How did Marxism-Leninism become the official doctrine of the Soviet Union?

Marxism-Leninism became the official doctrine of the Soviet Union primarily through the efforts of Joseph Stalin, who codified the ideology following the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924.1

While Lenin established the foundational principles of a disciplined, vanguard Communist Party and the necessity of a "proletarian dictatorship," his approach was often nuanced and pragmatic. Stalin, however, simplified these ideas into a rigid, objectivist ideology of power and activism. He formalized this doctrine in works such as Problems of Leninism (1926) and A Short History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1938).231

Stalin’s version of the doctrine emphasized:
* Dialectical Materialism: A framework asserting that history proceeds through economic contradictions and sudden, qualitative leaps (revolutions).1
* Revolution from Above: A policy of rapid industrialization and agricultural collectivization enforced through centralized power and repression.1
* Party Supremacy: Building upon Lenin’s 1921 ban on factions, Stalin utilized the party apparatus to eliminate opposition and enforce total control over all aspects of Soviet life.213

By codifying these principles, Stalin transformed the party's ideology into a tool for state-building and absolute authority.1