Did Stalin become ruler of Russia because of his strengths or opposition weakness?

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  • Created by: jmpollard
  • Created on: 05-02-17 14:03

Stalin Strengths

Personality

  • Cunning and hardworking, despite his lower class origin he worked hard in the backrooms and did jobs no one else wanted to do. 

Powerbases

  • He controlled the Politburo agenda, so he decided what they discussed.
  • He selected Delegates for the Party Congress, so he could bribe them to vote for figures that would vote for him.
  • He controlled appointments and promotions, so he could reward his friends.
  • He controlled party discipline, so he could punish his enemies.
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Opposition weaknesses

Personalities

  • Trotsky was arrogant and aloof, dismissive and saw hmself as he only real contender. Uncompromising.
  • Zioviev was vain, weak, ambitious, incompetent, and everyone knew it, heavily disliked.
  • Kamenev was too soft, lacked the capacity for leadership that others had.
  • Bukharin was the best out of the lot, but was not as cunning as Stalin.
  • Rykov was not a well known contender, and he drank ridiculous amounts of vodka.
  • Tomsky was never a real contender, too nice, never as cunning as the rest.

Powerbases

  • Trotsky's control of the army made him a threat, his loyal soldiers were not party members and couldnt support him.
  • Zinoviev had no position in the Sovnarkom because he fell out with Lenin.
  • Kamenev was similar to Zinoviev and lost influence because of it.
  • Bukharin didnt have weak powerbases so much as his werent as strong as the others.
  • Rykov/Tomsky just had weak powerbases and werent important enough to challenge. 
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