Struggle for Power

Russia: The Struggle For Power 1922-1929

The Defeat of Trotsky

Although popular in the Red Army he lacked a power base in the Party
Important Party organisations were headed by Stalin, Kamenev and Zinoviev
This ‘Triumvirate’ could out-vote Trotsky when they co-operated in the Politburo, the Central Committee, the Part Congresses
Trotsky did not act on Lenin’s advice, for example, on the Georgian question on how to attack Stalin
But Trotsky’s best weapon was Lenin’s Political Testament
Even so, when the Testament was discussed in the Party, Zinoviev and Kamenev backed Stalin (1924)
When Lenin died, the central Committee decided to keep the Testament secret

Trotsky’s problems

October 1923 he attacked the Central Committee’s handling of economic policy
He also complained there was ‘an incorrect and unhealthy regime in the Party’
He said appointment had replaced election in the Party
He described it as ‘a secretarial apparatus from above’
Majority of Party Congress rejected his views
He was then accused of factionalism because he persuaded 45 party members to sign his criticisms
There now began an attack on Trotsky’s record by Stalin, Kamenev and Zinoviev
Also, Trotsky was ill during this crucial time
He failed to attend Lenin’s funeral (said Stalin told him the wrong day)

The ‘Literary War’

This followed Lenin’s death
In On the Foundations of Leninism Stalin attacked Trotsky’s criticisms of Lenin
Trotsky fought back in Lessons of October in which he made a detailed criticism of Kemenev and Zinoviev for their opposition to Lenin in 1917
Stalin, Bukharin and Kamenev continued the attacks
Stalin published Comrade Trotsky’s Theory of Permanent Revolution
Denunciations of Trotsky became routine at many Party meetings

Result

The Left Defeated

With the influence of Trotsky eliminated Zinoviev and Kamenev began to fear Stalin’s growing power in the Party
They also disliked policy towards the peasants
Many concessions had been made to the peasants resulting in greater difficulty for the government in buying grain
December 1925 Zinoviev proposed a change in peasant policy and in foreign policy
Kamenev spoke against the idea of having one leader so he again criticised Stalin’s authority in the Party
1926 critics of Zinoviev and Kamenev spoke to Party meetings in Leningrad and Moscow
Elections in these cities put loyal members in control and Zinoviev and Kamenev were removed as Secretaries of the local parties
Stalin’s political allies were added to an expanded Politburo
These included Molotov, Voroshilov, Rudzutak and Kuibyshev
1926 Trotsky, Kemenev and Zinoviev formed the ‘United Opposition’
They attacked the NEP and lack of free debate in the Party – to no avail
1926 Zinoviev and Kamenev were expelled from the Politburo
1927 Trotsky was expelled from the Party altogether
October 1927 the United Opposition with Lenin’s widow Krupskaya held a demonstration in Red Square, Moscow
This proved to be the last organised effort by the Left and came to nothing
Stalin and Bukharin now dominated the Party
1928 Trotsky was exiled to Kazakhstan
January 1929 he was exiled from the USSR

The Right Defeated

Bukharin, Tomsky and Rykov wanted the NEP to continue for many years
They wanted the smychka preserved (co-operation between peasants and proletariat)
1927 grain supply crisis after a good harvest (yet again)
So new measures were passed: soldiers were sent to confiscate grain; hoarded grain was also confiscated; hoarding was made a crime
1928 Stalin took an interest in the Shakhty affair, a trial of alleged saboteurs in the mines who were said to be working with foreign agents
In Notes of an Economist Bukharin attacked the new peasants policy (September 1928)
Those on the Right were now denounced as factionalists
Gradually they were removed from their positions
1929 Bukharin lost: Presidency of the Comintern; Editorship of Pravda; his seat in the Politburo
Stalin was now supreme

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