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[[File: Stalin in exile 1915.jpg |thumbnail|left|225px|Stalin in Siberia]]

===Conclusion===

By 1928, Stalin was the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union. In 1920, he managed to achieve this despite the opposition of Lenin and many of the senior leaders in the Party. He was widely seen as an uneducated peasant. However, he managed to turn this to his advantage and in his role as General Secretary, he built up his power base in the country. Stalin was also generally popular among the ordinary Party Members and this was crucial. This meant that he had a powerful and influential following and this allowed him to build up his power and influence until he was in total control of the party.

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