The power vacuum and power struggle

Question 1

why was there a power struggle - ideology

Answer 1

in Marxist-Leninist ideology power was supposed to be shared by a collective leadership not by a single dominant leader
therefor no mechanism for selecting a leader

Question 2

why was there a power struggle - Lenin’s leadership

Answer 2

Lenin had been a forceful leader and it was hard to imagine a future without a single figure of authority directing policy
he had a dictatorial style e.g. 1921 ban on factions enforcing loyalty and obedience to a leader

Question 3

what was lenin’s testament

Answer 3

letter intended to be read out at the 12th party congress
put together by Lenin when he was dying

Question 4

what was said in Lenin’s testament

Answer 4

pointed out faults of all contenders for power but especially critical of Stalin
because of Stalin wanted to deprive Georgians of the right to leave the union which Lenin disagreed with

Question 5

Why was Lenin’s testament not revealed to the party

Answer 5

Stalin Kamenev and Zinoviev who had all been heavily criticised in the testament convinced their colleagues to not publish the testament

Question 6

Stalin’s character

Answer 6

patient - able to keep his long term aims hidden
expert in the details of bureaucratic organisation
amiable and friendly so could easily make allies

Question 7

Stalin’s strengths

Answer 7

Behind the Lenin enrolment 1923-1925 which placed 500,000 new members into the party who owed loyalty to him
position as general secretary when party was expanding, could place supporters in key positions
formulated the cult of Lenin to make himself appear as the successor to Lenin
Alliance with Kamenev and Zinoviev (triumvirate), controlled party in final years of Lenin’s life and worked to defeat Trotsky

Question 8

Stalin’s weaknesses

Answer 8

only played a minor role in the 1917 revolution
although the testament had not been revealed Stalin’s colleague knew Lenin had turned against him

Question 9

Trotsky character

Answer 9

good organiser and man of action
arrogant and dismissive of those he saw as inferior

Question 10

Trotsky strengths

Answer 10

intellectual knowing Marxist ideology giving him support of students in the party
leader of the red army so had their support
main organiser of the October revolution

Question 11

Trotsky weaknesses

Answer 11

many Bolsheviks feared him as they thought he would use the red army to seize power
joined Bolsheviks later (April 1917) causing suspicion
made no serious attempt to build a support base within the party
errors of judgement such as attacking the party bureaucracy in 1924 when he needed its support most

Question 12

Kamenev character

Answer 12

capable and intelligent
skilful politician
lacked ambition and ruthlessness to seek out power for himself
reputation for changing sides e.g. didn’t play a role in the civil war and voted against oct rev

Question 13

Kamenev strengths

Answer 13

secretary of Moscow communist party so held a power base there
entrusted by Lenin, in his finals year Lenin gave many of his personal papers to Kamenev
held influence as part of the triumvirate leading the party in Lenin’s final years

Question 14

Kamenev weaknesses

Answer 14

opposed the October revolution in 1917
seriously underestimated Stalin
too closely linked with Zinoviev who was more popular than him

Question 15

Zinoviev character

Answer 15

reputation for switching sides e.g. opposed Oct rev
commanding presence intellectual and educated

Question 16

Zinoviev strengths

Answer 16

secretary of Leningrad communist party so had a string political power base here
very trusted by Lenin “closest and most trusted assistant”
held influence as part of the triumvirate leading the party in Lenin’s final years

Question 17

Zinoviev weaknesses

Answer 17

opposed the 1917 O
October revolution which was held against him
Underestimated Stalin
left it too late to switch support to Trotsky

Question 18

Bukharin character

Answer 18

open and cooperative so worked with both side of the party
naïve so unsuited to party infighting
impressive and intellectual

Question 19

Bukharin strengths

Answer 19

very popular within the party and with Lenin, “darling of the party”
regarded as the best theoretician in the party
expert of economics and agriculture when debated over the peasantry were of major concern

Question 20

Bukharin weaknesses

Answer 20

as he tried to remain on good terms with everyone he had no power base
underestimated Stalin and was a target for Stalin as he was more popular
tactical mistakes such as leaving it too late to for alliance with Kamenev and Zinoviev

Question 21

Rykov character

Answer 21

moderate and conciliatory
wanted to play a unifying role so was not good for party infighting

Question 22

Rykov strengths

Answer 22

shown his abilities in his implementation of war communism and managing of the switch to the NEP
support from Sovnarkom who chose him as deputy chairman in 1923 and chairman in 1924

Question 23

Rykov weaknesses

Answer 23

lacked a power base
had opposition within the party as he placed heavy taxes on vodka

Question 24

Tomsky character

Answer 24

working class background as the son of a factory worker

Question 25

Tomsky strengths

Answer 25

strong position within the party as spokesman for trade unions
ally of other moderates like Bukharin and Rykov

Question 26

Tomsky weaknesses

Answer 26

intense hostility to Trotsky made him underestimate Stalin, purging of the left wing in 1926 with Stalin, Rykov and Bukharin handed massive potential power to Stalin
power base in the trade unions made him a target for Stalin
support of the NEP was used against him when the grain crisis of 1927 hit