Early Years
Joseph Stalin was born on December 18th, 1879 in Gori, Georgia. His real name is Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashuili, but in 1912 he took the name Stalin, which means "steel." Stalin grew up in a lower class family. At a young age, Stalin took interest in Marxism and frequently participated in revolutionary movements against the Russian Monarch. He often read literature from Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Vladamir Lenin. By 1903, Stalin joined the Bolshevik party, which was led by Vladamir Lenin. Stalin had spent nearly 15 years as an activist supporting the Bolshevik Party. Stalin helped organize several protests against the Tsarist Regime, which had gotten him arrested and even sent to Siberia several times. Although, Stalin had actually played a very small part in the eventual over throwing of Tzar Nicholas II.
Rising through the Ranks
After the Bolshevik Party took control of the Soviet Union, a young Stalin began to quickly rise up the ranks of the party. Under Lenin, Stalin worked his way up various positions held within the party as followed:
- Member of Central Committee in 1917
- Commissar for Nationalities in 1917
- Commissar for State Control in 1919
- Parties General Secretary in 1922
"Stalin has concentrated boundless power in his hands and I am not convinced that he will always manage to use this power with adequate care."
-Vladamir Lenin
Taking Power
Following Lenin's death in 1924, Stalin deceptively worked towards filling Lenin's uninherrited position. Although there were many others looking to gain power as well such as Leon Trotsky, Grigory Zinoviev, Lev Kanenev, and Nikolai Bukharin. Beforehand, Stalin had agreed to an informal alliance between himself, Grigory Zinoviev, and Lev Kanenev. The trio formed the troika, which gave Stalin the necessary support that he needed to take control of the USSR. Trotsky at the time was the People's Commissar for Military Affairs and was a very powerful enemy of Stalin's. Trotsky's strong convictions against Stalin taking reign made him one of Stalin's biggest obstacles to achieving power. Out of spite, Stalin continuously harassed his opponent to point that Trotsky withdrew from his position. Stalin had leaked documents that proved Trotsky disliked Lenin, which was damaging to his reputation. More importantly, while Trotsky was away, Stalin gave Trotsky the wrong date for Lenin's funeral. Events like these and further exhaustion from the troika is why Trotsky relieved himself of his duties.
Upon Trotsky's exit, Zinoviev and Kanenev decided to turn against Stalin. At this point, Stalin made an allegiance with Nikolai Bukharin instead. Though none of the candidates truly stood in his way because it was his ideas in transforming the Soviet Union that led to his uprising. While Lenin was in power he introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP), which scaled taxes for peasant and also allowed them to sell their surplus crops to private vendors. The system initially had tremendous results that unfortunately created a high demand that production could not match. Stalin however, believed that the collectivization and modernization of agriculture would provide food for all residents of the Soviet Union. He believed that government controlled farms could create produce a surplus money that would help finance industrialism. Stalin preached that, "socialism in one country" was the future for the Soviet Union. Stalin had been eyeing to turn the USSR to world leaders in militarily and industrial powers. Stalin had developed these ambitions and future goals in a five years plan that was accepted by the 16th Party Conference on April 23, 1929. This for Stalin marked the start of the second Soviet revolution and was the real showing of his reign as leader of the Soviet union.
Upon Trotsky's exit, Zinoviev and Kanenev decided to turn against Stalin. At this point, Stalin made an allegiance with Nikolai Bukharin instead. Though none of the candidates truly stood in his way because it was his ideas in transforming the Soviet Union that led to his uprising. While Lenin was in power he introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP), which scaled taxes for peasant and also allowed them to sell their surplus crops to private vendors. The system initially had tremendous results that unfortunately created a high demand that production could not match. Stalin however, believed that the collectivization and modernization of agriculture would provide food for all residents of the Soviet Union. He believed that government controlled farms could create produce a surplus money that would help finance industrialism. Stalin preached that, "socialism in one country" was the future for the Soviet Union. Stalin had been eyeing to turn the USSR to world leaders in militarily and industrial powers. Stalin had developed these ambitions and future goals in a five years plan that was accepted by the 16th Party Conference on April 23, 1929. This for Stalin marked the start of the second Soviet revolution and was the real showing of his reign as leader of the Soviet union.
Sources
This biography explains Stalin's early years as an activist. It also described how he rose to power through the Communist Party.
This article gives a brief look into Stalin's youth and rise to power. It also provided interesting information on his actions during World War II and his propaganda.
Stalins Curse by Jacob Sherman gave a very detailed account of Stalin's political relationships that had allowed him to gaining power. It as well outlined in detail his adopted five year plans.