How did Stalin become the leader of the Soviet Union after Lenins death when he was seemingly the le

1
How did Stalin become the leader of the Soviet
Union after Lenins death when he was seemingly
the least likely candidate?
2
Introduction

• Stalin was the least likely leader from Lenins
  Testament
• Described as
• too rude
• incapable of using authority with caution
• likely to cause a split

• The Testament was never published
• Stalin was in full control of the party by 1929

3
Main Reasons

• He was successful because
• He held highly influential party positions
• The Lenin Enrolment programme
• His ability to play off the Left and the Right

• Party membership increased by 240,000 in the
  first 2 years of Lenin Enrolment
• Stalin challenged Trotskys Permanent
  Revolution with his more popular Socialism in
  One Country
• The Left opposition was defeated in 1927
• The Right opposition was defeated in 1929

4
Lenin Enrolment
5
Opposition Trotskyism
6
The Future
7
Left vs. Right
8
Stalins Rivals
9
Conclusion

• Combination of being General Secretary and the
  Lenin Enrolment programme allowed him to
  overload the party with his supporters
• Graphs clearly show how he was preoccupied with
  the Left until 1927 and then the Right until
  1929
• 1926 to 1927 appear to be the years that Stalin
  was most ruthless in his attack of the opposition
• Stalin built on Lenins law on factions to
  denounce those who differed from the party line
• By 1929 Stalin had no rivals left, but he went on
  to further strengthen his position with the
  purges in to 1930s