Background
Rykov, Aleksei was born on February 25, 1881 in Saratov.
Rykov, Aleksei was born on February 25, 1881 in Saratov.
Joined the Social Democratic Party, 1899. After the split, joined the Bolsheviks. Participated in the 1905 Revolution.
Went abroad (to Paris), 1910-1911. Upon his return to Russia, arrested and exiled to Siberia. Released after the February Revolution 1917.
Commissar of the Interior in the first Bolshevik government, October 1917. Chairman of the Supreme Council of the National Economy, 1918-1921. Member of the Politburo, 1923.
Deputy chairman, later chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars (head of the government) after Lenin’s death, 1924. Stalin’s ally at the beginning of the struggle for Lenin’s succession, but after eliminating his other rivals (Trotsky, Zinovev, and Kamenev), Stalin turned on Rykov and Bukharin. Branded as a leader of the right opposition, and dismissed from his post, 1929.
Arrested and expelled from the party,
1937. Convicted at a show trial, March
1938, and executed. Rehabilitated under Gorbachev.