Stalins rise to power 1922-29

• Power Struggle Perspective

  Stalin may have used Left and Right arguments to ally with and eliminate rivals in his pursuit of power
• Pragmatism and Ideology

  Stalin's position evolved with changing circumstances, resulting in a policy blend of pragmatism and ideology by 1928-29
• NEP Compromise

  Following the Civil War, the New Economic Policy (NEP) was a suitable compromise for stabilizing the economy and society
• Imbalance and Coercion

  1. The imbalance between agriculture and industry required state coercion

  2. Gradualism failed to achieve socialism

  3. The NEP had run its course