Struggle for power
The struggle for power-
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In May 1922 L has his 1st stroke which leads on to a series of others. This reduces his control of power and ability to lead as he is to weak i.e. his speech declines.
- 1924 L dies of a stroke.
- Beginning of struggle 4 power 4 2 reasons- 1) there isn’t an ultimate office to aspire to (job) 2)Publicly at least all the patagonists (everyone) are committed 2 the idea of collective leadership.
- Early part of struggle 2 keep ppl out of power than actual achieving power.
1923-1929- 3 phases-
- 1923-25- ‘The removal of Trotsky’
- 1925-27- ‘The removal of the Leftists/united opposition’ –Kamenev, Zinoveiw and Trotsky.
- 1927-29- ‘The removal of the Rightists’- Bukharin, Rykov, Tomsky.
Phase 1
- 1923- Trotsky looks favourite 2 take over. –Lenin favoured him towards the end. –Gifted leader of the Red army (Civil War). – Able intellect. –Gd speaker. –Well travelled. –Gd knowledge of western socialism.
- These strengths lead to weakness. Stalin, Zinoviev & Kamenev formed the Troika (Trimulate) they were against him. Assigned 2 keep him out of power.
- Wasn’t only the Troika that was his weakness. –Seen as rude, arrogant and aloof therefore lacked support in the wider party (soldiers thought he was great) –‘Johnny come lately’ 1917 he was a Menshevik. –Jewish. –Bit of a westerner. –Spent his time in exile in New York, others in Siberia.
- Political mistakes-attacked Z&K over hesitation in 1917therefore turned on him. -He does not use Lenin’s testament against Stalin!?!? (Explanations 1) likeable character-doesn’t want to get involved in in fighting or arrogance. 2) Everybody got a bit of a slagging off-Lenin was a mardy old man towards the end therefore maj of Bols didn’t want it 2 come out.)
- ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣MAKES STALIN LOOK GOOD♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣
- T calls 4 more democracy within the party- this looses him support amongst privileged ranks.
- Opposition 2 socialism in one country also cause him a problem- seemed he cared more about other countries and spreading revolution then his own country.
- One attack that finally breaks him is the accusation that he is a ‘Bonapartist threat’ due to his involvement in the red army (secures power). (Like Napoleon- b4 emperor of France was successful soldier then general etc)
- To try and deal with these attacks T in 1925 gives up position as ‘Commissar (minister) for War’ therefore he has no power base therefore he is no longer classed as a threat.
Phase 2
- Z &K realized that S had come out by far the best over the recent events therefore they start 2 realize where the real threat lies.
- As a result they form an alliance with Trotsky they were known as the leftists (Z&K&T) their pol views were 2 end the NEP and supported the ides a permanent revolution.
- Not a great alliance- Z&K were hypocritical, scheming and opportunistic (they were against T in1923-25).
- S looks like he’s deserted but the leftists made enemies over view of NEP, mainly with Bukharin, Rykov and Tromsky (these formed the Rightist who were pro NEP and socialism in one country) and then created alliance with S.
- By 1926- the Leftists were already seriously weakened.
- S using his control and maj in Politburo (gov institutions) has Z&K voted out of office (T already given up post).
- The decisive moves against the Leftist actually came over foreign policy. L’ists sought to capitalize off the foreign policies probs by blaming S policy of socialism in 1 country.
- In a brill defensive move S whipped up a war scare and rounded on those who were seeking 2 divide the USSR in a time of peril.
- The end of the L’ists finally came when their supporters took 2 the streets in 1927. They were branded as factionalists (law against it since 1921) and therefore expelled from the party.
Phase 3
- Rightists = Bukharin, Tomsky and Rykov.
- As a group they were much less of a threat than Trotsky or L’ists.
- Apart from Tomsky they lacked any notable power base.
- Tomsty’s power base was based around the TU’s which although were [powerful were less powerful than Trotsky’s which was the Red Army.
- Aside from their lack of PB the R’ists were also extremely cautious 2 avoid charges of factionalism.
