a single figure of authority directing policy
What had been passed in 1921 that cemented the idea of obedience to the party line
the ban on factions
what was the ban on factions
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
what was the debate within the party after Lenin’s death
the extent to which party democracy should replace the centralised control and large, state bureaucracy
When did the power vacuum start to take shape
1922, when Lenin was incapacitated following his first stroke
what formed in 1922-23 to block the ambitions of Trotsky
the triumvirate
who were the members of the triumvirate
Stalin, Kamenev and Zinoviev
who was general secretary at the time
Stalin
how can Stalin be described at the time
unpopular and underrated by his colleagues
who was also influential in countering the left
Bukharin
Who were some other individuals circled around the edges of the power struggle
Rykov, Tomsky and Radek
When was Lenin’s first stroke
May 1922
When was Lenin’s second stroke
December 1922
what did Lenin’s second stroke do
left him unable to speak and partially paralysed
what did Lenin’s third stroke do
left him bedridden and unable to speak
What did Lenin hope to do through his testament
guide the transition to new leadership
what was meant to happen to the testament
it was meant to be read out at the Party congress after his death
What did Lenin do in his testament
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
What did Lenin say about Stalin in his testament
‘he is too coarse’
‘that is why I suggest that the comrades think about a way of removing Stalin’
what would have been the consequence if the testament had been read it
it would have had a dramatic impact on the power struggle that followed
Why was the testament not readout
Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev managed to persuade their colleagues not to publish the testament
What happened to the testament
it remained in the political undergrowth as a dangerous secret that could be used as ammunition when the power struggle developed
What reputation had Stalin gained by 1924
a man of violence and an immensely hard worker who was an expert in dealing with the details of bureaucratic organisation
How did the experienced members of the Bolsheviks view Stalin
as intellectually inferior
What did Stalin possess
he had a vast knowledge of the expanding party machinery and had placed loyal supporters in key positions.
How did Bukharin regard Stalin
reasonable and reliable
What personality traits did Stalin possess
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
What crucial position did Stalin possess
he was General Secretary when the party bureaucracy was expanding rapidly and he was good at gaining the loyalty of trusted subordinates.
What had Stalin worked hard to ideologically learn
to master the theories of Marxism-Leninism
What did Stalin’s opponents stupidly do
underrate him, due to him being good at concealing his intentions
what did Stalin purposefully do
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
How did Stalin also benefit from fear within the party
fear of Trotsky aided him, meaning he could form the triumvirate
What was the general view of Stalin
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
What was Stalin’s role in the 1917 revolution
he only played a minor role and was overshadowed by others of greater prominence, like Trotsky or greater popularity, like Bukharin.
What did Stalin’s colleagues know about his relationship with Lenin
despite the testament never being revealed to the wider party in 1924, Stalin’s colleagues knew Lenin had turned against Stalin.
Who was enlisted in 1926 to defend comrade Stalin against criticism
Lenin’s sister mariya
Who was seen as the most important man in the party besides Lenin
Trotsky
Why were Trotsky’s rivals already moving against him before Lenin died
because of his immense capabilities and power
Who were the admirers of Trotsky
Viktor Serge and Karl Radek
When did Trotsky’s position start to weaken
1924
Who were Trotsky’s new allies
Zinoviev and Kamenev (left opposition)
why did Trotsky hold immense power
due to his past achievements in the revolution and the civil war, as well as his abilities as a theorist and speechmaker