[KurtFF8]

This will be a short post:

There is the common conception that Lenin made it clear that he did not want Stalin to take power after he was done in the USSR (via a note of some sorts). But I had a professor claim that Lenin's full sentiment was that he didn't want Stalin or Trotsky to take power after he was gone.

Anyone know anything about this or could you point me to a place I could find this out?

[Potemkin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin's_Testament

http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1922/dec/testamnt/index.htm

Enjoy.

[John08]

Next question becomes, who did he want to take over?

[Potemkin]

Next question becomes, who did he want to take over?

Lenin was not a feudal monarch of the Soviet Union, to bequeath his domain to his chosen heir. The question of who would succeed him was a matter for the Soviet people to decide, through the institutions of the Soviet state.

[noemon]

Potemkin if you repeat that, enough times, you might actually believe it, especially after reading Lenin's testament, and the fact that Stalin was absolute defacto ruler for a couple of decades.

[KurtFF8]

The question of who would succeed him was a matter for the Soviet people to decide, through the institutions of the Soviet state.

Well that isn't the only factor, especially considering the early stage of development that the Soviet State was in at the time of Stalin's "takeover".

[noemon]

And if one accounts the cheka, too..lol..indeed.

[Oxymoron]

Would war have come quicker between Germany and USSR with a Jewish Leader?

[John08]

The question of who would succeed him was a matter for the Soviet people to decide

OK, let me re-phrase my question. Who did Lenin want to take over?

[Maxim Litvinov]

Lenin wanted the ghost of Lenin to take over. It's fairly plain that he simply considered himself to be wonderful and all alternatives to be flawed - that's certainly what comes across in his so-called 'testament'.

Lenin was only human though, so it's a bit silly getting caught up in a whole "What Would Lenin Have Wanted?" moment.

[Attila The Nun]

Lenin was not a feudal monarch of the Soviet Union, to bequeath his domain to his chosen heir. The question of who would succeed him was a matter for the Soviet people to decide, through the institutions of the Soviet state.

Wouldn't the people's opinion be best gauged by some kind of electoral process?

[noemon]

Wouldn't the people's opinion be best gauged by some kind of electoral process?

HYBRIS, VENOM, we are in an advanced state of being, the next stage of evolution, havent you heard?

[Potemkin]

Wouldn't the people's opinion be best gauged by some kind of electoral process?

What makes you think there wasn't an electoral process in the Soviet Union?

[noemon]

Lets see, could it be because Lenin, acquired governmental control through a coup, and then Stalin ascertained his control through a "coup" within the party and consequently Russia for decades, the cheka, and all that were all for freedom, innit Potemkin?

The Soviet system does not get "pass", in the democracy of its electoral process.

[Potemkin]

Lets see, could it be because Lenin, acquired governmental control through a coup, and then Stalin ascertained his control through a "coup" within the party and consequently Russia for decades, the cheka, and all that were all for freedom, innit Potemkin?

Come on, admit it noemon. You're really Stavros the kebab-seller, aren't you? You can tell me. I'm open-minded.

[noemon]

Yes, i am, Potemkin, you caught me. Your wisdom is on par with your excellence.

But frankly, i am not a rich or aristocratic-like persona, far from it, i could easily be Stavros.

What's wrong with Stavros?

You cant stand direct up-front Stavrian mannerism, now can you? You 'd rather have it sideways...

Are you maybe a liquidated like a fallen angel version, of Tim nice-but-dim, deep inside?



You can tell me, i am open-minded, too.

[KurtFF8]

Lenin wanted the ghost of Lenin to take over. It's fairly plain that he simply considered himself to be wonderful and all alternatives to be flawed - that's certainly what comes across in his so-called 'testament'.

Lenin was only human though, so it's a bit silly getting caught up in a whole "What Would Lenin Have Wanted?" moment.

Of course, but this highlights an important point that many often make and that is that Stalin was implementing the "natural next step" when he implemented his policies. But this ignores that he and Lenin had fundamental theoretical disagreements (e.g. "Socialism in One State", Lenin banked on international revolution, and when it wasn't coming, Stalin decided to go more "isolationist" instead, where Lenin may not have done that at all due to a theoretical level)

[Attila The Nun]

What makes you think there wasn't an electoral process in the Soviet Union?

Ok, if there were elections, describe them. Were there elections for the legislative body of the Soviet Union? What were the restrictions on suffrage? Were there any restrictions on who could run for these positions? Was there coercion involved in these elections?

[The Immortal Goon]

Ok, if there were elections, describe them. Were there elections for the legislative body of the Soviet Union? What were the restrictions on suffrage? Were there any restrictions on who could run for these positions? Was there coercion involved in these elections?

If you don't know anything about the Soviet Union, wiki is as good a place as any to start.

---

My general impression has been that Lenin was largely attempting to take everyone down a notch before he died. Though, as far I know, he didn't leave anything relating to what he wanted to happen aside from his last will and testament, I tend to think that he probably would have wanted some kind of functioning system that would have allowed all the possible "successors" to give as much of their strengths and as few of their weaknesses as possible. Since, as he knew his position was pretty powerful, I kind of guess that he was hoping by taking everyone down a notch he'd stop one of them from completely filling that gap.

Again, as far as I know there's nothing to back that - or any other interpretation - up, but I tend to think that's the general direction things were leaning. Max, in many respects, would probably know best.

[Donna]

Lenin was the Weimar Republic of Bolshevism.