15th party Congress

Who formed the United Opposition?

Trotsky, Kamenev, and Zinoviev

Why was the United Opposition formed?

To oppose Stalin’s growing power and his alliance with Bukharin

Who did Stalin ally with after splitting with Kamenev and Zinoviev?

Nikolai Bukharin

What concern united the United Opposition?

Stalin was rapidly accumulating too much power within the Party

What were the United Opposition’s views on Stalin’s policies?

They opposed Socialism in One Country and the continuation of the NEP

What was Trotsky’s belief about revolution?

He believed in Permanent Revolution—communism must spread worldwide

What was the New Economic Policy (NEP)?

A policy introduced by Lenin in 1921 that allowed limited capitalism to revive the economy

What were the key features of the NEP?

Peasants could sell surplus grain for profit, small factories returned to private ownership, large industries remained state-controlled

Why was the NEP introduced?

To combat economic collapse and famine during the Civil War

What was the economic effect of the NEP?

Production increased, people made money, and the economy began to recover

Why did the United Opposition oppose the NEP?

They believed it betrayed the goals of the 1917 October Revolution

What did the United Opposition believe about private property?

It should not exist—profit and ownership went against Bolshevik principles

Why did Stalin and Bukharin support the NEP?

They believed it would help stabilize the economy after the war

What was “Socialism in One Country”?

Stalin’s belief that the USSR should build socialism within its own borders before spreading revolution

Why did Trotsky, Kamenev, and Zinoviev oppose Socialism in One Country?

They believed communism must spread globally to succeed

What did Stalin and Bukharin believe about global revolution?

It was less urgent—Russia should focus on building a strong socialist state first

What was the result of the 15th Party Congress?

The United Opposition was crushed; Stalin gained total dominance

How did Stalin dominate the 15th Party Congress?

Most delegates were loyal to him and voted in his favor

What were Trotsky, Kamenev, and Zinoviev accused of?

Sowing divisions in the Party (factionalism)

What happened to the United Opposition in 1926?

All three leaders were removed from the Politburo

Where was Trotsky exiled in 1926?

He was banished from Moscow and sent to Kazakhstan

What happened to Trotsky in 1929?

He was forced to leave the Soviet Union entirely

Where did Trotsky eventually settle after exile?

Mexico

What happened to Trotsky in Mexico?

He was assassinated in 1940

What was Bukharin’s role in Stalin’s rise?

He supported Stalin’s economic policies and helped push out the United Opposition

Why was the NEP controversial among Bolsheviks?

It allowed private ownership and profit, which seemed to betray Marxist ideals

What did the United Opposition see as the future of communism?

A permanent, global revolution with constant struggle

What did Stalin use to justify purging the United Opposition?

Accusations of factionalism and disloyalty to the Party