The Next Leader

  • Lenin died in 1924 after suffered several strokes after the people tried to kill him in 1922
  • It was thought that Trotsky was going to be the next leader as he was the second most prominent member
  • However, Joseph Stalin, a member that had not stood out at all had been the one to take Lenin's place


So why did Stalin emerge as the next leader of the Bolsheviks on top of Trotsky?



Luck

  • Trotsky had been inactive because of illness during Lenin's semi-retirement due to his bad health, while Stalin had been consolidating his power during this time
  • Lenin had written a testament highly critical of Stalin, but it was not published as it was also critical of other members, even Trotsky


Policy

  • Trotsky strongly opposed the NEP
  • Stalin did not clearly take a side to continue the NEP or not
  • Trotsky isolated himself from support, while Stalin took more of a neutral stance


Trotsky's personality

  • Trotsky's arrogant nature caused him to not see Stalin as an opponent
  • Trotsky did not criticise Stalin and heavily underestimated him
  • Trotsky was disliked by some members of the party due to his arrogance
  • He naturally assumed that he would succeed Lenin and was not careful enough


Stalin's personality

  • Stalin presented himself as a humble person from a peasant family
  • He tried to present himself to be similar to Lenin, publishing photos of them together and represented himself as the leading mourner for Lenin
  • He tricked Trotsky about the date of the funeral so he thought he could not make it
  • Stalin used his position as Secretary to his advantage, giving powerful positions in exchange for support, causing himself to rise in influence
  • Stalin's cunning allowed him to undermine Trotsky's chances and increase his influence to become the successor of Lenin


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