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After Lenin's death there were several contenders for his now vacant position - Stalin came out on top.

Russia: Stalin's Seizure Of Power, 1924-1929

Study how Stalin rose from party official to Soviet leader, using alliances, party rules and political skill to outmanoeuvre his rivals after Lenin's death in 1924.

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Fascinating Fact:

Lenin’s Testament, which warned about Stalin’s character, was not widely published. Zinoviev and Kamenev helped to block it to protect their own positions.

In GCSE History, this part of the Russia course explains how Stalin turned his position in the Communist Party into full control of the Soviet state. You will look at his use of party rules, temporary alliances and careful timing to remove rivals and secure power by 1929.

Key Terms

General Secretary: The party post held by Stalin, which let him control appointments and build a network of loyal supporters across the Communist Party.
Triumvirate: A temporary alliance between Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev that worked together to weaken Trotsky's influence after Lenin's death.
Socialism in One Country: Stalin's policy that focused on building socialism inside the USSR first, rather than spreading revolution abroad straight away.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

How did Stalin gain power between 1924 and 1929?

Stalin used his role as General Secretary to appoint loyal supporters, formed and broke alliances with other leaders, and used party rules to isolate his rivals until he dominated the party.

What happened to Trotsky during Stalin's rise to power?

Trotsky lost key positions, was pushed out of debates, and was eventually expelled from the Communist Party. By the late 1920s he was forced into exile from the Soviet Union.

Why is Stalin's seizure of power important in GCSE History?

Stalin's seizure of power is important because it explains how a one party state became a personal dictatorship, which shaped Soviet policies and international relations for many years.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

What radical programme for agricultural re-organisation did Stalin introduce at the 1927 Party Conference?

Nationalisation

Collectivisation

State Ownership

Requisitioning

By now Stalin felt that he had overcome Trotsky's "Left-wing" opposition to domestic policy, and he now prepared to take on the so-called "Right" by outlining revolutionary plans for industry and agriculture

2 .

After Lenin's death a big effort was made to increase the number of Party members from working-class backgrounds in memory of the former leader. What name was given to this process?

Proletarianisation of the Party

The Lenin Enrolment

The Lenin Rescript

Workers Unite

Under Lenin, Party membership had remained stagnant. After his death in 1924, Stalin saw a further way in which to increase his power. By recruiting more members from humble backgrounds, Stalin could cement their allegiance to him

3 .

Trotsky felt obliged to resign from one of his posts in 1925. Which job was this?

Commissar for Foreign Affairs

Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs

Chairman of the annual Party Congress

Commissar for Transportation

Trotsky already felt isolated in the growing power struggle, and he hoped that resignation from one post might take the heat off him

4 .

Which of the following emerged from the 1924-9 period as a Stalin crony, serving him loyally into the 1930s and beyond?

Molotov

Kamenev

Zinoviev

Pyatakov

Surviving as a minister under Stalin was a high risk pastime. Through good fortune and good judgement several of Stalin's associates managed to cling on to power

5 .

One of Trotsky's weaknesses was his former membership of the Menshevik Party. In which year did he join the Bolsheviks?

1914

1917

1916

1918

Stalin always enjoyed the advantage that he had long been a Bolshevik Party member and associate of Lenin's. It was known that Trotsky had only joined quite recently

6 .

Not the least of Stalin's assets was his secret police. What name were they given during most of this period?

OGPU

NKVD

FSB

KGB

There had been a secret police force in Tsarist times. Under an even more authoritarian regime Stalin felt the need for one as he tightened his grip on Russia

7 .

Where was Trotsky exiled within the USSR before he went abroad permanently?

Kazakhstan

Siberia

Georgia

Azerbaijan

By 1929 Trotsky had lost the argument with Stalin, having always underestimated his opponent. There seemed little option but to go into exile

8 .

Having seen off Trotsky, Stalin now turned on the "Right" opposition, who advocated more cautious policies. One of these was Tomsky. For which organisations was he responsible?

Trade Unions

Regional Assemblies

Police

Broadcasting

Stalin could not tolerate any aspect of Soviet life being under any other control than his own. One by one he brought these bodies into line, and dismissed their leaders if he felt that they posed a threat to him

9 .

What name was given to Stalin's preferred economic policy in his long argument with Trotsky?

Socialism in One Country

War Communism

Euro Communism

Permanent Revolution

Trotsky and Stalin differed over future policy: could Russia go it alone with a series of sweeping reforms, or would she have to ensure worldwide communism to have any chance of success?

10 .

Stalin accused his opponents of trying to divide the Party into rival groups. What name was given to this tendency?

Deviationism

Factionalism

Sectionalism

Separatism

Stalin's argument was that he had always followed the Leninist line of total unity, and that his adversaries were trying to split the Party into warring groups

Author: Edward Towne