Explain the stages by which Stalin was able to defeat the right opposition.

Stalin's support of the New Economic Policy led to him being accused of taking over Trotsky's ideas of industrialisation. In response to these comments, he replied that he wanted to industrialise even faster than Trotsky, he said that he was a 'super industrialist'. This was not a very good argument because it was just a quick way to persuade the people of Russia to do what he wants them to.

Stalin was popular in the party because he held these ideas. His policies of super industrialisation were exciting and patriotic, because it meant the people of Russia would be working together to improve conditions and the economy.

However, the party would probably support Stalin whatever he did. Many members were appointed by Stalin himself and were poorly educated. Also because of the information available to them, Stalin was editor of the party newspaper and controlled press censorship.

Bukharin, Tomsky, and Rykov, tried to argue, but although they held important positions in the politburo; Stalin's men outnumbered them. They kept quiet, as they didn't want to speak out. Like Trotsky had done, and was accused of factionalism. This is being part of a breakaway group and disagreeing with the party policy, it is seen as a serious crime in the party. It had earlier been banned in 1912. The majority of the party was against them anyway due to Stalin's control of party membership and information censorship.

After this, their fall was swift. In 1929 Tomsky was replaced as head of the trade unions, and was expelled from the politburo. Bukharin was sacked as head of Comintern and was also expelled from the politburo. Rykov was replaced as chairman of Sovnarkom and was expelled from the politburo. They were all stripped of their positions that were held in the communist party.

Stalin was now in complete command of the politburo. As well as the rest of the party that meant he could appoint yet more of his men into posts of importance. He also controlled the government, and therefore the country.

Stalin's 50th birthday in 1929 was celebrated widely in the USSR, proving his popularity and his status as head of the Soviet Union.

To achieve this, Stalin used a lot of propaganda and biased press releases. He did not achieve much of his power honestly, but instead used control over party membership, the party policy, and his control over the media.