- Also, the added prob that they supported the NEP was becoming increasingly out of tune with the rest of the party. (Capitalist syst therefore should not be supported be the B’s)
- End of the R’ists follows the same sort of pattern as the L’ists- 1) They lost their power base 2 S supporters. 2) They were accused of factionalism. 3) They were expelled from the party.
!!Main Factors!!
- Syst within the Soviet Union (rules and laws).
- Q of power bases.
- Issue of policies.
- The skills of different individuals as politician.
- Issue of luck!!
- Personality and background.
The struggle for power- who would succeed Lenin?
Koba/Stalin-
- 1922- General secretary etc
Trotsky
- Started early political career with L but moved more towards Mensheviks in 1905.
- Had a gd rep with Mens- led the Men line on the St Petersburg Soviet.
- Spent 4.5yrs in prison.
- Pol activities help him 2 establish rep as an outstanding writer and intellectual.
- Weakness- 1917 still outside of Bols due 2 past record of outstanding criticism of L’s ideas.
- Increasing radical line enabled T to fit in smoothly when he joined the Bols in July (Johnny come lately’).
- Played key part in the October/November revolution.
- Appointed Commissar 4 war and created Red army (Led them to victory in Civil war).
- Chief negotiator at the Brest-Litovsk.
- L- ‘The ablest man in the Central Committee but ….. to far reaching self confidence’
- Spent his exile in New York
Kamenev
- 1905-Full time revolutionary and committed Bol.
- Fairly close associate on L although prone 2 disagreements with him.
- 1907- attended important Bol conference in London with S,
- L regarded him as ‘able and reliable’
- Classed as an old Bol.
- 1913 exiled and sent to Siberia> married T sister.
- Returned from exile after removal of Tsar.
- With Zinoviev, rejected L proposals 4 an armed uprising in October.
- L was outraged therefore K was close to expulsion- S defended him!!!
Zinoviev
- 1903- active Bol.
- Rep of an outstanding orator and lively contributor 2 party doctrine.
- Worked closely with L on gd personal terms.
- 1917- took diff line to L with Pro Gov- total opposition 2 L uprising.
- L reacted angrily> S again came 2 defence.
- Low profile- overlooked 4 posts in October.
- 1923- leader of Triumvirate (Troika) with K and S> took leadership when L fell ill.
- Carr- ‘Hesitant and not a talented organizer’
Bukharin
- 1905- already a student taking part in illegal pol meetings.
- 1906- drawn 2 militant Bols and joined party.
- Fast rise through party organisations in Moscow as organiser and propagandist.
- 1909- first arrest> then more.
- 1912- first meeting with L.
- Became major figure in party> ‘leading theorist’ and ‘close comrade’ 2 L although personal contact 1912-1917 was infrequent.
- An unorthodox thinker, esp. interested in non-Marxist ideas.
- 1917- worked alongside T on radical paper in New York.
- Joined in rejections of L October uprising.
- Based in Moscow- appalled at the bloodshed in Revolution.
- Very popular in party.
- L- ‘should…be considered the favourite of the whole party’ in his testament.
Who I like- Bukharin
Nice person and L liked him- didn’t do much wrong.
Realistically- Stalin
Helped keep people in party. Didn’t really offend L. Built up secret power base.
Stalin’s power bases and the soviet System.
Timeline
- 1917- S= commissar of nationalities therefore in charge of officials in many regions of the USSR. (Gets wider knowledge of R- gage attitudes).
- 1919- S= Liaison officer between Politburo (sm gov/civil service) and Orgburo (organisation of party)- therefore S controls info passed between the 2- allows him control over the agenda of meetings (move things he doesn’t like 2 the bottom).
- 1919- S= Head of workers and peasants inspectorate- check on all gov departments therefore informed to what is gong on.
- 1921- ban on factionalism- helps S 2 get rid of T, Z+K and T, B+R.
- 1922- all other parties outlawed- Soviet Russia= USSR
- 1922- S= general secretary of communist party> vital link 2 ppls files. Could hire/fire, promote/demote etc.
