Post Revolution in Russia
New Economics
Following the victory of the Bolsheviks during the revolution, Lenin knew that for Russia to be a contender for the world stage, it needed to be industrialized. To start the rebuild he adopted the policy of NEP or New Economic Plan. In this, the government took the minimun of food needed for the urban population from the farmers and allowed the farmers to then sell any access privately or to the government. While on paper it was a sound plan it drove already wealthy planter higher and drove the poorer ones to become landless laborers.
Fight for control
During the mid 1920's Lenin was in failign health, and would soon be replaced. Two men were the most likely choice: Trotsky and Stalin. Lenin knew this was going to happen -- there was really nothing to prevent it. Lenin found Trotsky able but overconfident. Lenin knew that Stalin had concentrated a great deal of power in his own hands -- he was afraid Stalin didn't know how to use it. After a political blitzkrieg by Stalin in which he decimated Trotsky's power and position and exlied him, Lenin finally died and Stalin took power. Here began Stalin's polices of quotas and 5 year plans to moblize Russian industry.