1881–
1938
Russian
revolutionary and leader. He was
commissar for the interior after the
Russian October Revolution of 1917 and a member of the
Politburo in
1922. After
Lenin died, he became
Premier of the
USSR. He was on the side of
Josef Stalin in the
1926 political struggle that ended with
Leon Trotsky exiled, but was in turn accused of "rightist
deviation" by
Stalin after Stalin changed positions to supporting
collectivization (which Rykov opposed). He was
expelled from the Politburo, and given a secondary post. Was eventually
executed for
treason in the great party purges of the
1930s.