The Struggle for the Succession in the USSR

The Struggle for the Succession in the USSR

· When Lenin had his first stroke in May 1922, succession to the

leadership of Russia became urgent. Trotsky, owing to his record and

his charismatic qualities, was the obvious candidate in the party rank

and file,

· However jealousy among his colleagues on the Politburo combine

against him. As an alternative, the Politburo supported the informal

leadership of the troika composed of Zinovyev, Lev Kamenev, and

Stalin.

· In the winter of 1922–23 Lenin recovered partially and turned to

Trotsky for assistance in correcting the errors of the troika, foreign

trade policy, the handling of the national minorities, and reform of

the bureaucracy. Trotsky was still Lenin’s right hand man at this

time.

· In December 1922, warning in his then secret “Testament” of the

danger of a split between Trotsky and Stalin, Lenin characterized

Trotsky as a man of “exceptional abilities” but “too far-reaching

self-confidence and a disposition to be too much attracted by the

purely administrative side of affairs.” Just before he was silenced by

a final stroke in March 1923, Lenin invited Trotsky to open an attack

on Stalin, but Trotsky was in contemplation and what would have been a

perfect opportunity, Trotsky missed it.

· By Autumn, inroads of the secret police alarmed him and among party

members and efforts to weaken his control of the war commissariat,

Trotsky decided to strike out against the party leadership.

· . A massive propaganda counterattack against Trotsky and his

supporters on grounds of factionalism and opportunism. Began In

October when he addressed the Central Committee, stressing the

violation of democracy in the party and the failure to develop

adequate economic planning. Trotsky fell ill of an undiagnosed fever

and could take no personal part in the struggle. Because of Stalin

organized controls, the party leadership easily won, They said

Trotskyist opposition was Menshevik-like, illegal factional

differences.

· Lenin's death a week later confirmed Trotsky's isolation. Trotsky

was deceived about the date of the funeral, failed to return to