The Death of Lenin and the Problem of a Replacement

The Failing Health of Lenin

The attempt to put into practice the theories of Karl Marx became all-consuming for Lenin. Lenin would spend countless hours over matters of state and in establishing the power of the Communist Party through out the country. Yet, Lenin’s health began to suffer. In 1918 he had been shot in an assassination attempt and had never fully recovered from his wounds. His health was further complicated by two large strokes that partially paralyzed him. Ultimately he died on 21 January 1924. Upon his death, he was hailed as a prophet and the creator of the USSR. In his honor, the city of Petrograd was renamed Leningrad and his body was enshrined near the Kremlin in Moscow.

Power Struggle in the Party

One of the most difficult problems faced by a country that does not elect its head of state becomes who replaces the leader upon their death (a similar situation exists in the communist country of Cuba. The successor to communist dictator Fidel Castro has yet to be established). In addition to the problem of selecting Lenin’s replacement, the party had split into two camps within the Politburo.

The “Rightist” were led by Nikolai Bukharin (with the support of Josef Stalin) who wanted to continue the program laid out by Lenin for the next twenty or more years. Leon Trotsky, who believed that the country must become heavily industrialized, led the “Left Opposition”. The purpose of the industrialization was to build weapons to resist the West should they try to destroy Communism. A vicious power struggle was to emerge for control of the Party and the country (See Unit Two – Stalin)

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