Bolshevik Consolidation of Power

Question 1

Explain the initial steps taken by the Bolsheviks to consolidate power (prior to civil war). How did Lenin justify some of these?

Answer 1

What happens upon seizing power on October 25th:

Repeal of Political Freedoms
- Control of press , destroy presses-> nationalize paper stocks (ie, control material needed to MAKE paper) and ban rival papers
- Restrict freedom of assembly / speech -> for any opposition (M/SR/Provos)
- THEREFORE REPEAL POLITICAL FREEDOMS / BOURGEOISIE REVOLUTION IN ORDER TO ATTAIN CONTROL
How does Lenin justify this?
- Claims workers and peasants too NAIVE to understand nuances of revolutionary ideology
- Therefore need to protect them from “dangerous” influences of Mensheviks and SRs
- Need to CENSOR opposition until Bolshevik ideals have been successfully propagated

Going ahead w/ Constituent Assembly:

• Allow elections to go ahead on planned date in November
• Not yet strong enough to stop it, Get 25% of vote. SRs get 50% though
• Takes two months for it to actually meet -> but buys time and is an IMMEDIATE action as opposed to provos twiddling their thumbs and delaying
• Block doors to building when time to meet with armed Red Guards controlled by Bolsheviks
• THIS symbolic act that is final breaking with SRs and Mensheviks, other rev groups. Directly implies that civil war looms / violence necessary ahead since NEW AUTOCRATIC GOVERNMENT NOT ALLOWING ANYONE TO WORK WITH IT JUST LIKE TSARS BEFOREHAND

[GENERAL DEMARCATION POINT INTO FULL AUTOCRACY]

Consolidation by Force: Cheka Police

• Established in December 1917, gain armed detachments of 40,000 by January 1918
• Jurisdiction to act as judge, jury, and executioner -> vaguely defined crimes like “sabotage” of revolution (could just be propaganda against Bolsheviks)
• Instigate Red Terror (execute 10,000 people) following Fanny Kaplan assassination attempt on Lenin in August 1918
• Had ties to SRs -> use as excuse to purge party
• CONTRAST TO PROVOS HAVING NO STRONG FORCE TO EXECUTE VISION

Question 2

Explain the impact of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on Russian politics

Answer 2

Treaty of Brest Litovsk: March

• Consolidates peace with Central Powers. Could have advanced at will (move govt to Moscow as evidence)
• End of cool down ceasefire signed in January
• Only 40,000 men loyal on front -> sign whatever is presented now.
• DOES bring about end of war (fulfilling “Peace” promise, justify based on idea that WORLD REVOLUTION is coming and these short term capitalist losses won’t matter)
• Lose 25% of Russian industry in western provinces -> major industrial centres like Warsaw. ABANDON UKRAINIAN PEASANTS (why SRs are pissed especially)
• As a direct response -> SRs RISE UP in JULY - > Try to assassinate German Ambassador -> FANNY KAPLAN ATTEMPT AUGUST -> BOTH BRUTALLY PUT DOWN
• Bolsheviks also voice concern, Lenin THREATENS TO QUIT AGAIN IF THEY DON’T SHUT UP

Question 3

Explain how the Bolsheviks won the Civil War via War Communism

Answer 3

1. War Communism:
   - Mobilization of the entire economy to support war
   - Seen by Bolsheviks as an opportunity to truly implement state-centered communism
   - Contrast use of force to dictionaries of unfamiliar revolutionary terms to get them to VALUE revolution and defend it by provos

In Countryside:

• Requisition resources from the people -> use FORCE VIA CHECKA AND RKKA Workers and Peasants Red Army
• Justify because, once again, workers/peasants too NAIVE to understand why they need to support the war effort -> CONTRASTS TO PROVOS TRYING TO EDUCATE PEASANTRY VIA PAMPHLETS AND PAPERS IN ORDER TO GET THEM TO CONTRIBUTE TO WAR ECONOMY
• Again, justify that they WILL propagandize peasants/workers, but too naive now.
• MEASURES: nationalization of all industry, commercial fleets, and banks
• Results in Tambov peasant uprisings of 1921 -> CRUSHED WITH RED ARMY

In Cities:

• remember, 1917 saw economy collapse because of protests
• Workers need to register w/ labour exchange -> means if you quit on own terms, you were “deserting” position -> militarization of labour force until civ war passes
• If you control food supply, you can REWARD workers with rations/staples

Question 4

Explain how the creation of the red army helped the Bolsheviks win the Civil War

Answer 4

2. Creation of Red Army
   - Seen by SRs and Right SDs as non-Marxist -> just an imperial army basically under tsar
   - CONTRAST to provos who concede army demands, Bolsheviks consolidate firm autocratic control over soldiers to RETAIN POWER VIA AUTOCRACY
   - Banning of all soldier soviets and policy of electing officers
   - Think they can PROPAGANDIZE SOLDIERS WHILE THEY SERVE

Actual creation:

• Imperial army demobilizes 1918, need replacement since you can’t rely on power / loyalty of Tsar
• Red Guards of urban workers in 1917 armed during October Revolution
• “Workers and Peasants Red Army” RKKA -> Trotsky appointed Commissar of war in Jan 1918
• ENFORCE CONSCRIPTION: but too weak to rely on it. Peasants show up seasonally and when whites threaten revolution. Situation sucks, BUT - EVIDENCE THAT PEASANTS ULTIMATELY PREFER PARTY WHICH GRANTS THEM LAND EVEN IF THEY’RE CONSCRIPTED -> DEFEND AGAINST ADVANCING WHITES WHICH WANT RETURN TO STATUS QUO
• End of 1918, RKKA is 500,000 -> 1920 5+m

HELPS THEM ENFORCE AND REQUISITION LAND -> TAMBOV 1921

Question 5

Explain how the weakness of the White Armies contributed to the Bolshevik Civil War victory

Answer 5

This contrasts to…

• Lack of support for exiled provos and whites
• Nationalities don’t want “undivided Russia” of Southern Denikin’s Volunteer army white platform
• Cossacks -> wanted autonomous region within Russia, NOT an “undivided” Russ. Only help Denikin hesitantly, -> betray him after Bolshevik successful propaganda campaign within ranks and allow Red Army to push Denikin back to Crimea by 1920
• Specific propaganda here: Whites will return to capitalistic status quo and seek undivided, class based Russia that will enslave peasants once again. Peasants and Cossacks, etc see allied support (ie capitalist support) of Denikin as confirmation of this.
• Peasants don’t want return to land -> Siberia-Urals Kolchak controls Omsk and coups against provo govt in exile there -> 8m population, mostly peasants who for the most part DON’T enlist

3. Central Position:
   - Control best resources. 60m + people in industrial heartland of Russia
   - Consolidate control from SPB and Moscow -> sprawling outwards
   - Denikin and Siberia-Urals forces not linked, no channels of communication since BOLSHEVIKS CONTROL RAILROADS AND ALL TELEGRAPH LINES
   - Siberia-Urals force under Kolchak controls only 8m people, mostly unwilling peasants
   - Denikin only 10m, same deal, little industry