Stalin's succession to the Soviet Leadership

Lenin's death in 1924
1. Left a void of power in the upper echelons of the Bolshevik Government
  1. Left 4 potential candidates for power
    1. Stalin - General Secretary of the Communist party
      1. Seemed to be the "grey blur" of the Communist Govt.
    2. Kamenev - leader of the Soviet Police and had been the Acting Premier (1923/4) due to Lenin's illness
      1. Uninspired and considered poor to work with but one of Lenin's closest supporters and friends.
      2. Zinoviev was also considered but was least able and sided with Kamenev in leadership
    3. Bukharin - Communist strategist and editor of Pravda - Soviet Newspaper. Lenin's "golden boy"
      1. Lenin's "golden boy" and seen to be the natural heir to Lenin
    4. Trotsky - Marxist revolutionary and theorist and founder/first leader of the Red Army. Civil War hero and had masterminded the revolution
      1. Very competent and respected party member. Was seen to be like Napolean and others and become leader due to his leadership of the armed forces.
        Had caused revolution of the Red Army and had won Civil War, became difficult to work with and arrogant
The Political alliances and policies that determined the outcome
1. Triumvirate
  1. A coalition of Stalin, Kamenev and Zinoviev
    1. Against Trotsky - he'd never achieve enough power to take on the three of them
      1. Trotsky - ill health - missed meetings and Stalin convinced him not to attend Lenin's funeral. Terrible PR for Trotsky's campaign
      2. Kamenev and Zinoviev criticised his publication 'The Lessons of October' for amplifying his role in the revolution and discrediting Lenin's position
      3. Trotsky was finally condemned at the 13th Congress in 1924 - Stalin came out victorious with Trotsky gone and Kamenev and Zinoviev humiliated and without public support
    2. Was usurped by Lenin's Testament - organised for it to be kept a secret by other leading Communists
    3. Stalin's position as GS allowed them to control Congress and the members of the Politburo
2. Duumvirate
  1. Formed with Bukharin against the Left of the Party
    1. Argued for the 'Socialism in one Country' policy and the continuation of NEP
      1. Rather than T/K/Z's World Socialism and the discontinuation of NEP
      2. New Opposition formed against Duumvirate
        At 14th Congress - easily defeated by 559 to 65 after suggesting policy of a World Revolution
        Both Kamenev and Zinoviev were removed from the Politburo.
        Congress filled with Stalin's supporters - role of GS
  2. In 1926 Trotsky had returned and NEP was failing - Kulaks dominating market and withdrew supply of grain because of good shortages
    1. At 15th Congress - union between Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev outvoted on all issues.
      1. Zinoviev and Kamenev issued forced apologies
      2. Trotsky exiled to Mexico
Stalin vs. Bukharin after collapse of Duumvirate & Triumvirate
1. In 1928 Stalin broke his alliance with Bukharin
  1. NEP was failing and Stalin moved to the left of the party and argued for rapid industrialisation.
    1. By claiming the Left of the Party - gained supporters of Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev as well as critics of NEP
  2. Stalin used his position as GS to isolate Bukharin. Bukharin seen as the mastermind of NEP.
    1. Bukharin was deviously finished off by Stalin - began a rumour that Bukharin was going to form an alliance with Kamenev and Zinoviev - Bukharin organised a meeting to discuss it! Stalin accused him of beginning a faction
      1. In April 1929 Bukharin admitted "political errors" and expelled from the Govt.

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Stalin's succession to the Soviet Leadership

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