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

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GCSE History Notiz am The Nature of Stalin's Dictatorship, erstellt von daniifarrell am 02/01/2014.