Crankshaw and stone- he hadn’t even ‘grasped the full pol significance of his possessions of the administrative post’.
- 1923/25- appointed more proletarians (uneducated working class) into Bols ranks- therefore they stay ‘loyal’-vote 4 him, gratitude he promotes therefore they suck up and support him. S kicks ppl out therefore always chance for promotion. ‘Lenin enrolment
- S could out vote and therefore out- manoeuvre any one.
- 1924- Soviet system was not traditional therefore it created opportunities 4 individual advancements. (Reasons y ppl aren’t suspecting S- 1) Gov developing out of nothing, things hadn’t been done before.
2) S= ‘eminent meritocracy’.
3) The jobs are boring- not seen as a great power base unlike T)
- Lenin had given no indication of the power structure after he had died.
- Soviet Russia- 2 main features 1) the council of ppls commissar (creating gov policies).
2) Secretariat (carrying out policies). E.g. Party congress- decisions made. Mass ranks of party therefore see S supporters from diff places- ‘Bottom up method of power’.
Policies and power struggle
Socialism in one country/ Permanent Revolution-
Early 1906, T formalizes the idea of permanent revolution, this idea stated that the Russian revolution would and should be seen as just the beginning. Having seen the Russian rev for example other countries would follow. This was seen as not only inevitable but also essential 4 the success of the soviet regime.
Although this was T idea it was widely accepted as true- e.g. 1918/19 this idea seems to be coming true with revolution already taking place in Germany and the rest of Western Europe has its own problems.
However by the mid 1020’s things were looking less hopeful. Against the background of stabilizing Europe there began a debate between permanent rev and socialism in one country.
S claimed that permanent rev was no longer either poss, necessary or even in the short term desirable. He claimed that although the world rev would and could come later the focus in the short-term should be consolidating the soviet regime rather than launching painless attacks on other European states.
The position of T and the other Leftists who opposed Socialism in 1 country was theoretically purer. However S policy proved politically much more beneficial in fact ‘Coletti’ has gone on to say;
“ The first rung of the ladders which was 2 carry S 2 power was supplied by the (G) social democratic leaders (separatists) who in January 1919 murdered Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Luxemburg.”
What were the benefits of Socialism in one country? (6)
- Allows the policy 2 appeal 2 Russian nationalism- this was especially important 2 new recruits (workers)> makes T policy look like he lacks faith in Russia.
- S policy makes him look like a realist whilst confirming ideas that T is a detached intellect.
- Offers stability- a restyle offers turmoil from was and revolution.
- Allows Russian communists 2 maintain dominance of world socialism.
- Meant S lack of European language was no longer important or a handicap.
- It seems 2 prove S credentials as a theorist separate from T.
NEP
During the civil war there had been War Communism- Bols won the war but the victory was accompanied by a series of eco problems- 1. Famine
2. Industrial Chaos
3. Political problems linked 2 economy- (production declined, peasants revolt)
4. De-population
5. Lack of specialists
Turning point for economic policy comes in 1921- ‘Kronstracht?? rising’. This led to the NEP. This policy re-introduced ‘capitalism- market economy’.
To start with the NEP produced controversy- many terming it ‘the new exploitation of the proletariat’ they feared it would undermine the socialist state by creating wealthy merchants (Nepmen) and a class of wealthy peasants. The Bols that opposed this from the start were called ‘Leftists’- they believed that much harsher measures were needed to force the peasantry to provide the capital needed for industrialisation. That argument was known as the ‘Teleological approach’.
The ‘Rightists’ believed that the peasants would naturally provide capital if left alone. This is known as the ‘Genetic/Organic approach’.
The NEP debate became linked to the power struggle both through the way it defined alliances and was used as a weapon in the struggle. T was consistently anti-NEP; Z+K was usually anti-NEP although they abandoned this in the period of the Troika/Triumulate. B+R and Tomsky favoured the continuation of the NEP. S, based on the FYP’s in the 1930’s appears to have naturally favoured an anti-NEP teleological approach.
However throughput the power struggle he (S) betrayed himself as a moderate and always found himself in line with the majority of the party.