Gregory Zinoviev
- Lenin's closest friend
- He argued for Lenin's testament to be ignored and spoke against Trotsky
Nikolai Bukharin
- 1925 to 1928 most prominent in Soviet Government
- 1925 he formed an alliance with Stalin
- Claim to Leninism was that he was close to him and had supported Lenin
- Although it was well known disagreed sometimes
- Some thought he was too young to lead
Trotsky
- Most famous besides Lenin
- Known as revolutionary hero thanks to the october revolution
- 1917 he was Lenin's right hand man
- But not popular in the communist party
- - He had opposed Lenin (between 1903-1917)
- - Some thought he only joined the party to gain power
- - Had had disagreements with Lenin
Stalin
- Stalin could prove he was loyal
- - He had joined the party at the beginning
- - Had been royal right up until 1922
- In 1922 Lenin was too ill to fight back
- - His disloyalty was kept a secret from majority
Stalin removed opposition by
- He said his opponents were enemies of Lenin and set up his own ideological orthodoxy
- Demanding apologies from Bukharin, Zinoviev and Kamenev to the party for losing votes
- Accused Bukharin, Zinoviev and Kamenev of forming a faction (which had been banned) and plotting against Lenin
The party's support
Stalin introduced "Lenin Enrolment" in 1924
- From May 1924 128,000 were allowed ti join the communist party
- Stalin justified it by saying the party needed new working class members
- These new members were on the whole ill-educated
- They supported Stalin because he had the power to promote
- Had the result by 1928 recruits less interested in ideas or goals and more about their careers
- Had control of party members because had power to promote or sack
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