A* REVISION NOTES
1B: Stalin in Power, 1928-53
1. The Leadership Struggle After Lenin (1923-28)
When Lenin died in 1924, no single leader automatically took over. Power was shared among
senior Bolsheviks. To become leader, a contender had to convince the Communist Party they
were the TRUE heir to Lenin — the most loyal Leninist.
Winning power meant gaining a majority in the Politburo, which was elected by the Central
Committee, which was elected by the Party Congress. The battle was fought WITHIN the Party,
not the wider USSR.
The Four Main Contenders:
Contender Strengths Weaknesses
Trotsky Most famous after Lenin. Opposed Lenin between 1903-
Revolutionary hero of the Civil 1917. Many Bolsheviks never
War. trusted him.
Zinoviev Lenin's closest friend. Front-runner Helped Stalin rise to power — fatal
in 1923. Led the Triumvirate. mistake. Destroyed by Stalin later.
Bukharin Hugely respected intellectual. Seen as too young and
Edited Party newspaper Pravda. inexperienced. Allied with Stalin,
then abandoned.
Stalin General Secretary — controlled Underestimated by everyone.
Party jobs and promotions. Started showing disloyalty to Lenin
Appeared non-threatening. in 1922.
EXAM TIP Stalin's apparent weakness was his greatest strength. While rivals publicly fought
each other and made enemies, Stalin quietly built loyalty through patronage —
promoting people who depended on him for their careers.
2. Stalin's Strategy — How He Outmanoeuvred Everyone
Stalin used a brilliantly calculated three-stage strategy to eliminate his rivals one by one:
Stage Period What Stalin Did
Stage 1: The 1923-25 Allied with Zinoviev and Kamenev to destroy Trotsky.
, Triumvirate Branded Trotsky as not a true Leninist. Trotsky was
isolated and eventually expelled from the USSR.
Stage 2: The 1925-28 Dropped Zinoviev and Kamenev. Allied with Bukharin
Duumvirate instead. Now turned on Zinoviev and Kamenev —
branded them Trotskyites. Politically destroyed.
Stage 3: Alone at 1928 Turned on Bukharin — accused him of being too soft on
the top the NEP and not a true Leninist. By 1928, Stalin stood
alone with no serious rivals.
"Stalin used each ally as a ladder rung — climb up using them, then
kick them away once they had served their purpose."
EXAM TIP This is described as 'Machiavellian' — doing whatever is necessary to gain and
keep power, regardless of morality or loyalty. Always at his own self-interest.
3. How Stalin Changed the Communist Party
By 1928, Stalin had not just won the leadership struggle — he had fundamentally transformed
the Party in four key ways:
Change 1: Ideological Orthodoxy
Under Lenin, Party members could hold different views and debate freely. Stalin established
that there was only ONE correct view — his. Anyone who disagreed was branded a 'Trotskyite'
and enemy of Leninism.
• Key idea promoted: 'Socialism in One Country' — the USSR could build socialism
without waiting for a global revolution.
• Anyone supporting Trotsky's idea of waiting for global revolution was branded an enemy.
Change 2: Destroying Rival Authority
Under Lenin, many senior figures had independent authority and respect. Stalin systematically
destroyed this until he alone was the source of authority in the Party.
Change 3: The Lenin Enrolment (1924)
Stalin initiated the Lenin Enrolment — allowing 128,000 new members to join the Party.
Officially justified as bringing in working-class members. In reality:
• New members were poorly educated and career-focused — they wanted good jobs, not
revolutionary ideology.
• They were suspicious of intellectuals like Trotsky and Bukharin.
1B: Stalin in Power, 1928-53
1. The Leadership Struggle After Lenin (1923-28)
When Lenin died in 1924, no single leader automatically took over. Power was shared among
senior Bolsheviks. To become leader, a contender had to convince the Communist Party they
were the TRUE heir to Lenin — the most loyal Leninist.
Winning power meant gaining a majority in the Politburo, which was elected by the Central
Committee, which was elected by the Party Congress. The battle was fought WITHIN the Party,
not the wider USSR.
The Four Main Contenders:
Contender Strengths Weaknesses
Trotsky Most famous after Lenin. Opposed Lenin between 1903-
Revolutionary hero of the Civil 1917. Many Bolsheviks never
War. trusted him.
Zinoviev Lenin's closest friend. Front-runner Helped Stalin rise to power — fatal
in 1923. Led the Triumvirate. mistake. Destroyed by Stalin later.
Bukharin Hugely respected intellectual. Seen as too young and
Edited Party newspaper Pravda. inexperienced. Allied with Stalin,
then abandoned.
Stalin General Secretary — controlled Underestimated by everyone.
Party jobs and promotions. Started showing disloyalty to Lenin
Appeared non-threatening. in 1922.
EXAM TIP Stalin's apparent weakness was his greatest strength. While rivals publicly fought
each other and made enemies, Stalin quietly built loyalty through patronage —
promoting people who depended on him for their careers.
2. Stalin's Strategy — How He Outmanoeuvred Everyone
Stalin used a brilliantly calculated three-stage strategy to eliminate his rivals one by one:
Stage Period What Stalin Did
Stage 1: The 1923-25 Allied with Zinoviev and Kamenev to destroy Trotsky.
, Triumvirate Branded Trotsky as not a true Leninist. Trotsky was
isolated and eventually expelled from the USSR.
Stage 2: The 1925-28 Dropped Zinoviev and Kamenev. Allied with Bukharin
Duumvirate instead. Now turned on Zinoviev and Kamenev —
branded them Trotskyites. Politically destroyed.
Stage 3: Alone at 1928 Turned on Bukharin — accused him of being too soft on
the top the NEP and not a true Leninist. By 1928, Stalin stood
alone with no serious rivals.
"Stalin used each ally as a ladder rung — climb up using them, then
kick them away once they had served their purpose."
EXAM TIP This is described as 'Machiavellian' — doing whatever is necessary to gain and
keep power, regardless of morality or loyalty. Always at his own self-interest.
3. How Stalin Changed the Communist Party
By 1928, Stalin had not just won the leadership struggle — he had fundamentally transformed
the Party in four key ways:
Change 1: Ideological Orthodoxy
Under Lenin, Party members could hold different views and debate freely. Stalin established
that there was only ONE correct view — his. Anyone who disagreed was branded a 'Trotskyite'
and enemy of Leninism.
• Key idea promoted: 'Socialism in One Country' — the USSR could build socialism
without waiting for a global revolution.
• Anyone supporting Trotsky's idea of waiting for global revolution was branded an enemy.
Change 2: Destroying Rival Authority
Under Lenin, many senior figures had independent authority and respect. Stalin systematically
destroyed this until he alone was the source of authority in the Party.
Change 3: The Lenin Enrolment (1924)
Stalin initiated the Lenin Enrolment — allowing 128,000 new members to join the Party.
Officially justified as bringing in working-class members. In reality:
• New members were poorly educated and career-focused — they wanted good jobs, not
revolutionary ideology.
• They were suspicious of intellectuals like Trotsky and Bukharin.
