USSR Topic 1: Leadership Struggle - Raees Flashcards
How Stalin became leader
Role as general secretary
- General secretary in 1922
- controlled the Politburo
- access to personal files of 26,000 party members
- appointed his own supporters to important positions - Dzerzhinsky became the Head of the Secret Police to give info
- Lenin enrolment of 1923 brought 500,000 new workers into the party
- Packed Congress with loyal supporters- able to utilise the votes of his supporters in Congress against Kamanev, Zinoviev and Trotsky.
How Stalin became leader
Weakness of others
- Trotsky: He was unpopular because he was arrogant. He made huge errors of judgement such as failing to attend Lenin’s funeral. Wanted permanent revolution - unpopular. “too arrgonat”
- Zinoviev and Kamenev: Proved to be poor politicians. They miscalculated by entering into an alliance against Trotsky. Opposed NEP
- Bukharin: Lacked the political skill needed to fight Stalin. Was more right wing - liked NEP. “golden boy” but testament was private
How Stalin became leader
Defeat of Trotsky
- Tricked him to not come to Lenin’s funeral Jan 1924
- 1925, Zinoviev and Kamenev join Stalin against Trotsky in Party Congress. Trotsky proposed Permanent Revolution but Stalin’s supporters rejected it
- Destroyed Trotskys reputation
- 1925 Trotsky lost his job as Commissar for War, no longer a threat
- Expelled from Soviet Union after refusing to back down after United Opposition (1929)
How Stalin became leader
Popularity
- Lenin Enrolment brought in 500,000 people loyal to Stalin as he let them in
- Neutral stance
- Kept Lenin’s Testament hidden
- Socialism in One Country - create a strong communist society within Russia
- Wanted to keep NEP as long as it led to industrialisation at a controlable pace
- Allied with Bukharin with media popularity
How Stalin became leader
Defeat of Kamenev and Zinoviev
- Allied with Bukharin who had media popularity to remove them
- Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev formed united opposition in 1927
- Accused of factionalism (banned 1921)
- They lost respect for this and were expelled from the party 1927
How Stalin became leader
Defeat of Bukharin
- Attacked NEP and removed Bukharin and right wingers from their posts
- Gave orders for grain to be violently seized from the peasants meaning cooperation with them was now over.
- Rumours were spreading of an invasion from the west and so Stalin put forward the idea of industrialisation and ensuring enough grain could reach the cities.
- Stalin ensured that Bukharin lost all of his most important government posts.
Lenin’s Testament
- Written 1922/23
- Hidden from public
- Stalin - “I propose the comrades find a way to remove him”, “too rude”
- Trotsky - “most capable”, “too arrogant”
- Kamenev and Zinoviev - “opposed me when I tried to set the date for the revolution in October 1917.”
- Bukharin - “golden boy”
How Stalin became leader
Popularity of Policies
- Socialism in one country - opposed Permanent Revolution
- Rapid industrialisation 1928 widely supported. NEP unpopular so extreme solutions were looked for
Background
Trostky
Jewish
The favourite to suceed Lenin
Head of Red Army and orchestrator of October Revolution
Became a Bolshevik 1917 (very late)
Background
Stalin
Born in poverty in Georgia
Rude and agressive
Clever with allies and running government
Wanted to focus on socialism in USSR
Background
Kamenev
Active since 1905
Major contributor to doctrine
Opposed April Theses
Wanted to end the NEP
Background
Zinoviev
Active since 1903
Good orator but not intellectual
Opposed October revolution
Wanted to end NEP
Highly unpopular
Background
Bukharin
Joined 1906
Very popular
Lenin called him the “golden boy”
Supported the NEP
