Power vacuum cont.

How did Marxist ideology contribute to the lack of clear leader?

According to Marxist ideology, power should be shared by a collective leadership rather than by a single, dominating figure. There was therefore no mechanism for any such leader to be chosen

How had Lenin shaped the nature of leadership and gone agaisnt traditional marxist theory?

Lenin was such a forceful, controlling leader that it was difficult to imagine a future in Russia without a single figure of authority directing p9olicy

What were some people’s attitudes to collective leadership?

Some felt that whilst Lenin’s absolute control of the government may have been justifiable during the Civil War, this type of one-man leadership was no longer necessary and now that Lenin was dead, the country should tranisition to Marxist collective leadership

Who mainly advanced the idea of collective leadership?

Opponents of Trotsky who feared he may become a military dictator

When did the power vacuum sort of start?

Began to take shape in 1922 after Lenin became seriously incapacitated by his first stroke

Why had the triumvirate formed after Lenin’s stroke?

Block Trotsky’s ambitions

Was Stalin popular amongst his colleagues?

No

When did Lenin have his second and third strokes and lost the ability to speak

December 1922

In what way did Lenin still have a strong political presence even after his strokes?

He had ‘minders’ who looked after him and passed on his wishes to the party, one of whom was Stalin who tried to remain in personal contact with Lenin as much as possible

When did Lenin first dictate his testament?

December 1922

When did Lenin add the postscript to his testament?

January 1923

What did Lenin add in the postscript of his testament?

Was even harsher towards Stalin (describing him as ‘too coarse’) and recommended he be removed from the role of Party Secretary

What was Lenin’s Testament largely?

An assessment of his colleagues and cast shadows of doubt over all the likely candidates to succeed him

What might explain Lenin’s harsh criticism of Stalin?

personal dislike, Stalin’s brutal actions in crushing dissent in Georgia (yet he lied about what he had done and said the Menshevik presence there had been crushed by popular uprising - not true), Stalin had recently insulted Lenin’s wife

What could maybe be deduced from the testament, even though Lenin did not make this clear?

Since Lenin did not name a successor in his Testament, it is possible he believed in the idea of group leadership (doubtful)

In what way could Lenin be seen as being not too harsh in his testament?

Although he reiterated that Zinoviev and Kamenev’s betrayal during the Oct Rev ‘was not, of course, accidental’, he said that this shouldn’t be held against them. He equally said the same for Trotsky’s ‘non-Bolshevism’

What did Lenin say about Bukharin in his testament?

That he was valuable, liked and a great theoretician but it was doubtful whether he was ‘fully Marxist’

What did Lenin want to happen with his testament?

He wanted it to be read out at the next party congress after his death

Who were largely responsible for the testament not being read, why?

Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev - they had all been heavily criticised in the testament

In what way did the testament continue to be dangerous?

It remained lurking as ammunition that could be used in the leadership struggle. Although the contents were not revealed to the public, the leaders of the party knew, for example, that Lenin had turned against Stalin

What kind of reputation did Stalin have by 1924?

Man of violence and an immensely hard worker who was an expert in dealing with the details of bureaucratic organisation

In what way was Stalin seen by his colleagues as inferior to them?

Was the son of a cobbler so was not as well-educated as some other members of the party, he was not as prominent in the seizure of power in 1917 as others. Meant they underestimated Stalin

What was Stalin’s pet nickname used by lots of his allies e.g. Bukharin?

Koba

What were the positive traits associated with Stalin?

Seen as reasonable and reliable, had a deep understanding of the expanding party machinery, could be patient (namely in his ability to keep his long-term aims hidden and wait for the right time to enact revenge on his enemies)

What was Stalin skilled at?

Gaining the loyalty of trusted subordinates

How was Stalin’s deliberate closeness to Lenin advantageous to him?

He was able to claim he knew what Lenin wanted

Who was Stalin overshadowed by ?

Those of greater prominence, like Trotsky, or greater popularity, like Bukharin

In what way was Stalin quite lucky in the leadership struggle?

Given he was one of the most fiercely attacked people in the testament, he was fortunate that the other bolshevik leaders had adequate reason to want to keep the testament secret

How did Stalin utilise Lenin’s family?

In 1926, Lenin’s sister (Mariya) was enlisted to defend Stalin against criticisms from his opponents in the Politburo

In 1924, who was regarded as the most important figure in the party aside from Lenin himself?

Trotsky

When did Lenin die?

January 1924

In what way could Trotsky be seen as distancing himself from potential supporters within the party?

He was dismissive of those he perceived as having lesser abilities and was often unwilling to get involved in the boring details of party administration

In what way could Trotsky’s ability to lead be lessened?

