Why did Stalin win the Struggle for Power?
When Lenin died in 1924 his most likely successor was Trotsky. Trotsky was liked by the Russian people and he was the 'organising genius behind the Red Army during the Civil War'. After Lenin's death Trotsky made mistakes which allowed Stalin to win the struggle for power. After Lenin's death there was a debate in the Communist Party. Trotsky should have pressed for publication as it exposed Stalin's faults. Another mistake Trotsky made was not turning up to Lenin's funeral. It was a national event in Leningrad where millions turned up to mourn his death but Trotsky didn't. Trotsky allowed himself to be open to criticism and Stalin used this to attack him. Not only did the Russian people begin to turn against Trotsky but other Communist Party leaders did also.
Trotsky made significant mistakes to allow Stalin to power, other party members also failed to see the threat of Stalin. Kameniev and Zinoviev were two party members who failed to see Stalin's attack coming. These two members also failed like Trotsky to press for the publication of Lenin's testament. The leader of the trade unions also had a chance to stop Stalin but he failed to use the trade unions just as Trotsky had failed to use the Red Army to stop Stalin. All Communist leaders made mistakes which allowed Stalin to win the struggle for power.
Stalin used the mistakes of opponents as a way of winning the struggle for power. Stalin set up 'the cult of Lenin' placing his body in a musoleum and renaming Petrograd Leningrad. Stalin knew the people loved and admired Lenin so Stalin claimed to be his disciple. By creating the 'cult of Lenin' Stalin strengthened his own power. Stalin introduced the idea of "Socialism in one country" as opposed to Trotsky and Lenin's theory of "Permanent Revolution". Stalin's "Socialism in one country" was much more appealing to the Russian people as it meant they didn't have to rely on other countries becoming Socialist to...