Stalin's rise to power

Strong Powerbase:
General Secretary in 1922
Controll membership of the party - Chose those who were loyal to him

Control staffing allowed him to put key supporters into secretariat
Control over appointments and could replace rivals

Secret Police, press and education under control of General Secretary 

Personality:
Tough, manipulative, secretive and cunning

Background:
Trained revolutionary

Showed great support of Lenin (Milked his death)
Attended and cried at his funeral...
Linked his ideas to Lenin's - e.g. Socialism in one country

Trotsky:
Positives: He was clever, dynamic speech maker, energetic during civil war, led Red Army...
Lenin's right hand man

Negatives: 
Late conversion to Bolshevism in 1917 - Bolsheviks mistrust
1923 - Refused to make speech in Lenin's place at 12th party congress - Refused to comepete, Stalin dominated congress...  

Aloof and arrogant

People (Bolsheviks) feared his links with the Red Army 

Lacked a strong power base

Attacked the party and lacked consistancy

Underestimated Stalin

Didn't listen to the party - e.g. Permenant revolution did not create stability...

Negatives:
Personalities - Too intellectual, and Menshivik past = Less trustworthy

Switching alliances - First allied with Stalin, however disliked his idea of Socialism in One Country so switched support to Trotsky
 
Quarelled amongst themselves - Leaving left disunited

Underestimated Stalin - Called him a 'Grey Blur' and 'Comrade Card Index'

Did not allow publication of Lenin's Testament 

Agreed not to publicise Lenin's Testament

Bukharin: 
Too intelluctual and calm

Underestimated Stalin - (Allied with Stalin)

Gradualist approach to Socialism - supporting the peasants to prosper...
However, he lacked a powerbase which would allow his ideas to be carried through
(Stalin's powerbase was too strong against his)
1928 his ideas were defeated by Stalin's who advocated Collectivisation

Why did Stalin choose socialism in one country?:

Not as agressive as permanent revolution

Focused on strengthening Communism

Appealed to the Communist party

Economically more viable

Contradicts left ideas (Trotsky) - EXCUSE TO FACTIONALISM