Stalin and Russia: Origins and Rise, 1924-1929

Flashcards about Stalin's rise to power.

Joseph Stalin

Rose to power in a single-party state, unlike other leaders.

Historical context of Stalin's rise

Political and economic problems of tsarist Russia, impact of World War I, Bolshevik Revolution, and civil war.

Stalin's rise to power stages

Early moves against Leon Trotsky, defeat of the left, and the defeat of the right.

Triumvirate

Alliance between Zinoviev, Kamenev, and Stalin to prevent Trotsky from replacing Lenin.

Lenin's Testament

Document outlining strengths and weaknesses of main leaders; Postscript recommended Stalin's dismissal.

Kronstadt Rebellion

Took place in March 1921; sailors and workers rebelled against War Communism.

Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP)

Marxist party that Stalin joined.

War Communism

Policy adopted during the civil war as an emergency economic measure.

New Economic Policy (NEP)

Adopted in March 1921; ended War Communism and introduced a partial step back towards capitalism.

10th Party Congress

Introduced a ban on factions within the Communist Party and opposition parties in the soviets.

Soviets

Workers' councils that became the main political authority after 1917.

Politburo

Communist Party's body responsible for making political decisions.

General Secretary

Position Stalin took in 1922, giving him power to appoint and dismiss Communist Party officials.

Triumvirate definition

A group of three rulers (triumvirs) acting together.

Bureaucracy definition

Administrative directives from the centre taking the place of decisions arrived at democratically.

Left Opposition

Formed in October 1923 by Trotsky and others opposed to the policies of the triumvirs.

Central Committee

Communist Party's ruling body between Congresses, elected by Congress delegates.

Congress

Communist Party's supreme decision-making body, made up of delegates elected by local party organs.

Leon Trotsky

Key figure in the November Revolution and leader of the Red Army during the civil war.

Grigori Zinoviev

Leader of the Leningrad party and president of Comintern.

Lev Kamenev

Leader of the Moscow party organization.

United Opposition

Formed in July 1926 by Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev.

Pravda

Bolshevik/Communist Party newspaper, first edited by Stalin and later by Bukharin.

Nikolai Bukharin

Main defender of the NEP until 1928.

NEP

New Economic Policy; allowed small privately owned firms and traders to operate.

Kulak

Rich peasant.

Nepmen

Traders and middlemen who grew wealthy under the NEP.

Power Politics

Stalin's deliberate manipulation of political and ideological differences to gain supreme power.

Structuralist Explanations

Stalin was a product of Russian history and the administrative system set up after 1917.

Socio-cultural explanations

Impact of the social structure on politics and development of the Communist Party and the Soviet state