Stalin Succeeds

Stalin had taken on many important jobs like being the Secretary-General of the Party. This gave him an important power base. He had many supporters in the ranks of the party who owned their positions to him. With huge support in the party, Stalin was able to eliminate his opponents with the blessing of the party and hence, was able to win the leadership contest.


Stalin took advantage of the Lenin Enrolment to increase his support within the party. He also appeared as the chief mourner at the Lenin's funeral while tricking Trotsky into missing it.


Trotsky made himself unpopular. His ideas for spreading world revolution alarmed moderate communists. He was also arrogant and offended many party members. Trotsky also had a small support base: students, youths, Red army. This was because he was complacent and he saw no need to increase his support as hi believed he would succeed Lenin. Trotsky being the most likely successor of the Communist Party failed to help himself and provided an opportunity for Stalin to be viewed as a possible succcessor and eventually allowed him to win the contest.


The other four candidates disagreed with each other on important issues such as industrialization and the NEP. The all underestimated Stalin. At first Stalin sided with the others against Trotsky. He continued to play off Bukharin, Zinoviev and Kamenev against each other by allying with on and then another while he strengthened his own position. Once they helped him eliminate Trotsky, Stalin found new allies to remove them as well.
by 1929, Stalin defeated his opponents and was dictator of the USSR.