Stalin: How he become leader.

His past:
- 1922 - General Secretary
- A member of the orguburo and secretariat- gave him enormous power over policy and personnel of the party
- His rivals underestimated him
- The ban on factions in 1921 meant he could control the votes at party congresses

Lenin's Funeral:
- Tricked Trotsky into not turning up to make him look bad and disloyal
- Set himself up as Lenin's disciple and made himself look good

Lenin's Secret Testament:
- Was given to the central committee May 1924 just before the 13th Party congress
- if it had been read out it would have ended Stalin's career
- It said that Stalin was too rude, suggested replacing him with someone more tolerant and loyal and it also said that he wouldn't know how to use authority with restraint
- Zinoviev and Kamenev did not want it read out either- wasn't flattering about them since they had opposed Lenin in 1917
- thought Stalin presented no real threat and needed his help against Trotsky
- they thought the testament might help Trotsky

Trotsky:
- 13th Party congress 1924 was criticised for becoming too bureaucratic and less democratic
- despite his brilliant speeches was easily defeated in votes- congress full of Stalin's supporters
- could have appealed to his supporters but approved the ban on factions (1921) and did not want to cause splits in the party

Left-wing's problems (radical):
-1924 Zinoviev and Kamenev mounted campaign against Trotsky- questioned his loyalty since he had opposed Lenin before 1917
- Trotsky criticised them for unwillingness to back Lenin in October Revolution 1917
- Stalin stayed out of it and let them tear themselves apart- appeared anxious to maintain unity
- Zinoviev and Kamenev let Stalin bring more of his supporters into key positions.

Knocking out the right wing (liberals):
- 1928- Stalin turned against the NEP and attacked the right wing
- now advocated rapid industrialisation and use of force to make peasants co operate
- Bukharin mounted a strong defence of NEP but was outvoted in congress in 1929 by Stalin supporters
- Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky removed from politburo

Stalin was now the undisputed leader.
Stalin was in the centre between being a radical (left wing) and a liberal (right wing)