Editing Joseph Stalin (section)

=== 1921–1924: Lenin's final years ===
[[File:Stalin 1921-1.jpg|thumb|right|Stalin wearing his [[Order of the Red Banner]] in 1921]]

The Soviet government sought to bring neighbouring states under its domination; [[Georgian–Soviet War|in February 1921 it invaded]] the Menshevik-governed [[Democratic Republic of Georgia|Georgia]],{{Sfn|Kotkin|2014|pp=396–397}} and in April 1921, Stalin ordered the Red Army into [[Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic|Turkestan]] to reassert Soviet control.{{Sfn|Kotkin|2014|p=388}} As People's Commissar for Nationalities, Stalin believed that each ethnic group had the right to an "[[Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics|autonomous republic]]" within the Russian state in which it could oversee various regional affairs.{{Sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1pp=199–200|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=371}} In taking this view, some Marxists accused him of bending too much to [[bourgeois nationalism]], while others accused him of remaining too Russo-centric.{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=202}} In his diverse native Caucasus, however, Stalin opposed the idea of separate autonomous republics, arguing that these would oppress ethnic minorities within their territories; instead, he called for a [[Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1pp=194–196|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=400}} The [[Communist Party of Georgia (Soviet Union)|Georgian Communist Party]] opposed the idea, resulting in the [[Georgian affair]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1pp=194–195|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2pp=479–481}} In mid-1921, Stalin returned to the [[South Caucasus]], calling on Georgian communists to reject the chauvinistic nationalism which he argued had marginalised the [[Abkhazians|Abkhazian]], [[Ossetians|Ossetian]], and [[Adjarian]] minorities.{{Sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1pp=203–205|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=400}} In March 1921, Nadezhda gave birth to another of Stalin's sons, [[Vasily Stalin|Vasily]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=127|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=232}}

After the civil war, workers' strikes and peasant uprisings broke out across Russia in opposition to Sovnarkom's food requisitioning project; in response, Lenin introduced market-oriented reforms in the [[New Economic Policy]] (NEP).{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=89|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=187|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3p=344|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4p=64}} There was also turmoil within the Communist Party, as Trotsky led a faction calling for abolition of trade unions; Lenin opposed this, and Stalin helped rally opposition to Trotsky's position.{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=186}} At the [[11th Congress of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks)|11th Party Congress]] in March and April 1922, Lenin nominated Stalin as the party's [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|General Secretary]], which was intended as a purely organisational role. Although concerns were expressed that adopting the new position would overstretch his workload and grant him too much power, Stalin was appointed to the post.{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=96|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2pp=78–70|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3pp=189–190|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=411}}

{{Quote box
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| quote = Stalin is too crude, and this defect which is entirely acceptable in our milieu and in relationships among us as communists, becomes unacceptable in the position of General Secretary. I therefore propose to comrades that they should devise a means of removing him from this job and should appoint to this job someone else who is distinguished from comrade Stalin in all other respects only by the single superior aspect that he should be more tolerant, more polite and more attentive towards comrades, less capricious, etc.
| source = — Lenin's Testament, 4 January 1923{{Sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2000|1p=369|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=209|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3p=504}}
}}

In May 1922, a massive stroke left Lenin partially paralysed.{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=97|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2p=53|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3p=191}} Residing at his [[Gorki Leninskiye|Gorki dacha]], his main connection to Sovnarkom was through Stalin.{{Sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1pp=191–192|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=413}} Despite their comradeship, Lenin disliked what he referred to as Stalin's "Asiatic" manner and told his sister [[Maria Ilyinichna Ulyanova|Maria]] that Stalin was "not intelligent".{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=102|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2pp=191–192|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3p=528}} The two men argued on the issue of foreign trade; Lenin believed that the Soviet state should have a monopoly on foreign trade, but Stalin supported [[Grigori Sokolnikov]]'s view that doing so was impractical.{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=98|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=193|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3p=483|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4pp=69–70}} Another disagreement came over the Georgian affair, with Lenin backing the Georgian Central Committee's desire for a Georgian Soviet Republic over Stalin's idea of a Transcaucasian one.{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=95|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=195|3a1=Khlevniuk|3y=2015|3pp=71–72}} They also disagreed on the nature of the Soviet state; Lenin called for establishment of a new federation named the "Union of Soviet Republics of Europe and Asia",{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=195}} while Stalin believed that this would encourage independence sentiment among non-Russians.{{Sfnm|1a1=Volkogonov|1y=1991|1p=71|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=194|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3pp=475–476|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4pp=68–69}} Lenin accused Stalin of "[[Great Russian chauvinism]]", while Stalin accused Lenin of "national liberalism".{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1pp=98–99|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=195|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3pp=477, 478|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4p=69}} A compromise was reached in which the federation would be named the "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" (USSR), whose formation was ratified in December 1922.{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=195}}

Their differences also became personal; Lenin was angered when Stalin was rude to his wife Krupskaya during a telephone conversation.{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1pp=99–100, 103|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2pp=72–74|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3pp=210–211|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4pp=70–71}} In the final years of his life, Krupskaya provided leading figures with [[Lenin's Testament]], which criticised Stalin's rude manners and excessive power and suggested that he be removed as general secretary.{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1pp=100–101|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2pp=53, 79–82|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3pp=208–209|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4p=71}} Some historians have questioned whether Lenin wrote the document, suggesting that it was written by Krupskaya;{{Sfn|Kotkin|2014|p=501}} Stalin never publicly voiced concerns about its authenticity.{{Sfn|Kotkin|2014|p=528}} Most historians consider it an accurate reflection of Lenin's views.{{Sfn|Suny|2020b|p=59}}