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Prior World War I
Stalin was a minor player in the Bolsheviks until the 1920s. Prior to World War I, he organised and conducted robberies to fund the party’s activities. In 1907, he was part of the infamous bank robbery of Tiflis. -
Attacking the government
Prior to 1917, Stalin was also involved in inciting strikes and protests, gang violence, running protection rackets and possibly arson and sabotage attacks on government buildings. -
Return of Lenin
Through the course of 1917, Stalin’s position within the party began to rise, mainly because of his work for Lenin. He assisted Lenin’s flight to Finland after the failed July Days uprising and for a time served as the nominal Bolshevik leader within Russia. Stalin earned Lenin’s trust by carrying out instructions reliably, effectively and discretely. -
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Ban on factionalism
Stalin took great advantage of a ban on factionalism. This ban prohibited any group from openly opposing the policies of the leader of the party because that would constitute a de facto opposition. By 1928 (the first year of the institution of the Five-Year Plans for economic development) Stalin was supreme among the leadership, and the following year Trotsky was exiled. This help Stalin succeed in exerting control over the party and the country. -
General Secretary
On April 3, 1922, Stalin is appointed Secretariat of the Central Committee by Lenin. Stalin would make the position dictatorial by influencing & gaining advantage over key people in the Bolshevik Party. -
Lenin's health deteriorates
When Lenin was dying, Lenin found out about Stalin's harsh leadership and in his last Testament Lenin called for the removal of Stalin. But, the document was voted on for adoption by the Party in a Congress which in a unanimous vote against pushing Lenin's will because he was considered by this time to be very ill. This allowed Stalin to keep growing in power. -
Lenin dies
When Lenin died in 1924, the Bolshevik Party was thrown into disorder & struggle for power. Stalin was able to tense hostility between political rivals. -
Stalin gets rid of competitors
Stalin was trying to gain control of the Soviet Union, but shared the power with Kamenev, Zinoviev, and Trotsky. Stalin was able to get rid of Kamenev and Zinoviev when they were in a conspiracy against Trotsky and tried to include him. Stalin was able to outpower Trotsky by drawing many "Socialism in One Country," like minded party members, and because of Trotsky's Jewish heritage which at the time in Russia made him very unpopular. -
Industrial change in Russia
Stalin blamed Kulaks-affluent peasants- and the Nepman-small business owners, for the country's poor economic state. Stalin ordered squads to take the Kulaks grain, and started turning the country into a industrialized nation which made it more powerful. -
Bukharin
Bukharin led a opposition to Stalin in the Politburo. He opposed Stalin’s policy of the rapid industrialization of the Soviet Union and called for the gradual introduction of industrialization. Stalin prevailed, and later, he had Bukharin expelled. Stalin's actions would get rid of one of the few opponents left who challenged him in the Soviet Union.