STALIN’S RUSSIA- 1924-1953

How did the man known as ‘Comrade Card Index’ and ‘The

Grey Blur’ seize control of Russia?

D E S C R I B E R U SS I A I N T H E E A R LY 2 0 T H C E N T U RY T O M E I N N O M O R E T H A N 5

W O R D S O N Y O U R W H I T E B O A R D.

Did you get:

Feudal (king rules with help of nobility)

Tsar

Aristocracy

Peasants (80%)

Farming

Backwards

Chaotic

No rights

HOMEWORK

Read chapter 1 (pgs 1-11) again and make notes, much of this will be covered in the lesson, however, you need to have Lenin’s legacy clear in your head. Make sure you understand the following:

Why Lenin loses support at first.

Civil War

War Communism

Democratic Centralism

The ban on factions

IT ALL GOES DOWN HILL.. . .

Popular at first, why did Lenin start to lose support?

• Brest-Litovsk• No democracy• Civil War (between Communist Reds and opposing

Whites, made up of people who want a return to tsarism, democracy or a different form of socialism)

LEADIN G UP TO THE PO W ER STRU GGLE

By early 1921 the Communists had won the Civil War but the country was in ruins.

Famine

To combat this Lenin introduces NEP which ends rationing and requisition and allows peasants to make a profit. Government taxed them on this and put money into industry.

Seen as temporary measure to stay in power, many Communists don’t like it.

LEADIN G UP TO THE PO W ER STRU GGLE

In 1921 any opposition that survived the Civil War was banned.

Communists retained control of the press.

Ban on factions introduced- Closed debate within the party. No criticism of Lenin’s policies allowed.

By 1921 no opposition and no debating policies within party.

Lenin dies in January 1924.

LEADERSHIP: WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?

WHAT DID THESE LACK?

THE PROBLEM

Lenin’s death in 1924 left behind two problems:

• He had not named a successor.• Fearing his death, Lenin had dictated his Letter to

Congress, now known as Lenin’s Testament. Basically his will. His aim was to point out the dangers of a split party. He also considered the strengths and weaknesses of leading members of the party. Whilst he praised many, he also made their weaknesses clear.

THE LENIN LEGACY

It is not an exaggeration to say that in the eyes of the Communist party, Lenin was a god.

His actions and decisions became unchallengeable, and all arguments in the Party were settled by reference to his statements and writings.

After 1924, if a Party member could assume the mantle of Lenin and claim to be carrying on his work, he could establish a claim to power. Stalin decided to do just this. There is one problem with this: What is Leninism?

1924: THE SITUATION

There were five Communists in 1924 who had a realistic chance of becoming the new ruler of Russia. Their authority- that is, their perceived right to be involved in the highest level of Soviet government, was rooted in their revolutionary record, their relationship with Lenin and their appeal within the party. At this time, Stalin was seen as a great administrator but nothing more. At the time of Lenin’s choice he was far from the obvious choice.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Using the worksheet and pages 12- 16 in the Edexcel book, assess who was most likely to seize power using the activities at the bottom of the worksheet.

WHO WINS?

STAL IN (P. 15 ) VER SUS TROTSKY (P. 19 ) Stalin Trotsky

Strengths

Weaknesses

S TA L I N ( P. 1 5 ) V E R S U S T R O T S KY ( P. 1 9 ) Stalin Trotsky

Strengths Down to earth (a cobbler’s son) Intelligence

A great organiser – he benefited from Lenin’s enrolment scheme.

Speaking skills – a great orator

Held key post in the party – General Secretary. This gave him power of patronage (giving posts to people in the party).

Army links (he created the Red Army)

A political genius.

Role at Lenin’s funeral – he read the tribute to Lenin making himself appear as Lenin’s natural successor.

Weaknesses Lenin’s testament. Lenin urged that comrades should think about ways of removing Stalin from the position of General Secretary.

Too intellectual – interested in high culture like theatre

Georgian Jewish

Lack of charisma – not considered to be a great speaker.

Politically naive - Lynch says he was ‘his own worst enemy’

Menshevik past

PLENARY

Look back at the start of the lesson, which leadership quality will be the most important one to

seize power in Russia?

HOMEWORK

Complete the worksheet. Read 235/236 and complete the activities.

Read chapter 2 and create short biographies for each of the contenders.