Ideological debates and issues in the leadership struggle: NEP and industrialisation; 'permanent revolution' versus 'Socialism in One Country'; how and why Stalin became party leader and the outcome for the other contenders
After Lenin died, senior Bolsheviks clashed over two big questions: how fast to industrialise Russia, and whether to spread revolution abroad or build communism at home first. Stalin won those arguments — and destroyed his rivals in the process.
Real World
Trotsky's 'Permanent Revolution' argued that Soviet Russia could not survive as a socialist island — a fear later validated when the USSR faced economic isolation; Stalin's 'Socialism in One Country' offered instead the reassurance of national self-sufficiency, which resonated with a party exhausted by years of crisis.
Exam Focus
Show how Stalin used ideological arguments tactically — shifting positions on the NEP debate to isolate opponents is a high-level analytical point examiners reward.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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