The power vacuum and power struggle Flashcards
ideology and the nature of leadership; Lenin's testament; divisions and contenders for power: character, strengths and weaknesses of Stalin, Trotsky, Bukharin, Kamenev, Rykov, Tomsky and Zinoviev
why was there a power struggle - ideology
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
why was there a power struggle - Lenin’s leadership
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
what was lenin’s testament
letter intended to be read out at the 12th party congress
put together by Lenin when he was dying
what was said in Lenin’s testament
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
Stalin had called Lenin’s wife a whore
Why was Lenin’s testament not revealed to the party
Stalin Kamenev and Zinoviev who had all been heavily criticised in the testament convinced their colleagues to not publish the testament
Stalin’s character
patient - able to keep his long term aims hidden
expert in the details of bureaucratic organisation
amiable and friendly so could easily make allies
Stalin’s strengths
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
Stalin’s weaknesses
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
Trotsky character
good organiser and man of action
arrogant and dismissive of those he saw as inferior
Trotsky strengths
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
Trotsky weaknesses
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
Kamenev character
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
Kamenev strengths
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
Kamenev weaknesses
opposed the October revolution in 1917
seriously underestimated Stalin
too closely linked with Zinoviev who was more popular than him
Zinoviev character
reputation for switching sides e.g. opposed Oct rev
commanding presence intellectual and educated
Zinoviev strengths
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
Zinoviev weaknesses
opposed the 1917 O
October revolution which was held against him
Underestimated Stalin
left it too late to switch support to Trotsky
Bukharin character
open and cooperative so worked with both side of the party
naïve so unsuited to party infighting
impressive and intellectual
Bukharin strengths
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
Bukharin weaknesses
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
Rykov character
moderate and conciliatory
wanted to play a unifying role so was not good for party infighting
Rykov strengths
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
Rykov weaknesses
lacked a power base
had opposition within the party as he placed heavy taxes on vodka
Tomsky character
working class background as the son of a factory worker
Tomsky strengths
strong position within the party as spokesman for trade unions
ally of other moderates like Bukharin and Rykov
Tomsky weaknesses
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
