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The Struggle for Power in the USSR 1924 - 1929. When Lenin died in 1924 there were three main contenders to replace him as the head of the Soviet Union.

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Presentation on theme: "The Struggle for Power in the USSR 1924 - 1929. When Lenin died in 1924 there were three main contenders to replace him as the head of the Soviet Union."— Presentation transcript:

1 The Struggle for Power in the USSR 1924 - 1929

2 When Lenin died in 1924 there were three main contenders to replace him as the head of the Soviet Union Leon Trotsky Nikolai Bukharin Joseph Stalin

3 By 1924 there were three major issues facing the newly founded USSR: The Nature of Leadership – should the Soviet Union be headed by “collective leadership” (rule by committee) or by a single dictator The NEP – should Lenin’s NEP be continued to strengthen the peasants or halted to focus on industrialization The future of The Revolution – should the Communists foment world-wide worker revolts or focus on the socialist state in the USSR

4 The answers to each of these issues resulted in a “spectrum” from left to right Trotsky headed the Left Wing along with Zinoviev and Kamenev Bukharin headed the Right Wing along with Rykov and Tomsky Stalin fell into the center along with the majority of party members

5 Trotsky Trotsky’s arrogant attitude and support from the Red Army caused many to fear he would make himself dictator He pushed for the end of the NEP and rapid industrialization at the expense of the peasants “Permanent Revolution” – not only world wide but also within the USSR until communists had achieved global domination

6 Bukharin Very popular (Lenin called him the “golden boy” of the party) and open to a variety of perspectives and viewpoints Advocated continuing the NEP to enrich the peasants whose consumption would create new industry; feared a conflict with peasants would cause economic collapse Agreed with Stalin’s “Socialism in one country” focus on internal Russian development (with its strong nationalist and patriotic undertones)

7 Step 1 - 1924 Eliminate Trotsky as a rival power

8 Stalin makes his move at the Thirteenth Party Congress in 1924 He allies with Zinoviev and Kamenev (powerful Leftist supporters of Trotsky) Zinoviev and Kamenev turn on Trotsky and eventually weaken his influence Stalin continues to stack the delegates with his cronies and allows the Left to attack each other while he grows in influence

9 Step 2 - 1925 Stalin allies with the Right to eliminate the Left

10 Stalin uses the Fourteenth Party Congress in 1925 to eliminate the Left Bukharin and the Right join Stalin in his support of the NEP and “Socialism in One Country” The Leftist move against Stalin but it is too late – he controls the delegates and the Right In 1926 the Left rejoin with Trotsky to fight back In 1927 all major Leftist leaders are expelled from the party

11 Step 3 – 1928 Stalin moves against his Rightist allies

12 Stalin now moves against the Right In 1928 he turns against the NEP and uses his power and influence to attack the Right In 1929 the Right is defeated at the party Congress and all leaders are removed from power Stalin now moves to fully adopt the policies once endorsed by the Left

13 By 1929 – Stalin turns 50 and is the undisputed leader of the USSR… Trotsky flees to Turkey then France then Norway then Mexico where he is eventually killed by a Stalinist hitman in 1940… Bukharin is eventually “reformed” and helps write the Soviet Constitution of 1936 before being arrested, tried and executed in the great purges of the late 1930’s…

14 So let’s review: Stalin quietly builds power by controlling appointments in the Communist party and Soviet bureaucracy He then works with the Left to drive out Trotsky… Before siding with the Right to eliminate the Left… Before siding with “his” Left to destroy the Right… He then launches the 5 Year Plans in order to build “Socialism in One Country” – adapting positions of both the Left and the Right now that he is unquestioned master of the USSR! “It is enough that the people know there was an election. Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything.”


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