Stalin rise to power

Commissar of Nationalities

Stalin had been appointed to position in 1919 by Lenin- involved spending time in the minority regions + talking to them (Georgians, Ukrainians, Armenians etc)- by doing this he was able to build up contacts and support, place ‘his’ people in positions in the far-flung regional party organisations

Commissariat of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Inspectorate

Stalin also appointed head in 1919- used to weed out corruption + increase efficiency. Inspectorate came to oversee all branches of government and the civil service across the country- Stalin found himself supervising the workings of the entire government

Politburo

Chief body in the country, Stalin’s job was running day-to-day party business- only permanent link between Politburo and Orgburo (in charge of party personnel)

General Secretary of the party

Appointed in 1922- purpose to coordinate overlapping bodies of the party, responsible for promotions and demotions, party appointments. Gave him control, to some extent, of Politburo business- drawing up agendas + papers for the Politburo meetings- control over what was discussed + what information other members received

Initially this position was created to manage the expanding party organization, but the role gained significant influence under Stalin- He used it to build a power base within the Communist Party where controlled party appointments

Positions in Orgburo and Secretariat

He could put his supporters in key positions as he had control of appointments to positions of responsibility in the party structure, regional to local party level secretaries appointed by him- powerful as at lower levels they could virtually decide how party members voted

Control of the party organisation

• He could influence the selection of delegates who were sent to the annual party congress where major policy issues were decided, could pack the congress with his supporters.

  • Trotsky given hostile reception at conferences from 1924 and after, number of delegates who voted the way Stalin wanted increased- not wanting to go against the man who they owed their job to.

  • Why Zinoviev+Kamenev sort his support

Control of party membership

Allowed him to get rid of more radical elements who would support Trotsky, Stalin supervised ‘Lenin Enrolment’ of 1924/25, party almost doubled its membership to 1 million- new members typically young urban workers, poorly educated ex-peasants- not interested in ideological debate, did not have much knowledge on Marxism, likely to do what their local party organiser told them to

“The key to Stalin’s growing power was his control of the Party apparatus…he could promote his supporters to the key regional Party posts, thus securing a majority”

O. Figes, 2022

1000+ senior party officials including 42 provincial Party bosses were appointed by the Orgburo

1922 alone

“Stalin had the political skills necessary to maximise the power the secretariat gave him without ever overplaying his hand”

David Christian 1986 on factors behind rise to power- power base vs personality/manoeuvring

Lenin’s funeral 27th January 1924

• Trotsky didn’t attend to carry Lenin’s coffin- he had been ill and was in the Caucasus, Stalin, possibly deliberately, misinformed Trotsky of the date of the funeral, advised him to continue his convalescence

  • damaged Trotsky’s reputation

  • Meanwhile Stalin set himself up to be the person who would continue Lenin’s work

  • Stalin promoted the Lenin cult- realised the party’s and the nation’s feelings for Lenin could be used to his advantage- would put quotations from Lenin in his own speeches and writings, presented himself as a disciple of Lenin while Trotsky regarded himself as Lenin’s equal

May 1924- Krupstaya gives Lenin’s secret last will and testament to the leading party members before the 13th Party Congress

• Condemned Stalin, praised Trotsky but critiqued all leading party figures

• Zinoviev + Kamenev urged that it should not become general knowledge- was not flattering to them about their opposition to Lenin in 1917 and they did not want to remind the Congress of this, they argued relations between Stalin and other branches of gov had been harmonious so he should be left in office- wanted his help in defeating Trotsky

• They thought the testament would help Trotsky

• Trotsky remained silent/didn’t protest- mistake

44 votes to 10

Against publishing the last will and testament

Triumvirate at 13th party congress 1924

Zinoviev, Kamenev and Stalin effectively led the party, presented party policy

Trotsky criticised the party for becoming less democratic and more centralised

Trotsky defeated in votes as the congress was packed with “well-instructed Stalinist delegates”, powerful blocs controlled by Zinoviev and Kamenev

Trotsky could have appealed to supporters but was unwilling to cause splits in the party as he had approved the ban on factionalism in 1921

Lessons of October

Written by Trotsky attacking Zinoviev and Kamenev for opposing Lenin in October 1917 after they started a campaign in 1924 bringing up his disagreements with Lenin before 1917

Stalin stays in the background- watching the left wing tear itself apart while he appeared to be a moderate peacemaker who wanted to maintain party unity

Z+K allowed Stalin to bring more of his supporters into key positions, forming the majorities on committees and at conferences

Lost his job in 1925

Trotsky was removed from Commissar for War position

Stalin turns on left wing

Joins right-wing Bukharin who promoted continuation of the NEP, Stalin introduces his idea of ‘Socialism in one country’

Fourteenth party congress 1925- Zinoviev and Kamenev attack Stalin, calling for a vote of no confidence in him + ending NEP, they lost every vote because Stalin had control of the delegates

