Lenin’s Testament and The Leadership Struggle

Lenin’s testament and the leadership struggle

Each leading member of the party is denounced by Lenin, to highlight that no one should be the sole leader and that there should not be a split in the party.

Stalin and Trotsky are highlighted as the most likely people to lead the party.

Lenin indentifies that these two are opposed to each other and this may lead to a split in the party.

Lenin suggests that Stalin is removed from the position of general secretary.

-          Stalin knows the content of the testimony

Stalin creates doubt that about Lenin’s testimony, he acts the nice guy to get around Kamenev and Zinoviev to gain their support and made sure not to aggravate Trotsky.

Lenin’s funeral: Trotsky is not present; Stalin reads the speech which creates the impression that he is the natural successor of Lenin and will carry on everything Lenin stood for.

Stalin plays the fool, takes on many admin positions in the party and is not considered much of a threat by the other members.

-          People’s commissar for Nationality affairs – gives him influence over soviets outside of central Russia

-          Was appointed military commissar during the civil war years

-          A member of the Politburo

-          A member of the central committee, where policy was debated and decisions made.

-          Member of the Organisation Bureau, which supervised part organisations

-          Is placed in charge of the Cheka

-          Has influence to replace people in the civil services and can provide replacements

-          General secretary –

Nomenklatura system: List system: Stalin chooses who can be trusted in the party and will be checked to move up in the party. He is able to move people up that he can trust to support him in the party or use things against them to persuade them or make sure they vote in his favour.

Lenin’s testament is voted against being read out to congress. Kamenev and Zinoviev support Stalin and Stalin is saved politically.

Trotsky challenges the NEP but Stalin will stay that it is Lenin’s policy and it works, Trotsky wins the argument but Stalin wins the vote. The politburo votes to take the power of the red army away from Trotsky and he is reappointed to electricity. He is then expelled from the politburo.

Kamenev and Zinoviev dislike the NEP; Stalin is in favour of Socialism in one country.

He sides with Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky who support this and Kamenev and Zinoviev are expelled from the party.

Stalin then announces that NEP must go, Bukharin says it should stay. There is a vote and the others are expelled from the party.

BY 1929 Stalin is the supreme ruler of the USSR. All sections of the party are under his control and run by his supporters.