How and why did Stalin become party leader? L/O – To identify the key events in Stalin’s emergence as party leader

How did Stalin become leader? Did Stalin have a long-term plan to achieve power, carefully worked out from the beginning of the 1920s? Or did he take advantage of opportunities that presented themselves between 1923 and 1929? Your task today is to study the key events of the leadership struggle and be able to explain how he became leader.

Key Stages of the Power Struggle Using pages 16-20 and the hand-out supplied, each group should make notes on the way Stalin outmanoeuvred his opponents during each stage of the power struggle. Your may like to create a detailed A3 timeline: Stage 1: The early moves against Trotsky, 1923-24 Stage 2: The defeat of the Left Opposition, 1924-27 Stage 3: The defeat of the Right, 1927-29 1.) At which points during the power struggle could Stalin have been stopped? 2.) Did Stalin have a long-term plan to achieve power or was he just an opportunist?

Why did Stalin become leader? Historians differ in their opinions about the reasons for Stalin’s emergence and rise to power, as no one factor seems to offer a satisfactory explanation. Being able to understand the different views of historians and using those views to supplement your arguments in essays is called historiography. It gets you high marks! Historiography = the study of the way history has been, and is, written: the history of historical writing.

Power Politics Stalin’s rise a result from his deliberate and skilful manipulation of genuine political and ideological differences amongst the Bolshevik leaders. His aims = to gain supreme power, make himself a revolutionary hero by crushing all opposition. His success = due to his political ruthlessness and weaknesses of rivals. Historians = Robert Conquest, Robert C. Tucker, Edward Carr, Stephen Cohen, Isaac Deutscher Robert Conquest Robert C. Tucker

Structuralist Explanations Stalin was a product of Russian history and the administrative system set up after 1917. He was a ruler in the long Russian tsarist tradition of absolutist ruler, the ‘Red Tsar’. Civil war led to political appointments rather than elections. As administration grew, so did Stalin’s power to appoint his friends. Centralisation of government structure under Lenin enabled Stalin to gain control through his job roles (General Secretary) Historians = Robert Daniels, ‘Circular flow of power’ Robert Daniels

Socio-Cultural Explanation Emphasises the impact of society and the social structure on the politics and developments of Party and State. New party members after 1921 had no real understanding of Marxism or Bolshevik history so were easily manipulated by Stalin. New party members were often uneducated ex-peasants – they often preferred Stalin’s ‘down to earth’ political style. They disliked the intellectual tone of Trotsky and the left. Historians = Shelia Fitzpatrick Shelia Fitzpatrick

Ideological Explanations There were genuine political differences amongst the communist leaders of the 1920s. Stalin’s political positions just persuaded people. Stalin’s policies and ideas were in tune with the majority of the party membership who desired stability above all. His policy of continuing NEP and ‘socialism in one country’ seemed safer than Trotsky’s idea of ‘permanent revolution’. Historians = Alexander Ehrlich, Moshe Lewin Alex Ehrlich Moshe Lewin

Activities Produce a chart summarising the main historical interpretations and explanations of why Stalin was able to come to power. Remember to include the names of relevant historians. Why do you think Stalin emerged as leader? Explain which historical interpretation(s) you agree with the most. Research what is meant by the term ‘Red Tsar’. Imagine you are a lawyer. Draw up a case to prove/disprove the allegation. You can ‘summon’ specific historians to support your case.