To What Extent Were Ideological And Disputes The Key Issue In Stalin Writing The Leadership Struggle?

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To a significant extent ideological dispute was the major issue as to how Stalin eventually won the leadership power struggle. Factors including NEP, foreign policy and political disputes all joined to benefit Stalin hence give him power.

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A key dispute over NEP enabled Stalin to gain power, Trotsky on the left wanted to get rid of NEP an in its place enforce socialism, exclaiming NEP was not the most effective policy as it damaged many in the working class. Bukharin, on the far right wing however wanted to maintain NEP as it boosted

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the economy and let the free market develop. Stalin stayed clear of economic, ideological disputes, whilst instead formed the “troika” which included Zinoviev, Kamenev and himself. Therefore as politically, leaders struggled to agree on the economy, Stalin was soon building his power base.

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Similarly, Stalin through politics was able to increase patronage and hence supporters by being moderate politician in the middle of these other two articulate, ideologically stubborn individuals. Moreover, Stalin as a General Secretary of the communist party could manipulate his position to later gain more trustworthy supporters as he handled communist party matters he could promise others with jobs in return for their supports, politically shifting his alliances between Bukharin and the troika (Kamenev and Zinoviev).

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Stalin intelligently realized that to place himself on the far right, he would gain NEP supporters, whilst nearer to the left those who opposed NEP, he would begin to build a power base.

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Another dispute between the party leaders was foreign policy and whether socialism in one country was the right policy for Russia. Trotsky and those on the left believed socialism in one country could only worksuccessfully if there was a world revolution, since most countries were communist

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Stalin realised socialism and its benefits, especially for the working class, would help win leadership struggle. Stalin using the ideology behind socialism in one country would gain nationalist voters and thus increase his chances of voting success

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On the other hand, as much as ideological disputes helped Stalin to gain power in the leadership struggle, it was his intellect and cunning idiosyncrasies soon that helped him politically in the lead of others. Stalin took on the role as “moderate”; he was in the direct middle and could take a back seat while Bukharin and Trotsky disputed. Known as “the grey blur”, Stalin also used his mediator position to increase the anxiety between the ideologies of “Bonapatism

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longing further those who believed Trotsky was too much of a resemblance to their previous Tsars, in many Russians minds a new Russian needed to be built, and who better to lead them than the “moderate”, articulate politician Stalin.

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Another way Stalin showed his skill, excluding ideological disputes, was when in 1924 he cancelled Bukharin’s plan, Bukharin missing an important meeting.

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Therefore, as much as ideological debates over the economy and politics were evident in getting Stalin through to win the struggle, his own skill and manipulation which went unnoticed also contributed to the power struggle.

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Furthermore, to a major extent disputes between left and right wing highlighted leadership struggle, the disputes allowed Stalin to place himself and his skill

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where there was a lack of clarity as to what policies and ideologies were going to be enforced in Russia.

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The leadership struggle was mainly due to disputes over key issue such as design policy where a debate was occurring over ideas on socialism

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Stalin used the disputes to his own benefit, therefore leading him out of the leadership struggle with the greatest power and with its supporters.