lenin prefered trotsky - dealing with the myth

[yuriandropov]

lenin did not prefer trotsky one bit. he didn't like trotsky. he often reffered to him as a social democrat (a bad insult in bolshevik days), he felt trotsky was 'very arrogant' and he had several harsh words to say about him on many occasions. on the other hand, lenin liked stalin. he was very impressed with the way stalin handled the problem of nationalities in russia and with his part in the formation of the USSR. he liked stalin for his loyalty and ruthlessness also. the only occasion lenin voiced concerns about stalin was in his will, when he refered to stalin as 'rude' hardly an attack on stalins leadership qualities. when lenin was bed ridden, the only person he asked to see was stalin. no one else. if you look at the photo's of lenin with other bolsheviks, he was always closest to stalin. he and stalin shared the same political views. when stalin was elected general sectratary, how come lenin didn't have the descision overturned if he wanted trotsky? in lenin's will, he says how stalin has too much power. again, not a great insult. lenin was more insulted with the way stalin spoke to lenins wife, a matter that was sorted out with no problems. trotsky used these things to try and manouver his way into the soviet leadership. the truth is, lenin beleived in democratic centralism. he did not want any one man to completely take over. and if he did want one man, it would have been stalin, definatly not trotsky.

i am in the process of finding lenins quotes about trotsky so to prove he didn't trust, or like him.

[Hayduke]

Well in that case we can just forget bout lenin saying " Never let Stalin get control over The Sovjet Union, he would ruin it all.

The photos isnt hard to explain either. Stalin messed up many pictures as a form of propaganda. He removed enemies he has killed and also lets the media think he was close to stalin.
This also can be found back in statues.

[Michael De Panama]

No need to bother, Yuri, here's a quote from Lenin's Last Testament:

"I think that from this standpoint the prime factors in the question of stability are such members of the C.C. as Stalin and Trotsky. I think relations between them make up the greater part of the danger of a split, which could be avoided, and this purpose, in my opinion, would be served, among other things, by increasing the number of C.C. members to 50 or 100.

Comrade Stalin, having become Secretary-General, has unlimited authority concentrated in his hands, and I am not sure whether he will always be capable of using that authority with sufficient caution. Comrade Trotsky, on the other hand, as his struggle against the C.C. on the question of the People's Commissariat of Communications has already proved, is distinguished not only by outstanding ability. He is personally perhaps the most capable man in the present C.C., but he has displayed excessive self-assurance and shown excessive preoccupation with the purely administrative side of the work."

Now, keep in mind that this was written right before his death. Therefore, this is the perspective of Lenin as he grew to know the two men. You may pull anything out from his early years, but this shows what his intentions were during his last days.

Find me a quote that was presented before December 1923, and I'll believe what you say.

[yuriandropov]

michael de panama, i might have known yuo to do this. take lenins last testamnet completely out of context! at the point when lenin wrote this, he was not on speaking terms with stalin because of comments made by stalin to lenis wife. this would explain lenins anger with stalin but, they sorted the problem out before lenins death. i am reading something written by lenins sister at the moment that proves my point completely. i will try to translate it and put it on here later on.

[honest intellectual]

on the other hand, lenin liked stalin. he was very impressed with the way stalin handled the problem of nationalities in russia and with his part in the formation of the USSR. he liked stalin for his loyalty and ruthlessness also. the only occasion lenin voiced concerns about stalin was in his will, when he refered to stalin as 'rude' hardly an attack on stalins leadership qualities.
Actually, it was an attack on his leadership qualities:

"Stalin is too rude and this defect, although quite tolerable in our midst and in dealings among us Communists, becomes intolerable in a general secretary. That is why I suggest that the comrades think about a way of removing Stalin from that post and appointing another man in his stead who in all other respects differs from Comrade Stalin in having only one advantage, namely, that of being more tolerant, more loyal, less capricious, etc."