History 7041/2N June 2023

This exam paper examines Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953, with a focus on The Russian Revolution and Stalin’s Rise, 1917–1929. Section A analyzes the factors behind Stalin’s victory in the power struggle after Lenin’s death, utilizing contrasting contemporary and retrospective perspectives. Section B evaluates the role of Provisional Government weaknesses in its collapse during the October Revolution of 1917 and examines the significance of the Kronstadt Rising in prompting Lenin to introduce the New Economic Policy (1921). The questions highlight political instability, leadership struggles, and key policy changes during revolutionary Russia.