The Nature of Stalin's Dictatorship

Seite 1

The leadership contest

Lenin died in 1924. He dictated his political testament to

his wife which was to be read out to the congress of soviet after his

death. In this testament it became clear

that there were two main candidates for leadership- Trotsky and Stalin.

Lenin had said that Stalin was

rude and should be replaced for a more ‘tolerant, more loyal’ man.

Lenin also said that Trotsky is

probably the most capable man but he is too self confident.

Lenin assumed the whole politburo, consisting of Trotsky,

Stalin, Rykov, Kamenev, Zinoviev, Bukharin and Tomsky, would take over but

after his death Trotsky, Stalin and Rykov who were also in the CPC competed for

power.

Stalin’s Strengths

Stalin’s weaknesses

Could be charming

Had a quick temper

Clever

He was suspicious

Excellent organiser and planner

Sudden changes of mind for no good reason

Most ambitious member of the politburo

Stalin felt that the SU was so backwards in industry and agriculture

it would be attacked by capitalist states

Believed in ‘socialism in one country’

He was General Secretary of the Communist Party so he chose who got

jobs therefore people aimed to please him to keep their jobs

Stalin’s first step was to stop Lenin’s testament being read

to the congress of soviets. Kamenev and Zinoviev persuaded the politburo not to

sack stalin and not to read the testament.

Trotsky’s removal- Stalin made rumours that he never had

Lenin’s approval and disrupted the work of the politburo.

1925- resigned as commissar of war

1926- expelled from politburo

1927- expelled from the communist party

1928- exiled to Kazakhstan

1929- exiled from soviet union

Because of stalins position of power he could easily remove

rivals and the stronger he got the more open he could be with his attacks. Zinoviev and Kamenev were his next targets, during 1925 he made an alliance with Bukharin and Rykov against them; he used rumors and accusations of disloyalty to make them lose support. By 1926 the rivalry was out in the open and they had been forced to make an alliance with Trotsky. Zinoviev was expelled from the communist party with Trotsky and Kamenev followed

1917-22 The cheka

1922-23 The GPU, part of the NKVD which included the ordinary police and prisons

1923-34 The OGPU

1934-45 the GUGB, part off the NKVD

The OGPU dealt with political crimes

The OGPU dealt with political crimes. It was the Cheka under a different name.

The Leadership Contest

Stalin's Police State