A Series of Questions

1. Did Stalin, or any other Soviet politicians specifically accept or deny that Lenin's "testament?" Did they know whether it was his own work or not; did they believe it was forged, or did they have evidence that it was pieced together by opportunists and the like? I know of a quote where Stalin acknowledges the existence of the "testament," but with quotation marks around testament, and criticizing the context.
2. Which would you say had more significance; the February or October Revolution?
3. To what extent did Stalin support the NEP, and how did his usage of it differ with Lenins? Were his and Trotsky's use of the NEP specifically different? I've heard it was stopped and then "reused," and if so, how were the "new NEPs" different from the others? I've the charges that Stalin followed Tsarist economic policies in some regards, especially to collectivization. I dismiss this and have some knowledge, but not entirely enough.
4. What were the main differences between Trotsky and Stalin's role in the civil war? What were some mistakes made by Stalin in the civil war, and was he ever characterized by any sense of "elitism" at all? Did Lenin specifically put Trotsky in command a whole lot of times, or Stalin?

Chimurenga doesn't seem to really grasp what historically took place in regards to Lenin's so-called "testament". I've already provided an excerpt from Prof. Grover Furr's book "Khrushchev Lied", which goes into this topic quite well:

http://www.revleft.com/vb/group.php?...cussionid=4808

As for #2, obviously the October Revolution was the most significant.

#3: There were no "other" NEP's. Whoever told you this has no idea what they're talking about and completely lack any knowledge on Soviet history. Lenin's NEP was the only NEP during Soviet Russia's time period. After it was stopped, Stalin made it an effort to then press forward mass industrialization and collective agriculture, which then led to Soviet Russia's achievement in socialism.

It, of course, caused some complications. Dangerous ones at that, but Stalin's intentions were not to deliberately make said complications. It was, as he had succeeded in, to finally achieve socialism.

#4: I'd recommend you reading this excerpt from The Errors of Trotskyism, called "The Lessons of October". It was written by Nadezhda K. Krupskaya (Vladimir Lenin's wife):

http://www.marxists.org/archive/krup...ks/october.htm

3. Stalin took Buhkarin's line. I.E. "enrich yourselves".

He explicitly criticized this line when Bukharin said it, and Bukharin had to retract it.

See the first part of this: http://www.marxists.org/reference/ar...1925/06/02.htm

Yes, Chimurenga, Lenin did state that he wishes Stalin would resign. IN WHICH, you so conveniently leave out, Stalin AGREED TO LENIN's WISHES! Stalin actually tried several different times to resign. Each attempt being unsuccessful due to the delegates of the Party Congress (this also included Trotsky!) who declined Stalin's wishes of resignation!

To disregard this piece of history, all while solely pointing out that Lenin wished for Stalin's resignation (though subsequently wished for someone who was everything like Stalin except for his rudeness), would be to intentionally distort Soviet history!

The way I see it, whether Lenin wanted Stalin out or not, who cares? Party democracy said otherwise

"Just because Grover Furr said it, doesn't mean it's true."

Another meaningless statement. Soviet documents are being released by the Russian Government every day. Nobody other than Furr is translating and analyzing this newly released evidence. If you want to remain ignorant it's OK. Furr's book explains Lenin's so-called testament in detail.

The way I see it, whether Lenin wanted Stalin out or not, who cares? Party democracy said otherwise

Yeah, I like what redcat said about the issue. I'm paraphrasing, but he basically said: Do the Trotskyists think that the USSR was Lenin's personal property to just give away when he was dead?

Not to mention that the source for Lenin "knowing" that Stalin was "rude" was his wife, who Stalin had yelled at to stop sending Lenin newspapers in accordance with the Doctor's wishes. Lenin also wrote this at a time when his mental condition was quite aggravated.

Stalin's 1927 remarks on Lenin's words were as follows: "It is said that in that 'will' Comrade Lenin suggested to the congress that in view of Stalin's 'rudeness' it should consider the question of putting another comrade in Stalin's place as General Secretary. That is quite true. Yes, comrades, I am rude to those who grossly and perfidiously wreck and split the Party. I have never concealed this and do not conceal it now. Perhaps some mildness is needed in the treatment of splitters, but I am a bad hand at that. At the very first meeting of the plenum of the Central Committee after the Thirteenth Congress I asked the plenum of the Central Committee to release me from my duties as General Secretary. The congress itself discussed this question. It was discussed by each delegation separately, and all the delegations unanimously, including Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev, obliged Stalin to remain at his post."

The book Stalin's Letters to Molotov also has Stalin discussing the "will" and Trotsky's machinations in relation to it.

Not to mention that the source for Lenin "knowing" that Stalin was "rude" was his wife, who Stalin had yelled at to stop sending Lenin newspapers in accordance with the Doctor's wishes. Lenin also wrote this at a time when his mental condition was quite aggravated.

Stalin's 1927 remarks on Lenin's words were as follows: "It is said that in that 'will' Comrade Lenin suggested to the congress that in view of Stalin's 'rudeness' it should consider the question of putting another comrade in Stalin's place as General Secretary. That is quite true. Yes, comrades, I am rude to those who grossly and perfidiously wreck and split the Party. I have never concealed this and do not conceal it now. Perhaps some mildness is needed in the treatment of splitters, but I am a bad hand at that. At the very first meeting of the plenum of the Central Committee after the Thirteenth Congress I asked the plenum of the Central Committee to release me from my duties as General Secretary. The congress itself discussed this question. It was discussed by each delegation separately, and all the delegations unanimously, including Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev, obliged Stalin to remain at his post."

The book Stalin's Letters to Molotov also has Stalin discussing the "will" and Trotsky's machinations in relation to it.

Excellent post and information.