Trotsky vs Stalin - struggle for power - Russia - page 1
Keywords: trotsy stalin struggle for power russia lenin socialism history coursework 1924 leader ussr
By cpfc08 on 26/05/2009
Level: GCSE Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11)
Page Number: 1 of 2 pages: 1 2
Trotsky vs. Stalin – The struggle for power
In January 1924, Lenin, the ruler of the USSR died after a lengthy illness. He was a remarkable man and had done wonders for his country. Lenin had worked very hard alongside Trotsky, both of them had worked very hard in the Bolshevik revolution. It was now necessary for a new leader of the Politburo to be chosen. There were many names in the running for the position including the two main contenders Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. Trotsky was gifted in talent and had a very successful military record. Stalin was ruthless, cunning and very manipulative. Both were members of the Politburo which consisted of 5 other people, Zinoviev, Bukharin, Kamenov, Tomsky and Ryhov.
There was a divide in the Politburo, the rightists and the leftists. The rightists were led by Bukharin, they believed that the government should continue Lenin’s new economic policy for at least the next twenty years. Bukharin also wanted the peasants and townspeople to become more prosperous. The leftists who were led by Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev strongly disagreed with continuing the new economic policy. They believed that the USSR must become an industrial country as quickly as possible and would tax the peasants to pay for such things as factories, buildings, power stations and railways.
Despite Kamenev and Zinoviev being part of the leftists with Trotsky they wanted to prevent Trotsky becoming leader by joining together. They did this because they generally didn’t like Trotsky as a person. In talks Trotsky would not listen to what other people had to say and would read a book or walk out the room on them.
As the struggle for power went on Trotsky was becoming more and more arrogant, and he failed to take any of his opposition seriously. He made little effort to build support or ranks and his only hope was his brilliant and fluent speeches. As Trotsky was faltering, Stalin was excelling. Stalin was secretly scheming plots to defame his opponents and bring himself to power. Stalin had that extra hunger and desire for success and gave him an incentive as Lenin had written in his testament that he didn’t want Stalin to become his successor, as he had less impressive personality and was a cold dull character and a poor speaker.
Trotsky and Lenin had different theories for power, Trotsky firmly believed that there should be ‘Permanent revolution’ and
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