Stalin was highly regarded by Lenin and played various roles, firstly as a violent organiser for campaigns that obtained funding for the Bolsheviks. Lenin was particularly impressed by his organisation skills, insensitivity and obedience, ‘That wonderful Georgian’. With Lenin as an admirer, he rose to becoming a member of the Central Committee in 1912.
During 1914-1916 he was in exile and returned in the march of 1917. He was loyal to Lenin after he returned to Petrograd and opposed the ‘October deserters’ who believed the party was still not strong enough (Kamenev and Zinoviev). During the Civil war, his Georgian background proved invaluable, his knowledge of the minorities promoted him to Commissar for Nationalities. Stalin then became a ruthless leader of the Caucasus region during the civil war, leading to a number of disputes with Trotsky, the start of their clashes.
Stalin may have been loyal, but he did anger Lenin on two occasions. The negotiations with Georgia saw Stalin as rude and off-hand, whilst Lenin was desperate for their support and had to intervene personally to stop them from leaving. Stalin also argued with Lenin’s wife, calling her a whore. This was when Lenin’s Testament was made, ‘concentrated enormous power in his hands, I am not sure he always know how to use caution with this power’ and then ‘think of ways of removing comrade Stalin from his position’ as Secretary of the Communist party. Luckily for Stalin, the Testament was never published due Lenin’s death.
As mentioned before, Stalin had a strong powerbase. He had great ability, in persistence and his willingness to take on the difficult administrative work of the time. The government of Russia had the Council of the People’s Commissars and the Secretariat, both staffed by the Bolshevik Party, and as the government grew in scope, these commissar positions gave the holder with levels of power, and so Stalin’s various positions proved vital.
- Peoples Commissar for Nationalities, in charge of the Caucasus region, plus many officials of all of the different regions
- Liaison officer between Politburo and Orgburo, a unique position to monitor both policy and decision making.
- General Secretary of the Communist Party, in which he recorded all policy and build up a personal file of each member of the party.
Stalin was the Link between the Communist party and the soviets, and what these posts gave him was the power of Patronage. He could put his key supporters, in key positions, and they would owe their place to him, and so could count on their vote in various committees’, and no other member came close after Lenin’s death, as he could always outvote and outmanoeuvre them.
Stalin gained massively from Lenin’s enrolment, as 1923-25, the party increased its numbers of ‘true proletarians’ which the CPSU almost doubled to 600,000 members. These members were poorly educated but recognised the privileges that come with membership and depended on being loyal to those who first invited them. This fell largely to Stalin as the Secretary, and this also added to his growing power of patronage. Stalin had a huge body of reliable voters. It is also true that Lenin’s Ban on Factionalism played a good part with Stalin’s patronage, as soon as he took the initiative within the party to become leader, it would be very difficult for anyone to mount a challenge against him.
The final factor was that Stalin became heir to the Lenin Legacy, in which Stalin followed a similar tradition of authority and leadership that Lenin had established. Lenin was worshipped like a god within the party. Following his lead would mean a formidable claim to power, as he would appear to be carrying on Lenin’s work.
SUMMARY
- Originally involved in money making plots for the Bolsheviks.
- Stalin admired by Lenin ‘that wonderful Georgian’
- Known for his organising ability.
He held key positions within the party, as well as being a clear ‘Leninist’
- Commissar for Nationalities
- Liaison between Politburo and Orgburo
- General Secretary
Lenin began to disfavour Stalin however fortunately his testament was not published due to death and he would have lost his position.
Stalin did gain some key benefits
- Power of patronage meant a considerable voting base already for him, he could outvote and outmanoeuvre many within the party
- Enrolment accented his patronage, even more loyal under him as their ‘Secretary’ who had enrolled them in the first place
- Attack upon factionalism, would be difficult for anyone to mount a challenge against Stalin and his large voting base
- Stalin claimed to be Lenin’s heir
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