Who took over the Soviet Union after Lenin's death in 1924?

Answer 1

Alexey Ivanovich Rykov Chairman of the Soviet Union: 1924-1930

Another view:

Rykov had no real power to do anything no matter what his title was; therefore it would be inaccurate to say tht he took over the Soviet Union after Lenin's death. In truth, the Soviet Union was run by the trio of Joseph Stalin, Grigory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev.

Rykov succeeded to the title of Premier from Lenin and he was chairman of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, but he could make no decisions absent Politburo approval.

Answer 2

When Lenin died, Joseph Stalin, Grigori Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev led Russia in a troika that was a majority of the Politburo of the Communist Party. Over the next several years, he managed to oust them by allying himself with Nikolai Bukharin. Stalin then ousted Bukharin as well. He continued in power but only as part of the five member Politburo and he could have been voted out of power at any time then. Gradually, he placed people loyal to him in government and Communist Party positions especially with the secret police. After Lenin's death Stalin was not by any means the dictator he later became. That did not happen until the late 1920s-early1930s.

He is known to have murdered over 13 million of his own people by forced starvation and out right murder of anyone against him.

In 1922 Lenin had Stalin appointed as General Secretary, soon after Lenin had a stroke which gave Stalin control over the Soviet Union without the title, which Lenin still held. At this time Lenin started to realize that Stalin was against him and his policies. Lenin tried to remove Stalin as General Secretary when Lenin died on January 21, 1924, reportedly of a heart attack, at this time Stalin started pushing agendas against Lenin's 'New Economic Policy'.

From this time on Stalin has been believed by some to have exiled and or had his competition murdered. Then in 1953 Nikita Khrushchev took over the reins of power for the Soviet Union.

Answer 3

Joseph Stalin. He and Trotsky, another key Bolshevik, had an election. Through key debates and some sabotage, Stalin gainedleadership. Lenin said that he wanted to avert this from happening- he said Stalin was getting too powerful.

Answer 4

Alexei Rykov became the Premier (equivalent to Prime Minister) of the USSR AND of the RSFSR (the individual republic of Russia). He had no real power and certainly was not a dictator in the true sense of the word. In 1929- amidst Stalin's achievement of the top leadership position of the All-Union Communist Party (bolsheviks) (renamed the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1952)- Stalin was able to have him removed as Russian Premier, and in December, 1930 Rykov lost both his position as USSR Premier and his seat in the Politburo (the organization of Party members who collectively set party policy).

After Rykov was removed, he was replaced as Premier of both Russia and the USSR by Vyacheslav Molotov, however by this time the office of Premier was nothing more than a title. By 1930, Joseph Stalin had become the de facto (actual) leader of the Party and the nation. His office, that of General Secretary of the A-UCP was now the real position of power. From 1930-1991, the office of Premier, and later President, were mere formalities.

It truly cannot be said that Alexei Rykov "took over as dictator of the Soviet Union in 1924." Not even Joseph Stalin was dictator then.

From the very beginning the title of Premier was meaningless, because the real power was in the Politburo a group of five men chosen by the Central Committee of the Communist Party. At that time Stalin, Grigori Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev were the majority in the Politburo even during parts of 1923 while Lenin was alive but unable to speak or walk due to strokes.

They continued to wield all governmental power until Stalin allied himself with Nikolai Bukharin and ousted Zinoviev and Kamenev from power. Stalin did not have full dictatorial powers until after 1934, when he had the Politburo and the secret police stocked with his henchmen, who did just about anything Stalin wanted them to do.

Stalin was almost voted off the Politburo in 1934 by the Party, but thanks to some unusual methods of counting votes by Lazar Kaganovich, Stalin retained his position.

Answer 5

Joseph Stalin.