Lenin’s death saw the Politburo of Stalin, Trotsky, Tomsky, Rykov, Kamenev and Zinoviev proclaim their intentions to continue as a collective leadership. Secretly however, they took leads to become an individual leadership. Stalin was the quickest off the mark, gaining the advantage of being the chief mourner at the Funeral, in which he dedicated himself to follow the tradition of Lenin, another claim to be the Heir. It was expected that Trotsky, the other main competitor against Stalin, would counter it. However, he did not even attend the funeral claiming to have been given the wrong date, which was simply proven to be an excuse (although he had). Trotsky also unusually declared Stalin as the future ‘dictator of the USSR’.
Trotsky’s reluctance to act was part of his complex personality, often described as being his own worst enemy. Of intellectual brilliance, he suffered from lack of judgement. It was possible that his reluctance was brought on by his Jewish background. Lenin once offered him Deputy Chairman of the Soviet Government, but he rejected on the grounds that it would be in embarrassment to Lenin ‘give enemies grounds for claiming that the country was ruled by a Jew’.
Lenin’s testament was a dangerous thing to handle. Stalin’s reputation of being Lenin’s heir would be damaged beyond repair if it was released, however fortune favoured him and the Testament also criticised the Politburo members. The Central committee, viewing the document realised it was too damning to everyone rather than just one person and so it was out ruled, and Trotsky was seen as the main threat.
The Triumvirate, Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev was formed, aiming to isolate Trotsky further. Lenin’s enrolment helped, as the new members found Trotsky to be obscure, whilst Stalin was down to earth and methodical. Trotsky was only supported by the Red Army, but nobody political, and so he was an ‘outsider’. Some Bolsheviks saw him still as a Menshevik.
Trotsky attempts to fight back however through three points
- Bureaucratisation, in which the party ‘abandoned genuine discussion within the party and the secretariat was growing out of control’ Lenin had also noted this, but Trotsky was soon silenced by his ‘October deserters’ attack which was retaliated with his Menshevik past
- NEP was next, Trotsky firmly against it, he mentioned it was becoming permanent, and was a serious divide between the left and right. Stalin simply said that Trotsky was going against Lenin’s will, a disruptive force.
- Disputes over modernisation, Trotsky believed the peasants should be forced into working
Stalin and Trotsky had two different policies too.
PERMANENT REVOLUTION
Trotsky’s belief was in Permanent revolution.
- Revolution, was continuous event from country to country
- Russia was the first step
- International working class mattered the most
Trotsky believed that the USSR could not survive as the only socialist country in a hostile world, and that without an international revolution the Soviet Union would go under. He did not wish to sacrifice the Soviet Union at any point for the world revolution.
SOCIALISM IN ONE COUNTRY
Stalin countered Trotsky; his plan was to consolidate Lenin’s revolution and turning the USSR into a modern state with good defence.
- overcome the agricultural and industrial problems
- build a modern state
- Survival of Soviet Union priority, suspending international revolution
Stalin portrayed Trotsky as an enemy to the Soviet Union. He was therefore an isolated outsider, whose international revolution ‘risked the soviet union’. Trotsky was further weakened by the fear that capitalist nations would invade, making him even more obscure.
SUMMARY
Stalin’s advantages
- Key governmental positions
- Patronage helped by Enrolment, he is popular.
- Takes the main speech at funeral
Trotsky disadvantages
- Lack of Judgement
- Too flamboyant, looks strange next to Stalin to newly Enrolled
- Lack support within party, except Red Army.
- Blatant embarrassment and shame over his religion
Testament is suppressed, benefiting all members except Trotsky (could of used against Stalin).
Triumvirate is formed to further isolate Trotsky. Trotsky fights back on three points, but is further undermined by Stalin and his powerbase, boils down to PERMANENT VS SOCIALISM IN ONE COUNTRY as major policy.
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