Bolshevik Consolidation of Power Flashcards
What are the 6 stages of Marxist Theory?
1.Primitive Communism
2.Slave Society
3.Feudalism
4.Capitalism
5.Socialism
6.Advanced Communism
At what stage is Russia at during the 19th and early 20th century?
In between stage 3 and 4 as they are not fully capitalist yet
What did Lenin push for after fleeing to Finland?
An armed insurrection but the rest of the party were unsure
When was the secret meeting of the Bolshevik Central Committee to discuss the insurrection?
10th October 1917
What were the results of the vote for the insurrection?
10:2 with Trotsky abstaining and Zinoviev and Kamanev voting against it
When and what did Kamanev publish in 1917?
18th October 1917 - concerns of the Bolsheviks insurrection warning the PG of its existence
What were the results of Kamanev’s publishings?
The Soviet Congress delayed its meeting from the 20th October to the 25th October
What was the Military Revolutionary Committee?
The military groups created by the Bolsheviks
When did the MRC proclaim to be the head of the Petrograd garrison?
21st October 1917
When was the Peter and Paul Fortress captured by the Bolsheviks?
23rd October 1917
What did the Bolsheviks achieve on the 24th October 1917?
The Red Guard took over GV blockades and captured police stations, railways, post and telegram stations and electricity stations
Why did Lenin decide to take matters into his own hands?
By 10pm on 24th October the Central Committee still did not start the insurrection after constant telegrams
Where did Lenin travel to and from to start the insurrection?
Finland to the Smolny Institute
When did the insurrection start and end?
24th October night to 26th October morning
How did Kerensky try and defend the PG?
He called for soldiers and then fled
When did the Winter Palace surrender?
2am on 26th October 1917
Was the insurrection bloody and a struggle?
According to Bolshevik propaganda it was but in fact they just arrested the people and there was no struggle
When was the new government announced?
5am on 26th October 1917
What was hypocritical about Lenin stating he wanted to all power to the Soviets?
He didn’t exercise power through the PS
What was the new body Lenin created to exercise power through?
Sovnarkom or The Council of People’s Commission
Did people have faith in the new GV?
No, Chernov gave it a few days and Tsaralteli gave it 3 weeks
Was the new GV strong?
No, Mensheviks and SRs were still in control of many soviets
Were many political people fond of the new GV?
No, civil servants created strikes and the State Bank refused to hand over money until armed force was used
What important 3 decrees did Sovnarkom pass?
Land Decree
Workers Control Decree
Rights of the People of Russia Decree
What were some early changes Sovnarkom made?
8 hour working day
Social insurance to be introduced
Opposition press banned
What did Sovnarkom achieve in November 1917?
Abolition of class distinction and titles
Workers controlled factories
Abolition of justice system
Women declared equal to men
What did Sovnarkom achieve in December 1917?
Secret police (Cheka) was set up
Banks nationalised
Democratisation of the army
Church land nationalised
What did Sovnarkom achieve in January 1918?
Workers control railways
Creation of Red Army
Church and state separated
What did Sovnarkom achieve in February 1918?
Nationalisation of industry
Socialisation of land
Why did the Constituent Assembly pose a big threat to Lenin?
It was a legitimate body that decided the future of Russia
When was the voting for the Constituent Assembly going to take place?
12-15th November 1917
How many votes and seats did the SR’s get in the Constituent Assembly?
17.5 million votes and 370 seats
How many votes and seats did the Bolsheviks get in the Constituent Assembly?
9.8 million votes and 175 seats
How many votes and seats did the national minority groups get in the Constituent Assembly?
8.3 million votes and 99 seats
How many votes and seats did the Kadets get in the Constituent Assembly?
2 million votes and 17 seats
Who were the left SR’s?
After a split of the SR party a group of pro-Bolshevik SR’s became known as Left SR’s
How many votes and seats did the Mensheviks get in the Constituent Assembly?
1.25 million votes and 16 seats
What was the turnout for the Constituent Assembly elections?
40/120 million so a 1/3
What did Lenin claim was wrong with the voting for the Constituent Assembly?
It did not account for the Left SR’s splitting form the party so the Bolsheviks did not get the votes they deserved
When was the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly?
5th January 1918
How many anti-Bolshevik protestors gathered outside the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly?
50,000
When was the Constituent Assembly disbanded at gunpoint by the Bolsheviks?
6th January 1918
How many protestors were killed by Bolshevik forces?
10
What did the SR’s do when this occurred?
They fled to Eastern Russia to set up the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly
How many Chekists were there in March 1918?
120
How many Chekists were there in July 1918?
33 battalions
How many Chekists were there by 1919?
100,000 people
How many did the Cheka arrest and execute in the Red Terror?
8,500 executed and 85,000 arrested
When was the Decree on Peace announced?
26th October 1917
When did Trotsky apply for an armistice?
13th November 1917
When do negotiations begin in Poland for an armistice?
19th November 1917
When was the one month armistice signed?
2nd December 1917
When did the Bolsheviks meet to discuss attitude to war?
8th January 1917
How many Bolsheviks met to discuss attitudes to war in January 1917?
63 including Trotsky
How many Bolsheviks voted in favour of revolutionary war?
32
How many Bolsheviks voted in favour of no war but no peace?
16
How many Bolsheviks voted in favour of peace at any price?
15
Why were most Bolsheviks in favour of revolutionary war?
They wanted a communist world order and if they bowed down to a capitalist then it would show communism as weak
What was Lenin’s attitude to war?
Peace at any cost as that is what he promised
What was Trotsky’s attitude to war?
No peace but no war to maintain favour
When did the Bolshevik Central Committee vote on what stance to take in war negotiations?
8th January 1918
What was the outcome of the Bolshevik Central Committee vote on what stance to take in war negotiations?
9 - 7 for Trotsky’s view (a vote against Lenin)
When does Trotsky announce Russia is leaving the war but doesn’t sign peace deal?
28th January 1918
When did Russia adopt the Gregorian Calendar?
February 1st 1918 essentially making it February 14th 1918
Why does Trotsky not sign the peace deal?
It is annexationist so land would be taken
Why were harsher peace terms submitted in the end?
German troops advance into Russia further forcing harsher peace terms
When was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed?
3rd March 1918
What were the consequences of the Treaty of B-L?
Lenin threatened to resign and Trotsky resigned as foreign commissar
Very embarrassing and the worst peace treaty ever
What did the peace negotiations suggest about Lenin?
A direct vote against him shows him as just a figurehead and they are no longer afraid of him
What did the peace negotiations suggest about Trotsky?
Well-respected and the situation was near impossible for him to get out of
What did the peace negotiations suggest about attitudes to war?
An annoyance that just had to be got rid of at any cost
What did Russia lose in the Treaty of B-L?
Lost 6.2 million people (1/6 population)
27% of farmland
74% of iron and coal reserves
26% of railway lines
What lands became semi-independent after B-L?
Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia and Finland
