Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/1-1-3-stalin-and-the-communist-party [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [IGCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse.md) › [History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history.md) › [Edexcel IGCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse.md) › Stalin & the Communist Party # Stalin & the Communist Party History: Edexcel IGCSE USSR, 1924-1953, topic 1.1.3 ## The Communist Party After Stalin had sidelined his opponents and taken power, he strengthened his hold on the Communist Party. ### Stalin's opponents ![Stalin's opponents](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/f15658a9-7938-4771-8884-ce942b5a3544/Chess.Opponent.jpg) - Although the left of the party was united by the end of 1925, it was not able to challenge Stalin. - Zinoviev and Trotsky had had too many public disagreements to allow the basic level of agreement between them on economic issues to shine through. ### 1926 Central Committee plenum ![1926 Central Committee plenum](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/1d165c6c-e7b0-49d4-bd75-eb8a87676bfb/shutterstock_367599311.jpg) - At the 1926 Central Committee plenum, the United Opposition (Trotsky, Kamenev, Zinoviev) would not attack the General Secretariat. - In 1927, the united Opposition started to attack Stalin's policy of 'Socialism in One Country'. - They blamed it for economic failures. ### Party expulsions ![Party expulsions](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/physics/AQA%20New%20Modules/6.1.3/thumbs%20down.jpg) - The United Opposition members were expelled from the party for their opposition. - This took place at the Fifteenth Party Congress in December 1927. ### Five Year Plans ![Five Year Plans](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/5b1e1264-61f9-40d3-8d71-55e3ed99a10f/Five.Year.Plan.jpg) - Stalin had the Congress reaffirm the New Economic Policy. - He also laid the grounds for the Five Year Plans. - This was so he could present the Five Year Plans as a gradual change, when it fact they were a radical move away from the New Economic Policy. ### Communist Party divisions ![Communist Party divisions](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/1.1.1-Mixtures%20and%20compounds/Breaking%20biscuit.jpg) - There was a still a divide between Bukharin and others who believed in the NEP. - The majority under Stalin believed that the NEP strayed too far from Marxism. - Stalin had now completed his move from a supporter of Lenin's NEP to striking his own path. ## Test yourself on Stalin & the Communist Party - What happened to Stalin's opponents in 1925? - Who were the members of the United Opposition? - What happened to the members of the United Opposition? - What economic changes did Stalin bring about in the 1920s? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/f1dc4f79-6e3d-4596-a089-7367ed6fee1e/section/96ead072-c306-464f-aefc-b74ec27bc366/session) - Previous topic: [1.1.2 The End of Lenin & Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/1-1-2-the-end-of-lenin-and-stalin.md) - Next topic: [2.1.1 Industrialisation & Gosplan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-1-1-industrialisation-and-gosplan.md) ## History: Edexcel IGCSE USSR, 1924-1953 contents ### 1 The Leadership Struggle, 1924-1929 - 1.1 Struggle for Power 1924-28 - [1.1.1 Stalin & his Rivals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/1-1-1-stalin-and-his-rivals.md) - [1.1.2 The End of Lenin & Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/1-1-2-the-end-of-lenin-and-stalin.md) - [1.1.3 Stalin & the Communist Party](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/1-1-3-stalin-and-the-communist-party.md) ### 2 Five Year Plans & Collectivisation - 2.1 Changes in Industry - [2.1.1 Industrialisation & Gosplan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-1-1-industrialisation-and-gosplan.md) - 2.2 Agriculture & Collectivisation - [2.2.1 Five Year Plans & Grain Hoarding](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-2-1-five-year-plans-and-grain-hoarding.md) - [2.2.2 Collectivisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-2-2-collectivisation.md) - [2.2.3 Kulaks](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/2-2-3-kulaks.md) ### 3 Purges, Show Trials & The Cult of Stalin - 3.1 The Use of Terror in the 1930s - [3.1.1 Purges](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-1-1-purges.md) - [3.1.2 NKVD](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-1-2-nkvd.md) - [3.1.3 Show Trials](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-1-3-show-trials.md) - [3.1.4 Labour Camps](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-1-4-labour-camps.md) - 3.2 Propaganda & Censorship - [3.2.1 Art & Religion Under Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-1-art-and-religion-under-stalin.md) - [3.2.2 Media & the Cult of Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-2-media-and-the-cult-of-stalin.md) - [3.2.3 The Cult of Stalin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-3-the-cult-of-stalin.md) - [3.2.4 History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/3-2-4-history.md) ### 4 Life in the Soviet Union, 1924-1941 - 4.1 Life in the Soviet Union - [4.1.1 Living Conditions & Ethnic Minorities in the USSR](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/4-1-1-living-conditions-and-ethnic-minorities-in-the-ussr.md) ### 5 The Second World War, 1941-1953 - 5.1 USSR in the War - [5.1.1 1941-1942](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-1-1-1941-1942.md) - [5.1.2 1943-1945](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-1-2-1943-1945.md) - 5.2 Stalin & WW2 - [5.2.1 Stalin's Popularity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-2-1-stalins-popularity.md) - [5.2.2 Post-War Consolidation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-2-2-post-war-consolidation.md) - 5.3 Post-War Recovery - [5.3.1 Economic Recovery](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-3-1-economic-recovery.md) - [5.3.2 The USSR by 1953](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/igcse/history/edexcel-igcse/5-3-2-the-ussr-by-1953.md)