Stalin's Power

How/why did Stalin become head of state?
After Lenin’s death in 1924, everyone thought Trotsky, the brilliant leader of the red army would become leader, especially as Lenin left a Testament saying that Stalin was dangerous and a ‘grey blur’ and should be dismissed, but Stalin schemed his way into power, using his position as General Secretary as well as using a serious of ruthless political moves, devious tactics, the weakness of opposition, his own strengths, party weakness’ and factors out of his control.
Party weakness helped Stalin become head of state as the Politburo was divided into two halves. The left wing, Zinoviev, Trotsky and Kamenev, they wanted to end the NEP , new economic policy, where farmers were allowed to sell food on
He also exploited favourite Trotsky by telling Trotsky the wrong data of Lenin’s funeral, this was a successful tactic because most people already disliked Trotsky as they believed he was to big-headed. Missing Lenin’s funeral made him even more unpopular as many people believed it was disrespectful, consequently making Stalin’s support grow as he then had to deliver his passionate speech at Lenin’s funeral instead of
It was somewhat luck also that the death of many rivals had been all at the right time, Yaakov Sverollov who was most likely to inherit the position of General Secretary before his death in 1919 it of meant that Stalin victory would of been impossible as he wouldn’t of been in such a high poison within the party, similarly the death of Dzerzhinsky, the head of the secret police Checka, he disliked Stalin, his death allowed Stalin to infiltrate his supporters into the political police and eventually use them against his