Unit 2: Stalin's Rise to power

non-disclosure of Lennin's testament sets favourable circumstances for Stalin to rise to power as it blocks/prevents opposition from Lenin’s supporters. Lenin was honoured greatly in Russia for his contributions and therefore the support from lenin supporters was impt

  • prevents the testament from undermining Stalin's rise (indirect factor that leads to the other factors success first before his success in rise to power)

  • LN's testament contained negative opinions of SL, which would be v detrimental to the reputation and influence that SL had gained at that time
  • hence, this helped SL keep his position as GS, bc the position wld have been taken away since LN expressed tht he did not want SL to continue his in his testament.
  • showed lenin's preference for trotsky over SL > undermine stalin's action of getting Lenin's supporters which could help in his rise
  • context: other contenders support stalin in the non disclosure as lenin testament also critised them, which did not put them in good light
  • Russians unaware that Lenin condemned Stalin in his testament effectively prevents Russians from opposing Stalin which would have otherwise undermined his rise to power
  • The Russians currently have good impression of Stalin and feel that Trotsky is a threat to Russia

his position as GS

allowed him to reorganise the country’s executive committee by establishing a strong support base in the Party Congress to elect favourable allies in higher committees> could control party policy that wold put him in advantage, allowing him to rise to power

unpopularity of trotsky (main contender)

  1. personality fault > arrogant and aloof
  • originally a menshevik, old bolsheviks were not convinced of his loyalty to the communist party
  • did not like the business of political in-fighting, or making deals and alliances. > placed him in a disadvantageous position
  1. unpopularity for his idea: world revolution
  • likely to bring russia into war w other countries ( other members not supportive since they did not want war )
  • VS: stalin's idea of socialism in the country, which was more popular
  1. he was the strongest contender: united other contendents

stalin's manipulation

creation of alliances (exploiting ideological differences) helps stalin to eliminate political opponents without hving to do much action. This makes him the only option for the russians to support as the successor of lenin.

Lennin's funeral

  • further unpopularity of trotsky
  • stalin told trotsky not to come for lennin's funeral since he would not make it in time
  • however, this gave the impression that trotsky did not respect lennin and hence did not turn up > severely damaged trotsky's reputation and political prestige

Manipulate inexperienced officeholders

  • As GS , SL could fill up the seats of party Congress with supporters
  • appointed inexperienced officeholders into the Party Congress > grateful towards SL and therefore support him > build a strong support base that he could manipulate
  • great influence over executive decisions within the higher committees.

Appointing Party Congress

  • Party Congress had the most authority to vote for the Executive Committee and the Politburo (those in the upper level of political hierarchy of BP)
  • allow him to appoint key positions to his supporters and also remove his supporters of opposition from positions of power > build a powerful support base for himself that he could manipulate
  • evi: in the 13th party congress, trotsky criticised SL for his party policies becoming less of socialism. however, SL was able to outvote him bc he had a strong support base (remove potential obstruction by isolating Trotsky)
  • evi: party congress in 1929 where stalin was able to defeat bukharin and his defense of the New Economic Policy by having his supporters outvote him, ultimately allowing him remove him from the politburo and other party bodies

isolation of trotsky

  • removed from politburo standing committee by stalin's orders were in oct 1927, expelled to Alma-Ata in jan 1928, exiled from Soviet Union in Feb 1928 and eventually assassinated in mexico in 1940
  • eg 13th party congress in 1924 where trotsky criticised the troika for their presentation of the party policy and for the party becoming bureaucratic and less democratic, which was against the intention of a socialist state. but was easily defeated in the votes as stalin's supporters had by then already formed a majority within the party
  • removed trotsky from the office, preventing him from having the power to influence the policies upfront; wavered support for trotsky

Pretending to be close to lenin benefitted Stalin as he could gain a good reputation among the Bolsheviks and Russians, helping him gain support and rise to power. By associating himself to Lenin, Stalin builds a good reputation as the natural successor of Lenin, hence Russians would support Stalin just like how they supported Lenin

Discrediting Trotsky

  • Lenin was a god-like figure to Russians as the founder of SU and Russia leader, hence stalin wanted to associate himself with lenin to appear as his successor
  • SL discredited Trotsky, who was more well liked by Lenin, through publishing Lenin’s ideas as a guide for the uneducated which showed his commitment towards Lenin (made a contrast to portry Trotsky and other contenders as unfaithful)
    • Discrediting Trotsky helped Stalin make clear his commitment to Lenin and made it seemed to the Russians and Bolsheviks that he was the best successor

Actions to show his commitment towards Lenin

  • Stalin made a speech at Lenin's funeral in which he appeared to be taking on the important role as Lenin successor
    -Stalin wrote a "biological chronicle" to demonstrate the central role he had played in lenin's funeral (to his advantage because it focused on Stalin alone and did not mention other leaders specifically)
  • turned Lenin tomb into a shrine and made Lenin seemed like a deity (his words could be used to justify actions) even though Lenin himself was against it
  • proposed to rename Petrograd after Lenin (Leningrad), produced all sorts of Lenin memorabilia after Lenin’s death and placed statues of Lenin all over Soviet Union
  • allowed Stalin to take advantage of the association with Lenin by showing his commitment towards Lenin, therefore portraying him as the rightful successor of Lenin

1924: Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev
vs Trotsky

  • troika alliance: wanted to eliminate Trotsky as a political opponent > turn them against each other leading to an internal power struggle

1926: Stalin and Bukharin
vs Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev

  • Supported the right-wing ideology (Socialism in One Country) which was introduced by lenin (new economic policy)
  • TZK did not support therefore SL accused them of fractionalism which was banned in the party > frame them into a situation such that they could be eliminated without implicating Stalin

1928: Stalin, Molotov, Kirov and Kaganovic vs Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky

  • backstabbed bukharin by turning against right wing > NEP was not working for Russia's economy
  • Bukharin and Rykov were against him but his supported outnumbered them > ultimately eliminated

Trotsky was becoming increasingly unpopular with the Russians and within the Bolshevik party due to his actions and attitude. This was a stark contrast to Stalin who was gaining popularity in both places. Trotsky, who now had little support, faced many opponents who did not want him to gain authority over Russia. Stalin on the other hand was able to rally support and could rise to power with little to no opposition in his way. Trotsky’s unpopularity hence contributed to Stalin’s popularity and his eventual rise to power

step 1. stalin allied himself w left wing politburo members, who saw trotsky as a radical bc trotsky criticised and challenged party organisation and policies

  • formed troika alliance w kamenev and zinoviev
    -turn them against each other leading to an internal power struggle
    step 2. isolated kamenev and zinoviev
  • broke troika alliance and allied w bukharin
  • convinced right wing that kamenev and zinoviev were plotting w trotsky to overthrow the govt
  • kamenev and zinoviev discredited and isolated
    step 3. exploiting ideological differences within the party
  • attacked bukharin and rykov