After Lenin's death in 1924, the USSR faced a major challenge: deciding who should take charge of the country. The main power struggle was between Stalin and Trotsky, two committed members of the Bolshevik party. Power was finally seized and secured by Joseph Stalin in 1929. Stalin defeated his competitor due to many factors, including his background, statesmanship, ideology, and circumstances, while Trotsky had no public support and did not have confidence within the party. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayLenin's death worried party members; they had to pull together to transform the reluctant population into good socialists and complete the Bolshevik revolution. They especially did not want a leader who would cause division within the party. One party member feared that if power was passed to Trotsky, he would become a "dictator", since he was the commander of the Red Army during the Civil War and was therefore able to crush the opposition . Even though Trotsky was the "brains behind the revolution", party members feared that Trotsky could cause divisions within the party, as he was seen as a disloyal Bolshevik, having joined their circle only in 1917, having been a Menshevik before . that. Stalin, on the other hand, became a member of the party from its beginnings, joining the revolutionaries and engaging in Marxism in his youth (since 1903). Stalin had gained a growing reputation among the Bolsheviks, rising from editor-in-chief of Pravda, a Bolshevik newspaper, to head of the workers' and peasants' organization, to head of the Politburo in 1919 and to that of general secretary of the party. in 1922. Stalin, at first, was highly regarded by Lenin, and by adapting his ideologies into a "cult of Leninism", he maintained his essential principles, such as one-party rule and internal party unity. Stalin came from a relatively subtle background. , while Trotsky came from a noble and educated background. Stalin was Georgian, his mother was the daughter of serfs, and his father was a shoemaker. At one point in his life, Stalin pursued a career as a priest. Stalin's modest background and his image as an "ordinary worker" helped him gain support from the masses and the Bolsheviks. In contrast, Trotsky came from an educated Jewish family and received a high-quality education. He was the best orator of the Bolsheviks, but his intellectualism made it difficult for him to relate to the peasants and the working class. “Trotsky was not a natural 'comrade'” (Figes), even his visual appearance was very Jewish and abnormal for a Russian. His character was also not appreciated. His contempt for other Bolsheviks, his arrogance and his aloofness undermined his credibility. Although he is committed to the party and wants what is in its best interest, his hardline approach has undermined its credibility. Furthermore, Trotsky was not suited to office work and did not like political fights - which made him vulnerable. Another factor that played a key role in Stalin's success was timing and luck, natural factors over which he had no control. Luck was against Trotsky. Mainly, for three years from late 1923, Trotsky suffered from undiagnosed fever attacks. His illness caused him to be absent during crucial votes in the Politburo, even during Lenin's death. His absence was seen by some as contempt for the former Soviet leader, undermining his reliability and loyalty. On the other hand, luck has.