Stalin rise to power factors

He controlled all appointments and promotions in the party due to his role in the party

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

His support for Socialism in One Country was very patriotic

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

He was able to guarantee a majority when voting against policies introduced by Trotsky or Bukharin

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

He had the power in the party to dismiss the United Opposition

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

He made a popular decision to support rapid industrialisation in 1928

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

By 1928 the NEP was unpopular, Stalin used this to move against this idea

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

Most of the other candidates dismissed Stalin as a grey blur or comrade card index

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

He took advantage of Lenin's funeral to show how he and Lenin had been close allies

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

He was not tied to one wing of the party and was happy to make and break alliances

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents

He had a peasant background and people were impressed with his humble, down to earth, origins

• Importance of policy

• Stalin's role as General Secretary

• Stalin's political skill

• The weaknesses and mistakes of opponents