Explain why Stalin, and not Trotsky, emerged as Lenin's successor

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Connor Richardson 11WS

Explain why Stalin, and not Trotsky, emerged as Lenin’s successor

In 1917, the Bolsheviks seized power over the Tsar and Valdimar Lenin began his reign.  His leadership continued until his death, on the 21st January 1924.  After his death, a struggle for leadership began, which was to be resolved in the years to come.  There were two key figures in the battle to become his successor.  These were Trotsky and Stalin.  Trotsky was largely favoured by Lenin.  This was mainly to do with Trotsky’s involvement of the October Revolution and the way he conducted the Red Army.  Despite this Trotsky’s only real power base was The Red Army itself, and eventually, it was Stalin who emerged as leader.  Although Stalin took control in the end, there was a warning about him in Lenin’s will, stating that he was a danger to the party as he was becoming too powerful. This warning was never publicised as it contained criticisms of most of the leading communists.

There were many reasons why Stalin emerged as leader and not Trotsky, both to do with Stalin’s strengths and Trotsky’s weaknesses.

        Firstly, there is the role that Stalin played in Lenin’s funeral.  He organised it without the help of Trotsky, as he was ill at the time. This gave him the chance to make himself seen by the public as a devoted supporter of Lenin follower as he also made the main speech at the funeral.  In the speech he talked of Lenin’s greatness and praised him, using words of Lenin’s, which he revised at home regularly.  This made himself look like a true fanatic of Lenin’s.  Within these speeches, he was building up a religious cult of Lenin, portraying Lenin as a God like figure.  This became known as “Leninism”.  As Trotsky was ill at the time, he did not help Stalin organise the funeral and was situated away from the whole event.  This gave Stalin the perfect opportunity to exclude Trotsky from the funeral.  He told Trotsky an incorrect date, which was the 26th January, when in fact it was held on the 27th.  Due to this Trotsky was not able to make it back to the funeral.  This portrayed Trotsky as being ignorant and not caring about Lenin, and when Stalin was seen mourning in front of thousands of people, it appeared to them that he should be the rightful Heir.

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        Secondly, there was Stalin’s powerbase.  This was the communist party itself.  He had the job of General Secretary, which allowed him to choose who got important jobs in the party.  This enabled him to build up loyal support.  Stalin had also been a member of the Bolsheviks for over 20 years.  He was seen as a loyal member himself who was a safe, “Middle of the Road Communist”, who held no extreme ideas or views against the party who were likely to split it.  This gave him the support of most Communists as well as the older Bolshevik members. His ...

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