ATAR Notes: Forum
HSC Stuff => HSC Subjects + Help => HSC Marking and Feedback => Topic started by: Tierney_P on February 25, 2020, 11:30:14 am
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Hello all ye Modern History legends......
The question for my assessment is Why was Trotsky unable to succeed Lenin as leader of the USSR by 1928?
My thesis is:
Joseph Stalin's position as General Secretary of the Communist Party, combined with his & Trotsky's divergent views upon worldwide revolution, ensured that Trotsky was unable to succeed Lenin as the leader of the USSR by 1928.
I was thinking of talking about Lenin's Testament and how Stalin suppressed it? Their differing strains of Marxist thought.....Also how Stalin saw Trotsky as a threat?
What do you think? I'd really appreciate feedback!
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sounds good to me tierney!
xx
bre ;)
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Here's a sample intro for Why Stalin was able to "surpass" Trotsky (similar to your question):
Stalin’s opportunism, ruthlessness and cunningness resulted in his triumph as the undisputable leader of the USSR by 1929. Though general assumption was that Trotsky would be Lenin’s successor, by exploiting his political position and social changes after years of war and revolution, Stalin was able to successfully promote his ideological vision of ‘socialism-in-one-country’ over that of Trotsky’s ‘permanent revolution’, and outsmart his political rivals to emerge as leader of the Bolshevik Party. This is most evident through the changes in society, differing ideologies of Stalin and his opposition, the role of personality and political tactics, which secured Stalin’s control of the Communist Party.
Hope the intro helps in forming your thesis, my general feedback is to make it more argumentative and keep Trotsky as the centre of your argument. Also maybe discuss his failure to develop a 'cult of personality' as he was not as an efficient and charismatic leader as Stalin was --> also how Trotsky may be vulnerable etc (his writings/books/speeches were criticised by political opposition as diverging from his party's values etc). I think it is a good idea to include concepts such as Marxism and political allies usually see each other as a threat - so I don't recommend saying that (maybe link it to the actions of Stalin...something like, Viewing Trotsky as an inherent threat, Stalin actively suppressed Lenin's Testament that made it increasingly difficult for Trotsky to consolidate power...)
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Thank you kiwi ;D ;D
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That is exactly the same as mine for some reason.
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sounds good tierney ;)
for an 1500 word essay...with three main arguments...do you still split it up into only 3 body paragraphs or should you do more?
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sounds good tierney ;)
for an 1500 word essay...with three main arguments...do you still split it up into only 3 body paragraphs or should you do more?
yeah well i ended up doing 4 arguments... and yep just one argument per paragraph ;D
but then im not any type of expert ;)
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Also....anybody who feels generous...could someone please give me some feedback on the finished essay?