He was apparently prone to sudden but frequent bouts of illness and inaction, seemingly ‘freezing’ at times of crisis

In what way could Trotsky’s arrogance be seen in the leadership struggle?

He made no real attempt to build himself a support base

How do Trotsky’s alliances demonstrate his inconsistent nature?

Although he opposed the triumvirate of Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev, he later allied with Zinoviev and Kamenev against Stalin

What grave error did Trotsky make in 1924?

He attacked the party bureaucracy at the time when he most needed its support

How were Trotsky and Kamenev related?

They were brothers-in-law until 1927

What positions in government did Kamenev hold?

Chairman of the Moscow Soviet (1918), one of the first Politburo members (1919) and was Lenin’s Deputy Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars

In what way was Kamenev not really ever going to succeed in the leadership struggle?

Like Zinoviev, he saw himself as a key figure in collective leadership but may’ve lacked the political ambition and ruthlessness needed to establish himself as Russia’s sole leader. He tended to be inconsistent in his decision making and gained a reputation as someone who would frequently change sides

What shows Lenin was very close with Kamenev?

In 1922, after his stroke, Lenin entrusted many of his personal papers to kamenev

Did Kamenev have great influence?

Yes - he was a long-standing Bolshevik and had helped to craft Party policy

As well as his personality, in what way was Kamenev never going to be sole leader?

He was very closely linked to Zinoviev, who was more popular in the party than he was

In what way did Zinoviev possess the necessary skills to lead?

He was one of the Party’s strongest speech-makers and had a very commanding presence, as exhibited during his time as Chairman of the Comintern

What negative traits were associated with Zinoviev?

Vanity, inconsistency and proneness to unpredictable mood changes

How was Zinoviev perceived in terms of ideology?

Seen as a compromiser lacking in any consistent philosophy and someone who would buckle under pressure

What did Lenin call Zinoviev, indicating how close they were?

his ‘closest and most trusted assistant’

In what way did Zinoviev have a strong power base?

Was head of the party in Leningrad, power base second in importance only to Moscow

As well as leaking the details of the revolution, what else did Kamenev and Zinoviev (and also Rykov) do in October 1917 that furthered suspicions of disloyalty?

Resigned

Who consistently supported Bukharin on the right of the party?

Rykov and Tomsky

What was the name of Stalin and Bukharin’s collaborative relationship?

The Duumvirate

Other than ideological factors, what else contributed to the Duumvirate falling apart?

Stalin (easily jealous) envied Bukharin’s popularityq

How did Lenin describe Bukharin?

'the darling of the Party’

What areas was Bukharin particularly an expert on ?

Economy and agriculture

In what way did Bukharin’s likeable personality work against him/

He tried to remain on good terms with everyone and resist in-fighting but this meant he had no power base

In what way was Bukharin naïve towards Stalin

He underestimated Stalin - since Bukharin was so popular, he was inevitable going to be a target of Stalin’s enmity

What was one tactical mistake Bukharin made?

Left it too late to make an alliance with Zinoviev and Kamenev

Where on the ideological scale was Rykov?

Moderate within the party ideologically

What was Rykov’s relationship with Lenin like?

Although he was always loyal to Lenin, he frequently disagreed with Lenin and the more radical members of the Party.

Whose views was Rykov aligned with?

Bukharin and Tomsky

Why was Rykov well-respected within the party?

He had been an active Bolshevik since the days of the revolution and had played a key role in implementing War Communism and the NEP

Which group did Rykov have considerable support from?

The Sovnarkom - he was made Deputy Chairman in 1923 and then Chairman in 1924

In what way was Rykov overshadowed?

Amongst the moderates, Rykov was overshadowed by Bukharin’s popularity and ability

Which of Rykov’s policies stirred up considerable opposition?

Heavy taxation of vodka

In what way was Rykov’s loyalty called into question?

He had argued against Lenin over revolutionary tactics in 1917

What kind of political views did Tomsky have?

Moderate

What made Tomsky reasonably popular in the party>

He was an Old Bolshevik and was one of the few Bol leaders from proletariat background

What positions did Tomsky hold within the party?

Chief spokesman for the trade unions, general secretary of the red international of the trade unions, elected to CC and Politburo in 1922

In what way was Tomsky’s intense hostility towards Trotsky detrimental>?

It blinded him to an even greater danger (Stalin). His alliance with Stalin, Rykov and Bukharin in purging left-wingers in the Party in 1926 handed massive potential power to Stalin

In what way was Tomsky an inevtiable target by Stalin?

He had considerable support base through the trade unions

Which of Tomsky’s ideologies was to be used against him?

