The Extent to Which Stalin's Acquisition of Power was a Product of the Power Base that He Had Built for Himself Before Lenin's Death

Before Lenin’s death in 1924 Stalin held many pointless positions

which allowed him to build up his power but only by a tiny amount.

During the Russian Civil War and Polish-Soviet War, Stalin was

political commissar of the Red Army at various fronts. Stalin's first

government position was as People's Commissar of Nationalities Affairs

(1917–23). Also, he was People's Commissar of Workers and Peasants

Inspection (1919–22), a member of the Revolutionary Military Council

of the republic (1920–23) and a member of the Central Executive

Committee of the Congress of Soviets (from 1917). Stalin most

important position was as General Secretary. This role in the party

let Stalin build up a power base. At the Party Congress close to

Lenin’s, he used this position to be granted permission to expel

"unsatisfactory" party members. This later enabled Stalin to remove

thousands of supporters of Trotsky, his main rival for the leadership

of the party. As General Secretary, Stalin also had the power to

appoint and sack people from important positions in the government.

The new holders of these posts were fully aware that they owed their

promotion to Stalin. They also knew that if their behaviour did not

please Stalin they would be replaced. This allowed Stalin to build up

his power base as all those he appointed were loyal to him.

Even though Stalin did not contribute to the Bolsheviks / Communists,

seizing power in 1917 or by helping them win the Civil War, he was

still able to be seen as an important part of the party whom many

respected. Before Lenin’s first stroke in May 1922 nobody more than

Lenin himself admired the attitude that Stalin had. This attitude made

him very popular with the party members because Stalin was far too

useful, hardworking member thus the reason he was one of six men to be

on every delegates list. However shortly after Lenin’s first stroke

when he became incapacitated was when he realised Stalin’s true

colours and he began to turn against Stalin. Lenin knew that when he