Stalin takes Power

Stalin Takes Power 1924–1929

Summary

When Lenin died in 1924, everybody expected Trotsky to take over the leadership.

Instead, Stalin schemed his way into power, using his position as General Secretary, and a series of ruthless political moves.

Source A

I am not sure that Comrade Stalin will always use his power properly.

Comrade Trotsky, on the other hand, is distinguished by his outstanding ability.

Lenin's Testament (1923).

(The historian Stephen Kotkin believes that this document is a forgery, written after the event to discredit Stalin.)

Going Deeper

The following links will help you widen your knowledge:

Old Bitesize - simple intro (pdf)

Rise of Stalin - excellent notes from Beckfoot School (pdf)

So: Trotsky versus Stalin: Why did Stalin win?

Historians' hypotheses - Chris Ward's Summary

YouTube

Stalin and the modernisation of Russia - BBC 20thC History

Stalin Takes Control - History File

Why didn't Trotsky take over after Lenin? - History Matters

Old textbook accounts of the Rise of Stalin

PJ Larkin, Revolution in Russia (1965)

Reed Brett, European History (1967)

Norman Lowe (1982)

Lenin died in 1924. Everyone thought Trotsky, the brilliant leader of the Red Army would become leader. Moreover, Lenin had left a Testament (Will) saying that Stalin was not fit to lead the Soviet Union, and recommending Trotsky.

But it was Stalin who took power.

Secretary Stalin

Stalin was made General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1922. Everybody thought it was a dull, unimportant job, but it put Stalin in control of the day-to-day working of both the Party and the government. Stalin also used it to get his supporters into important positions.

Trotsky was Unpopular

Trotsky was brilliant, but nobody liked him:

they thought he was too big-headed.
Secretary Stalin told him the wrong date for Lenin’s funeral, so he missed it – this made him more unpopular.
Trotsky also wanted to try to cause a world revolution; many Russians feared that this would ruin Russia.

Played off the factions in the Politburo against each other

The Politburo was divided into two factions:

The Leftists (e.g. Zinoviev and Kamenev) wanted world revolution, and to abolish the NEP (though they hated Trotsky because they thought he was too ambitious).
The Rightists (e.g. Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky) wanted to continue the NEP until the USSR was stronger.

Stalin played one side against the other to take power:

First, he formed an alliance (the 'Troika') with Zinoviev and Kamenev to cover up Lenin’s Will and to get Trotsky dismissed (1925).
Then, he advocated ‘Socialism in one country’ (he said that the USSR should first become strong, then try to bring world revolution) and allied with the Rightists to get Zinoviev and Kamenev – who had realised their error and formed the 'United Opposition' with Trotsky – dismissed (1927). Trotsky went into exile (1928). Stalin put his supporters into the Politburo.
Finally, he argued that the NEP was uncommunist, and got Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky dismissed (1929).

By 1929, Stalin was in a position of supreme power in the Soviet Union.

Source B

Stalin (right) with Lenin. Stalin was one of the people who looked after Lenin in his last illness.

Source C

Stalin was a clever politician who planned his attempt to gain power carefully. Whenever possible, he made great efforts to link himself with Lenin. He was also ruthless in picking off his rivals. Stalin was extremely clever in using his power within the Communist Party, taking on many boring but important jobs, such as General Secretary. Finally, Stalin appeared to be a straightforward ‘man of the people’. He seemed to be the man who understood the feelings of people who were tired after years of war and revolution.

Ben Walsh, GCSE Modern World History (2001).

Source D

Later Soviet propaganda – such as this 1936 poster – portrayed Stalin as the natural successor to the great Communist heroes Marx, Engels and Lenin.

Consider:

1. Create a timeline, 1919–1929, to illustrate Stalin’s rise to power.

2. Write the essay: 'What was the main reason Stalin was able to achieve total power in the USSR by the end of the 1920s?'

AQA-style Questions

Edexcel-style Questions