His support for the NEP in 1927 when the grain crisis hit

What did Tomsky fall out with Lenin over?

The role of trade unions in the NEP

Who are some examples of pallbearers at Lenin’s funeral?

Stalin, Kamenev and Tomsky

How did Zinoviev and Jamenev’s political alliances change?

As they grew anxious about Stalin’s growing power, they switched their support to Trotsky and the Left

Why was the issue of economic policy so controversial within the Party?

it was inseparable from the ideological debates about Marxism and Leninism

In what way was the NEP against Marxist theory?

it allowed private enterprise to continue, contradictory to revolutionary socialism

Who wanted to abandon the NEP?

The ‘Left’ - Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev

Who wanted to continue the NEP?

The ‘Right’ - Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky

What was Stalin’s stance on the NEP?

Inconsitent, fluctuated from a left-leaning position up to 1925, then switch and supported the continuance of the NEP up until 1928, then switched back in 1928-29 to a policy of replacing the NEP with a revolutionary surge towards rapid industrialisation and collectivisation

In what way was the Marxist theory of world revolution being contradicted by real-world events?

The failed revolutions in Germany, Hungary, etc. Defeat in the Russo-Polish War blocked the spread of communism further west

Which side believed in permanent revolution?

The Left (e.g. Trotsky)

What was the Left’s stance on permanent revolution?

that the USSR should give support to the Comintern in formenting revolutions across the world until there was a truly socialist society in every country

When did Stalin start to believe in Socialism in One Country?

1923

What can be said about the Right’s stance on ideological debates during the power struggle?

Their ideology was generally a compromise with traditional Marxist beliefs - the NEP was a compromise, Socialism in One Country was a compromise with the reality of the international situation

Why did the Right idea of NEP and Socialism in One Country appeal to some people?

It brought greater stability, unlike the continuous revolutionary turmoil that Trotsky was advocating

What power was Stalin given that allowed him to utilise Lenin’s funeral as a political tool?

Was put in charge of the arrangements for Lenin’s funeral

How did Stalin use Lenin’s funeral as a way to promote the cult of Leninism?

Turned it into a state occasion

What illness was Trotsky convalescing from when he missed Lenin’s funeral?

Influenza

What could be seen as one of Trotsky’s early mistakes in his conflict with Stalin

Given the contents of the (admittedly secret) testament, the 13th Party Congress in May 1924 would’ve been the perfect opportunity for action to be taken against Stalin but Trotsky hesitated

Why might have Trotsky not taken action against Stalin in the 13th Party Congress?

Feared being blamed for a split in the Party, Stalin had the strong support of Zinoviev and Kamenev (triumvirate)

Who were some of Stalin’s supporters that he promoted to positions of pwoer/

Molotov (Assistant General Secretary), Kaganovich (first secretary of the Party in Ukraine) and Kirov (in 1926, replaced Zinoviev as head of the Party in Petrograd)

When was Trotsky forced out of his position as Commissar for War?

January 1925

How did Stalin demonstrate his determination to constantly adopt a moderate position?

Zinoviev was pushing for Trotsky’s expulsion from the Party in 1925 but Stalin rejected this

Describe the breaking apart of the triumvirate

As the threat of Trotsky grew smaller, the triumvirate had fewer strategic advances and by 1924/25, Zinoviev and Kamenev were growing frustrated by their inability to control Stalin. By September 1925, Zinoviev and Kamenev were openly opposing Stalin in the CC and by December 1925, a direct attack on Stalin had been launched

Why was Zinoviev and Kamenev’s attack on Stalin ineffective?

It was hard as they had frequently backed Stalin’s view on the dangers of ‘factionalism’ just a year before and from 1925, they were easily painted as factionalists endangering the security of the USSR

What was the result of Zinoviev and Kamenev’s failed attack on Stalin?

They were pushed closer and closer to allying with their former enemy, Trotsky

Who was essentially running the country in 1926-1927?

The Duumvirate - Stalin and Bukharin

When did Zinoviev and Kamenev join with Trotsky?

mid 1926

What was the infighting like in the first half of 1926?

Largely conducted through books and pamphlets in which the Bol leaders attacked the ideology of their opponents and promoted their own ideas. Known as the ‘Literary Discussion’

What was the outcome of the Literary Discussion

Trotsky was not victorious, contrary to what may have been expected. Instead, Stalin’s line appealed to the majority of party members

When did the pressure Stalin faced from the Left Opposition intensify

Late 1926 (stalin even offered to give up his post as General Secretary in December) - 1927 (Stalin blamed for the crushing of the Chinese Communists in Canton and Shanghai)