Stalin’s rise to power Exam focus: AQA Elizabeth Francis Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

Planning your essay This resource provides an essay plan for a sample AQA-style question on Stalin’s rise to power for 2N, Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953. The first step is to look at the question carefully. To what extent can Stalin’s rise to power be attributed to the weaknesses of his opponents? (25 marks) Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

Introduction Contextualise the period leading up to Stalin’s rise to power Identify who his opponents were with a focus on the fact that Trotsky was the most likely successor but made several mistakes which Stalin took advantage of State your judgement in relation to the factor in the question Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

1. The weaknesses of his opponents Trotsky had a much narrower power base than Stalin — support came from the Red Army Stalin accused Trotsky of trying to plot a military coup — Bonapartism From 1925 Trotsky became isolated — Kamanev and Zinoviev had stronger power bases than Trotsky but this was limited to Moscow and Leningrad Bukharin had no power base None of Stalin’s rivals could control the levers of power within the party as he could, nor could they appeal to the wide range of supporters he could Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

2. Stalin’s personality and power of patronage Secretary general since 1922 and used his powers to promote his supporters Party membership had doubled and most of the new members supported Stalin Stalin was able to pack the Party Congress with his supporters, at which important party decisions were made, for example the 1927 Congress backed Stalin’s suggestion to begin a rapid drive towards industrialisation Exploited his image as a moderate inside the party — occupying the centre ground meant he gained the support of the left and right ‘Comrade Card Index’ — reputation as a non-threatening bureaucrat — trustworthy Trotsky, in contrast, was seen as a left-wing radical and despite being in the triumvirate against Trotsky for a time, Zinoviev and Kamenev were identified as left-wingers Bukharin was seen as a right-winger Stalin could put himself forward as someone safe and moderate Stalin was better at exploiting Lenin’s legacy — encouraging Trotsky to ‘miss’ Lenin’s funeral Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

3. Ideological issues: Socialism in one country Stalin argued for ‘Socialism in one country’ because attempted revolutions elsewhere had failed. This would involve keeping the NEP and consolidating the revolution at home This idea was popular with nationalists and turned people against Trotsky, who was a fanatical internationalist, but also against Zinoviev, who was head of Comintern Stalin packed the 1925 Party Congress with his supporters and Zinoviev and Kamenev lost their party positions in Leningrad and Moscow Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

4. Ideological issues: Industrialisation Stalin discredited the right wing of the party’s preference for the NEP by exploiting the grain procurement crisis of 1927–28, which was threatening urban food supplies Stalin was able to get the Party Congress to abandon the NEP by 1928 and thus remove Bukharin Stalin could not create the opportunities that these ideological arguments opened up, but he was clever and ruthless enough to exploit them Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

Conclusion Summary of key factors considered Reiterate the judgement already stated in your introduction — the power base that Stalin accrued within the party was the most crucial aspect of his success Philip Allan Publishers © 2015