Main Contenders To Lenins Job

Question 1

What did Marx think of leadership?

Answer 1

Leadership shouldn’t be left to 1 person and the government would fade so the people would govern themselves

Question 3

What did Lenin want changing in the Central Committee?

Answer 3

He wanted it to get bigger
Improve administration
Check the power of the Politburo
Have more peasants and workers in lower party jobs

Question 4

Why was there a power struggle?

Answer 4

Lenin had multiple strokes and his health was deteriorating so they didn’t think he would come back to parliament.

Question 5

How was the Politburo important in the power struggle?

Answer 5

Whoever wanted to be leader must gain the majority in the Politburo and government instead of a people’s vote, which wasn’t democratic

Question 6

What was the effect of Lenin’s testament?

Answer 6

He was critical of many of the main Politburo members, and they didn’t want their reputations to be damaged so the central committee didn’t read it out like Lenin wanted.

Question 7

What were Stalin’s strengths?

Answer 7

Gained the loyalty of subordinates as General Secretary
Knew Marxism very well
Underrated by opponents
Was close to Lenin in his last years

Question 8

What were Stalin’s weaknesses?

Answer 8

Thought of as crude and violent and was criticised for his actions as People’s Commissar of Nationalities
It was known that Lenin was against Stalin
Played a minor role in the Oct Rev

Question 8

What were Trotsky’s strengths?

Answer 8

Brilliant tactician
Useful in the Oct Rev
Had many political skills, ruthlessness, authority and an organisor

Question 8

What were Trotsky’s weaknesses?

Answer 8

Was feared for his control on the Red Army
Was a Menshevik for a bit so not trusted
Was disliked for is arrogance and disdain for those not as smart as him
Had no base of support
Was indecisive and had and judgements
Jewish so people were anti Semitic

Question 8

What were Kamenev’s strengths?

Answer 8

Old Bolshevik so had a power base

Was thoughtful and intelligent, could sort out arguments

Question 8

What were Kamenev’s weaknesses?

Answer 8

Was inconsistent in beliefs, disagreed with Oct Rev
Was too soft to be the leader
He and Zinoviev left it too late to join Tortsky instead of Stalin

Question 9

What were Zinoviev’s strengths?

Answer 9

Old Bolshevik

Had a strong base because he was party boss of Leningrad

Question 10

What were Zinoviev’s weakness?

Answer 10

Opposed Oct Rev

He and Kamenev left it too late to join Tortsky instead of Stalin

Question 11

What were Bukarins stengths?

Answer 11

Popular with the party
Best theoretician
An expert on economics and agriculture, wanted to help the peasants

Question 12

What were Bukarins weakness?

Answer 12

Had no power base because he was a people pleaser

Made tactical mistakes like it allying with Zinoviev and Kamenev sooner

Question 13

What were Rykov’s strengths?

Answer 13

Widely respected for being an Old Bolshevik
Was important in implementing War Colmunism
Was supported by Sovnarkom
Was the Deputy chair in 1923 and then chair of Sovnarkom in 1924

Question 14

What were Rykov’s weakness?

Answer 14

Was overshadowed by others
He wanted to tax vodka which wasn’t popular
Disagreed with the Oct Rev

Question 15

What were Tomsky’s strengths?

Answer 15

From the working class
Respected as an Old Bolshevik
Was important with Trade Unions
Was General Secrtary of the Red International of the Trade Unions in 1920
Was in the Politburo in 1922

Question 16

What were Tomsky’s weaknesses?

Answer 16

His power in trade unions made Stalin jealous

His support for the NEP would come against him in 1927

Question 17

What happened to power in 1922 - 23?

Answer 17

A triumvirate of Zinoviev, Kamenev and Stalin was made against Trotsky’s ambitions