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Ideological debates and issues with the power struggle - Coggle Diagram
Ideological debates and issues with the power struggle
NEP and industrialisation
The issue
The New Economic Policy had revived agriculture but:
industry lagged behind,
unemployment remained,
inequality was visible.
So the question became → continue NEP or change course?
Trotsky & the Left
Wanted:
faster industrial growth,
more state planning,
pressure on peasants to provide grain.
They feared NEP was reviving capitalism.
Bukharin & the Righ
t
Defended NEP.
His famous message to peasants was basically:
enrich yourselves, produce more.
He believed gradual growth would fund industry.
Stalin’s tactic
At first, Stalin sided with Bukharin to isolate Trotsky.
Later, once Trotsky was defeated, Stalin abandoned NEP and adopted rapid industrialisation himself.
👉 This shows ideology was flexible if power required it.
Permanent revolution or one country
Trotsky – Permanent Revolution
Russia could not survive alone.Revolution had to spread internationally or socialism would fail.
Stalin – Socialism in One Country
The USSR could build socialism by itself, even if revolutions abroad failed.
Why Stalin’s idea won support
After failed European uprisings, many members were tired of waiting.
Stalin’s line sounded:✔ patriotic✔ realistic✔ stabilising
How Stalin became leader
position
As General Secretary, Stalin appointed thousands of officials.
They owed him loyalty.
2️⃣ Use of alliances
First with Zinoviev & Kamenev against Trotsky.Then with Bukharin against them.Finally he turned on Bukharin.
He defeated opponents one at a time.
3️⃣ Trotsky’s mistakes
Brilliant speaker, poor political operator.
He:
underestimated Stalin,
lacked a strong support base,
seemed arrogant.
4️⃣ Lenin’s Testament
It criticised Stalin.
But leading figures suppressed it because removing Stalin might threaten their own positions.
5️⃣ Stalin’s image
He presented himself as:
modest,
loyal to Lenin,
a man of unity.
This reassured many party members.
Outcome of politburo
Trotsky
Removed from posts → exiled → later assassinated abroad.
Zinoviev & Kamenev
Lost influence → later eliminated in the 1930s.
Bukharin
Initially close to Stalin → fell when NEP was abandoned.
By 1929, Stalin stood effectively unchallenged.