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====Socialism in One Country====
[[File:Stalin-Bukharin.jpg|left|thumbnail|250px|Stalin and Bukharin in 1928]]
The rivalry between Trotsky and Stalin was not only a personal. Both men had different views on the nature of Communism and more importantly antithetical ideas on the future of the worldwide Communist revolt. Influenced by Marx, the Bolsheviks, believed that there was going to be a world-wide Communist Revolution. Stalin began advocating "Socialism in One Country," which says that the Bolsheviks should focus building communism in the countries they already controlled rather than spreading the revolution. This drew to him many like-minded Party members, especially the rank and file and this put him in ideological opposition to Trotsky.<ref> Felshtinsky, p. 202</ref>
The Party accepted Stalin’s position and this meant that Trotsky was increasingly marginalized. He then decided to organize public protests, along with others, against Stalin’s growing control of the Party. However, Stalin, employed a law passed by Lenin, ordering unity in the Party. Stalin asserted that Trotsky, was trying to split the party and this ploy managed to sideline Trotsky even further. Another factor, in the growing isolation of Leon Trotsky, despite his achievements during the Russian Civil War, was his Jewish heritage.<ref> Felshtinsky, p. 203</ref> There was a great deal of antisemitism in Russian and this made Trotsky unpopular. By 1927, Stalin was so powerful that he could force Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev from the Politburo and later expelled from the Bolshevik Party. Trotsky was forced into exile and eventually later settled in Mexico.
====Consolidating His Rule====