chapter 13 stalins rise ideology and change

Question 1

Who did lenin critise in his testament (letter read to party congress on his death, written in Dec 1922)?

lenin didnt nominate a leader only criticised politburo members

Answer 1

• Grigorii, Kamenev, Bukharin, Trotsky and Stalin

particularly critised stalin

Question 2

why did Lenin particularly criticise stalin in his testament?

Answer 2

• Georgian Affair
• stalin had insulted Lenin’s wife
• lenin even suggested that ‘comrades should think about a way of removing stalin from his post as General Secretary

Question 3

why was the Testament never read in public?

Answer 3

• central committee decided amongst themselves to supress it as many of them were criticised
• this decision was especially beneficial to stalin

Question 4

what was the central committee?

Answer 4

-they were elected by party congress but themselves elected the politburo
- they directed all Party and government activities between each party congress

Question 5

who were the 5 leadership candidates?

Answer 5

Zinoviev, Trotsky, Stalin, Kamenev and Bukharin

Question 6

strenghts and weaknesses of Zinoviev?

Answer 6

strengths:
- founder member of Bolshevik party and close associate of lenin from 1903-1917
Weaknesses:
- had opposed timings of october revolution
- not a member of sovnarkom
- a jew with a bourgeoisie background

Question 7

strengths and weaknesses of Trotsky?

Answer 7

strengths:
- organised 1917 october takeover
- created the red army
- hero of the civil war
- member of sovnarkom
- regarded by lenin as ‘most able member of the central committee’
Weaknesses:
- only joined bolsheviks in july 1917 (had previously been on fence between Mensheviks and Bolsheviks)
- was a jew with a bourgeoisie background

Question 8

strengths and weaknesses of stalin?

Answer 8

strengths;
- old bolshevik (though not senior until 1912)
- member of sovnarkom
- general secretary of communist party from 1922
- peasant background
Weaknesses:
- strongly unfavoured by Lenin; however wasnt widely known

Question 9

strengths and weaknesses of Kamenev?

Answer 9

strengths:
- old bolshevik and close associate of Lenin
weaknesses:
- opposed timings of revolution ‘
- not a member of sovnarkom
- jew with a bourgeoisie background

Question 10

strengths and weaknesses of Bukharin?

Answer 10

strengths: lenin’s ‘golden boy’