United Opposition

Zinoviev and Kamenev attempted to join Trotsky in 1926- made direct appeal to the party masses trying to organise demonstrations in Moscow- they were then accused of ‘factionalism’, lost their positions of power and were removed from the Politburo in 1926, expelled from the party in 1927

Stalin turned on the right 1928

Stalin turned against the NEP- advocated rapid industrialisation and the use of force to make the peasants cooperate (food shortages had appeared, economic growth stagnated)

Bukharin defends the NEP at the congress of 1929 but was outvoted by Stalin’s supporters, as well as those on the left who were anti-NEP

1929 Party congress

Bukharin + other right wing leaders Tomsky and Rykov removed from politburo and other party bodies- Bukharin had been head of the comintern

“Stalin… sacrifices everything else to the preservation of power… He changes his theories according to whom he needs to get rid of next.”

Bukharin, at a secret meeting with Kamenev in July 1928

Role of luck

While Stalin did have good luck as Lenin and Sverdlov died at ideal times for him, Lenin’s testament not being read out etc, which some historians argue was the main reason he was able to seize power, he would not have seized power if he hadn’t had the motivation to outmanoeuvre his opponents and exploit the luck he had as well as his existing power base

Left model

Promoted mainly by Trotsky, argued industrialisation had to be rapid and massive- end to NEP, peasants had to be taxed hard/return to war communism style policies necessary. Small private farms had to be replaced by large collective farms to increase output for export for foreign exchange and capital for industrial investment. Heavy industry and armaments should be promoted to build up defence capability- could end Russia’s isolation- aggressive foreign policy could be promoted to encourage revolution in the west. Could not be condemned as being capitalist. However would bring massive peasant opposition, could lead to lower output as peasants refused to cooperate

Right model

Promoted mainly by Bukharin. Based on continuation of the NEP as it had brought rapid economic growth by the mid-1920s. Peasants should be allowed to prosper, taxed mildy and allowed to sell their surpluses- increase their productivity. Increased grain production would mean more grain exports and so more foreign exchange to purchase those goods was needed for industrialisation. Prosperous peasants would buy more industrially produced goods- ‘multiplier effect’ would feed into economic growth. Would guarantee peace at home and good external relations- could lead to return of foreign loans. However this was capitalism, it favoured the peasantry of Proletariat, would be slow, the ‘scissors crisis’ would show it to be unworkable

Socialism in one country

Stalin’s variation on the right model, arguing the USSR did not need the West’s help to modernise- playing on patriotism- well received in the party and country at large, people did not want a return to civil war/war communism issues, socialist state should be built without help of outside

Significance of flexible doctrine- meant that the leaders of the Communist party could say what was the best way to achieve socialism at any particular moment in time

Permanent revolution

Trotsky was convinced Communist revolution in Russia could not really succeed because working class was too small + economy underdeveloped- needed the support of working class in more industrialised countries in Europe. Therefore Russians should put energy and money into helping the working class in other countries stage their own revolutions- Russians go on fighting a ‘permanent revolution’ until world Communist revolution achieved

Nature of the leadership

Many party members did not want to see one person running the party and government- wanted ‘collective leadership’ or rule by committee, feared a dictator could emerge to take control- Trotsky became the person who they feared most would become dictator and this effected decisions made by other party members in 1924-1926, did not want a leader who might cause divisions among the party like Trotsky

October 1st 1928 1st Five year plan announced

Turns to this ideology of the left side of the party that he had previously opposed in order to attack the right wing of the party

Called for an acceleration in the country’s industrialisation and introduced strict state control over food production to feed the cities- encouraged the police in Siberia to seize grain. This was contrary to the policies of the NEP- first step towards collectivisation (peasant farms being taken over by the state).

Willingness to move around ideologically

allowed him to attack his competitors for Lenin’s succession- he adopted policies that were broadly approved by the majority of the Communist Party, was responsive to the mood of the times

Promotion of Leninism

After Lenin’s death, Stalin organised his funeral, at the funeral Stalin appeared close to Lenin and carried his coffin (pall-bearer). He positioned himself as Lenin’s loyal servant, made a speech glorifying Lenin

Exploiting the legacy of the dead leader

Stalin decided — against Lenin’s own wishes and those of his family — to embalm his body and place it in a sarcophagus inside a mausoleum for public viewing- forced the Politburo to accept his plan

Stalin would position himself as the only true interpreter of Lenin- Lenin’s writings were to be deposited in a “Lenin Institute” under Stalin’s control, enabling him to pick and choose those writings that advanced his own agenda

“The ‘Great Oath’ speech established Stalin as the leading apostle of the Leninist doctrine…He used the defence of ‘Leninism’ to destroy his rivals, one by one.”

O. Figes on the cult of Lenin, 2022

Weaknesses/mistakes of opponents

The other contenders had power bases but did not build up their support in the way Stalin did, they also all made the mistake of underestimating Stalin