Stalin and Marxist Ideology

• In theory, the Russian state was based on Marxist ideology after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.
• Stalin was more practical than theoretical, working as editor of Pravda and organizing bank raids.
• Stalin was appointed general secretary of the Communist Party in 1922, a role other Bolsheviks considered unimportant.
• Stalin's contributions to Marxist ideology emerged after Lenin's death in 1924, becoming prominent after 1929.
• Ideological arguments were used in the power struggle, especially against Trotsky.

Socialism in One Country' vs. 'Permanent Revolution'

• Marxist principle of internationalism was universally accepted by leading Bolsheviks
• Post-1917, Bolsheviks hoped to inspire socialist revolutions in developed countries like Germany and Britain.
• It was expected that successful socialist revolutions elsewhere would provide financial and technical aid to Soviet Russia.
• These hopes faded by 1923, though most Bolshevik leaders remained committed to internationalism.
• Stalin introduced the concept of 'socialism in one country' as a tool against Trotsky as Lenin became ill and the power struggle began.
• 'Socialism in one country' was revealed in November 1924, emphasizing the Soviet state's ability to construct socialism independently, despite being backward and isolated.
• Stalin accused Trotsky of lacking faith in Russia and its people, reversing Marxist and Bolshevik ideology.
• The concept of 'permanent revolution' argued that Soviet Russia was too economically and culturally backward to achieve socialism without assistance from more advanced states.
• Trotsky developed 'permanent revolution' from Marx in 1906, and most leading Bolsheviks shared the view by 1917, including Lenin.
• After Lenin's death, Trotsky became the main defender of 'permanent revolution'.

Marxist Principle of Internationalism

• Marxist principle of internationalism was based on Marx and Engels' call in 1847: ‘workers of the world, unite!’
• Marx and Engels believed workers in different countries had more in common with each other than with the capitalists of their ‘own’ country
• In 1914, the Bolsheviks refused to support their government during WWI.
• Instead, they called on all workers to begin a revolutionary class struggle to end the war and establish socialism in Europe.

Socialism in One Country

• 'Socialism in one country' stimulated national confidence and pride in the Soviet people.
• It is an aspect of Stalinist ideology that contributed to the rapid industrialisation of the USSR.

Trotsky's Opponents Argued

• Trotsky’s opponents argued that 'permanent revolution' would provoke capitalist states, risking foreign intervention.
• 'Socialism in one country' would avoid conflict, giving the Russian people peace after years of turmoil.
• New Communist Party members after 1924, with little knowledge of Marxism, were swayed by Stalin’s arguments.
• Stalin appointed loyalists to party posts and removed Trotsky's supporters.
• Stalin created a 'Marxist–Leninist' orthodoxy, misrepresenting Lenin and Trotsky's views and hiding disagreements he and others had with Lenin.
• Stalin concealed Lenin’s 1923 recommendation for his removal from posts.

Essential Features of Marxism

• One of the essential features of Marxism is that it is an internationalist movement.
• Marx and Engels believed that capitalism had greatly increased the productive capacities of the developed European countries and was in the process of establishing a global economy.

Marx and Engels Advocated For

• Marx and Engels advocated an international working-class movement for world socialism and communism.
• Marx did not believe societies would 'inevitably' progress to socialism and communism.
• Societies could stagnate or revert to less advanced systems if the lower classes failed to overthrow the ruling class.
• Marx argued a backward society could advance rapidly with aid from sympathetic advanced societies.
• Marx did not believe that tsarist Russia could move to socialism on its own.

Lenin and Democratic Centralism

• Lenin's adaptation of Marx was democratic centralism, as stated in his book What Is to be Done? (1902).
• Democratic centralism meant party members could form factions to argue their views (democratic aspect).
• Due to the lack of freedom in tsarist Russia, the party could only operate effectively in a centralised way.
• Once a decision was made, all members should support it, even if they disagreed (centralism aspect).
• Trotsky disagreed with Lenin on party organisation, arguing democratic centralism could lead to dictatorship.
• Lenin banned other political parties and factions within the Bolsheviks in 1921, calling them adaptations to the circumstances,suggesting a return to 'socialist norms' when conditions allowed.
• Lenin argued that the stages of human society could be 'telescoped', shortening the period between feudalism and socialism.
• This idea was based on Marx’s ideas of ‘permanent revolution’.
• Trotsky also came to this view and defended 'permanent revolution' against Stalin's 'socialism in one country'.

Freedom of Debate Under Lenin

• Freedom of debate amongst members of the Communist Party continued until 1921–22 under Lenin.
• During debates on peace with Germany in 1918, Lenin considered stepping down due to opposition.

Lenin and Trotsky Believed

• Both Lenin and Trotsky believed that early 20th-century Russia could not succeed in carrying through any ‘uninterrupted revolution’ to socialism and then communism without outside economic and technical assistance.
• When this failed to materialise, they still remained committed, in both theory and practice, to the international ideals of communism.
• It was only after Lenin died that Stalin put forward his idea of ‘socialism in one country’.
• Until that time, no Bolshevik had ever argued that backward Russia could become socialist on its own.

Stalin's Contributions

• Stalin’s main contributions to, and use of, ideology were the notions of ‘Marxism–Leninism’ and the theory of ‘socialism in one country’.
• Neither of these terms was used before Lenin’s death in 1924.
• Stalin used the concept of ‘Marxism–Leninism’ to refer to what he described as ‘orthodox Marxism’.
• Marxism–Leninism became the ‘official’ ideology of the Soviet Communist Party and state under Stalin.
• Leading communists knew of early Marxist theory and remembered the true facts of the various political arguments before and after 1917.
• Stalin had almost all of them executed during the 1930s.
• 'Trotskyism’ was portrayed by Stalin and his supporters as a ‘petit-bourgeois’ ideology incompatible with membership of the Soviet Communist Party.
• Stalin and Bukharin argued that the middle-class Trotsky had no faith in the ability of Russian workers and peasants to construct socialism in the Soviet Union.
• Trotsky’s arguments in defence of ‘permanent revolution’ were seen by many as threatening the alliance between workers and peasants, which was the basis of the NEP advocated by Lenin in 1921.
• Trotsky’s ideas seemed thus to spell continued revolutionary turmoil – and even conflict with capitalist states in the future.

Stalin’s Ideas and Practices

• Many Marxists believed that Stalin’s ideas and practices were a distortion of what Marx and Lenin had said and done.
• Those politically opposed to Stalin used the term ‘Stalinism’ to refer to Stalin’s ideas and practices.
• Stalinism was seen as a qualitative and fundamental aberration from both Lenin and Marx.
• Stalinism was seen as a rejection of socialist democracy in favour of a one-party state.
• Stalinism in practice placed the national interests of the Soviet Union above the struggle to achieve world revolution.
• Trotskyists saw themselves as the only true defenders of the legacy of Marx, Engels and Lenin.
• Trotskyists saw themselves as the only truly revolutionary Marxists.