Do now: Take out Stalin & Trotsky assignment – TURN IN

Icebreaker ~ OPVL

11/ 6 & 11/7

Origins & Rise of joseph Stalin

1924 – 1929

Overview Stalin rose to power in what was already a single – party state

Origin and development of single party state lie in the political & economic problems of czarist Russia, the impact of WWI, the Bolshevik Revolution of November 1917, & the civil war 1918 – 1921

By the time Lenin dies in January 1924, Soviet Union had been in practice a single party state for 3 years

Stalin’s rise was unexpected

Before Lenin died in 1924 rivalries emerged among communist leaders such as Trotsky, Grigori Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev

1922 Lenin wrote a Testament outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the main leaders…1923 added a Postscript recommending Stalin’s dismissal

By 1929 Stalin was the sole new ruler of the party

Political & Economic Problems 1921 -1924What happened to Russia?

Civil War broke after the October Revolution (Bolshevik)

This is when the Provisional Gov’t (DUMA) is overthrown Bolsheviks (the Red Army)

vs. The Whites The Bolsheviks won in 1921

Major policy disruptions that caused problems

War Communism – takes place during the Civil War

All industry was nationalized and strict centralized management was introduced.

State monopoly on foreign trade was introduced.

Discipline for workers was strict, and strikers could be shot

Obligatory labor duty imposed onto "non-working classes."

Prodrazvyorstka – taking agricultural surpluses from peasants to redistribute.

Food and most commodities were rationed and distributed in urban centers in a centralized way.

Private enterprise became illegal.

Military-style control of railroads.

How do we summarize “war communism”?

Ability to for the Bolsheviks to take total control Historian Richard Pipes argued:

Bolsheviks used excuse of war communism to eliminate private property, commodity production and market exchange.

The leaders expected an immediate and large scale increase in economic output

Kronstadt Rebellion

Took place in March 1921

Was an insurrection against War Communism

Wanted new elections of Soviets

Freedom of political prisoners

Elimination of political armies

Return of private work

Result:

60,000 soldiers attacked the rebels

Estimated that over 1,000 workers killed

Result of the Kronstadt Rising

Even though Bolsheviks won:Vladimir Lenin stated that Kronstadt "lit up

reality like a lightning flash". Lenin concluded that world revolution was

not imminent Replaced War Communism with his

New Economic Policy = step back towards capitalism

New Economic Policy

Adopted in 1921 Allowed small, privately owned firms and

traders to operate Established an alliance with peasants

Allowed them to sell surplus to private markets

State kept control of major industry and foreign trade

Effect of the NEP

Left feared a restoration of capitalism

Right argued that it was essentialThough they overlooked fight between kulaks and nepmenKulak—rich peasantNepmen—traders who gained money under NEP

The 1921 Ban

Revival of capitalism & shock of the Kronstadt Rising led the congress to introduce a ban on factions (people within the Communist Party having inner party opposition within itself)

Lenin’s Illness By 1922 Lenin had his first stroke Personal rivalries emerged among the Politburo (communist

party that made decisions): Trotsky – seemed most likely to emerge as a major leader Zinoviev Kamenev Bukharin Stalin**

1922 appointed as the General Secretary of the Communist Party

Had power to appoint and dismiss party officialsDec. 1922 Zinoviev, Kamenev, & Stalin form a

triumvirate (alliance) to prevent Trotsky from obtaining majority support

Dec. 1922 Lenin’s Political Testament

Became concerned about the personal and political tensions Outlined the strengths and weaknesses of the Communist

Party Urged Trotsky to form a ‘Joint Bloc for Democracy’ vs. the

growing sings of a bureaucracy in the party and the state Lenin urged Trotsky to launch a campaign against

bureaucracy from the restoration of party and soviet democracy

Jan. 1923, concerned about Stalin’s power, he added a Postscript recommending Stalin’s removal

What were the key stages of the power struggle

Stage 1: Early Moves against Trotsky, 1923 – 1924

April 1923 12th Congress meeting mentioned Lenin & Trotsky but hardly mentioned Stalin = Stalin not important

Lenin absent from meetings due to illness = Stalin replaces Trotsky’s supporters in a new enlarged Central Committee (Communist Party’s ruling body between Congress)

As General Secretary Stalin replaces Trotsky’s supporters with those who were loyal to him

Trotsky was absent at Lenin’s funeral saying that Stalin had told him the wrong date

Stalin raises suspicions about Trotsky’s absence and loyalty

What were the key stages of the power struggle

Stage 2: Defeat of the Left Opposition,1924 – 1927

Stalin continued to dismiss oppositionist from responsibility

Position was threatened when in May 1924 Lenin’s widow revealed his Testament to the Central Committee & Congress delegates

Stalin is saved by Zinoviev and Kamenev = they persuaded them not to publish the Testament

January 1925 the triumvirs removed Trotsky from his position of commissar of war

Triumvirate would split in 1925 about disagreements over the New Economic Policy

Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev would form the United Opposition = against Stalin

Stalin was able to ban them from meetings and dismiss their supporters

Accused them of breaking the 1921 ban on factions

Stalin rids the United Opposition

By Nov. 1927 Stalin was successful in removing Trotsky and Zinoviev expelled from the Communist Party & Kamenev expelled from the Central Committee Stalin rises through the ranks of politics through

ruthlessness and cunning He played his opponents against one another and he used

his poor background to appeal to the people Zinoviev & Kamenev abandon The United Opposition in fear

of the communist party splitting (Lenin’s biggest fear) Trotsky is deported…Others are positioned elsewhere in the

Soviet Union to prevent them from communicating

Political Cartoon Assignment

Create a Political Cartoon Lenin, Stalin, Command

Economy, Feudal Life Under Nicholas II, Proletariat vs. Bourgeoisie, etc.

Include the following TITLE 3 MESSAGES WITHIN CARTOON 2 SENTENCE DESCRIPTION OF

CARTOON @ BOTTOM OF PAGE OR ON BACK OF PAPER

Exit Card1) Who were the two armies who fought in the Russian

Civil War called? Who did the US support?

2) What did Lenin’s Testament state?

3) Who was Stalin’s biggest opponent when trying to assume leadership of Russia after Lenin’s death?