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How did Josef Stalin rise to power?

TODAY’S

LESSON

How To Become A Dictator

In THREE easy steps!

3 REASONS why Stalin came to

powerStalin’s cunning personality

Stalin’s position as Secretary-General

Trotsky’s and other rivals’ weaknesses

Stalin’s CUNNING PERSONALITY

4 candidates to take over from Lenin:Leon TrotskyLev KamanevGrigory ZinovievJoseph Stalin

Stalin’s CUNNING PERSONALITY

He made ALLIANCES with other people

EXAMPLE: Convinced Kamenev and Zinoviev to get rid of Trotsky in 1925 before turning on Kamenev and Zinoviev in 1926

Able to outwit all his rivals because no one saw him as a threat

Stalin used his rivals against each other

Stalin’s CUNNING PERSONALITY

He pretended to have been CLOSE TO LENIN

Organised the funeral, was the chief mourner

Told Trotsky the wrong date, so Trotsky did not come back to Moscow for the funeral

What do you think people thought of Trotsky?

Stalin’s CUNNING PERSONALITY

He pretended to have been CLOSE TO LENINAlso prevented Lenin’s testament from being read out as it had criticised ALL the new leaders

Stalin was able to keep his position as Secretary-General

Stalin could also continue to pretend to be trusted by Lenin

Stalin’s CUNNING PERSONALITY

He made ALLIANCES with other people

He pretended to have been CLOSE TO LENIN

LINK: He outwitted his rivals and built up support through alliances, so more people supported Stalin as Lenin’s successor

Stalin’s position as Secretary-General

Stalin was the Secretary-General of the Russian Communist Party

What is a secretary-general?In charge of organising meetingsIn charge of appointing people to important jobs and positions

How do you think Stalin used this power?

Stalin’s position as Secretary-General

Stalin USED HIS POSITION to increase his power

Stalin appointed his supporters to important jobs in the Communist Party

Stalin’s position as Secretary-General

He also called meetings to vote against his rivalsEXAMPLE: Called a Party meeting in 1925 to vote out Trotsky from all of his important positions

LINK: Stalin could use his position to gain loyal supporters and make decisions that would benefit him

What kind of leader does Stalin look like in this painting?

Why do you think it is painted this way?

Trotsky’s weaknessesTrotsky was considered arrogant by most people in the Communist Party

He thought he would succeed Lenin – was complacent and did NOT build up support like Stalin

Trotsky’s weaknessesTrotsky was considered arrogant by most people in the Communist Party

EXAMPLE: He had criticised the decisions of the Communist Party looked like he was arrogant and disloyal.

Trotsky’s weaknessesWanted to spread the revolution to the whole world (worldwide revolution) instead of just focusing on building up Russia. Stalin however, focussed on communism in one country – meaning strengthen USSR first before thinking about other countries.

Trotsky’s weaknessesStalin made Trotsky look like he no longer believed in the Russian Communist Party

LINK: Thus, Stalin was more popular with the communists and able to get more support

Your Task Now

Explain how each of the following factors helped Stalin rise to power to become leader of Soviet Russia in 1929.

(i) His cunning personality

(ii) His position as Secretary-General[12]