Bolshevik Consolidation of power 1918-1924 Flashcards
in what ways did the peasantry contribute of the outbreak of civil war in Russia?
Red guards seized food to take to cities,
3000 food requisitioning detachments
peasants didn’t like food procurement
in what ways did the workers, soldiers and sailors contribute to the outbreak of civil war in russia?
Bolshevik rule was different than they expected, they expected self-rule, and more control of their own lives under the Bolsheviks
bread ration was low
how did nationalities contribute to outbreak of civil war in russia?
Ukrainians and Georgians wanted complete independence from Russia, but the Bolsheviks would give out ‘bourgeious nationalism’
caused Green Armies
how did Britain and France contribute to civil war in russia?
viewed Bolsheviks with suspicion after advocating a ‘world revolution’
French, British and American troops in Russia to protect against german advances, Lenin and Trotsky thought that they were trying to overthrow the Bolshevik regime
how did former tsarist generals contribute to civil war in Russia?
built up white army
General Yudenich was a threat as he was very successful and had never lost a battle
Finnish white Army overthrew Finnish Red Army, and then controlled whole country
threat towards Petrograd?
how did the group of leading SRs contribute to revolution in Russia?
created Committee of Members of Constituent Assembly (komuch), claiming that it was the legal government of Russia
seemed likely that the country would rally behind them
how did terror contribute to Lenin securing a one party state? x3
-Bolsheviks imprisoned Kadets for demonstrating outside Tauride Palace
-6 ministers of PG transferred Peter+Paul Fortress
-Death Penalty introduced for counter-revolutionists and bourgouis who reisisted complusory labour
how did constituent assembly polling and results contribute to Lenin securing a one party state?
-Bolsheviks only got 10 million votes, under 1/4
-unprecedented result as women had just got the vote, and support had been seemingly increasing
-SRs got majority 38%
-Bolsheviks demanded re-election
-arrested 3 of the electoral commissioners, who were replaced by Bolshevik, Uritsky
} Bolsheviks intervention
how did Bolsheviks preparation for sabotage contribute to Lenin securing a one party state?
-Intended to sabotage constituent Assembly during election
-Cheka established
-All Russia Extraordinary Commission for Combatting Counter-Revolution, Profiteering and Sabotage, was established
how did the Bolshevik response to the opening of the constituent assembly contribute to Lenin securing a one party state?
Red Guard and sailors blocked any demonstrations in support of CA
Sverdlov demanded that Assembly recognises All Russia Soviet as supreme power
how did the bolshevik removal of the constituent assembly contribute to the establishment of one party control?
by the time the assembly met in 1918, Lenin had outlawed the Kadets and forcible closed the assembly when he found out Chernov (right SR) was the chair
decree on press meant that mensheviks and SRs couldn’t exist openly as they couldn’t publish propaganda
bourgeouis were denied voting rights in the soviet structure established in 1918
all other parties banned by 1921
how did ending russian involvement in WW1 contribute to establishing a one party state?
germany was occupying large areas of Russian land but the bolsheviks promised “peace, bread and land”
lenin wanted immediate peace where trotsky and bukharin wanted slow negotiations hoping that germany would agree to “neither peace nor war”
german frustration with trotskys slow policy led to the treaty of brest litovsk which lenin called a “robber peace”
left wing SRs walked out of the Spvnarkom in protest of the treaty and confirmed Russia as a one party state
bolsheviks adopted the title of the communist party and governed alone
what were the consequences of the treaty of brest litovsk for russia?
lost 62 million people
lost baltics, georgia, poland, ukraine
lost 1/3 of agricultural produce
lost 74% of iron ore
lost 26% of railway network
when was the treaty of brest litovsk?
3 march 1918
how did the introduction of the 1918 constitution help establish the one party control?
supreme power rested with the all-russian congress of Soviets made up of deputies elected from local soviets all around russia
congress elected sovanrkom to administer state affairs - was chosen by bolshevik central committee
political structure became centralised
how did the consolidation of the one party state help establish one party control?
red guards demobilised and red army of workers and peasants formed to protect the regime - led by trotsky
russia was declared a secular state with the gov giving no support to the orthodox church
adopted gregorian calendar to bring Russia in line with the rest of Europe and to make a statement against traditional religious practise
abolished private land ownership “socialism of the land” stopped appeal of the SRs
cheka established to spread terror
what did Lenin’s decree on peace imply?
calling for a worldwide socialist revolution
“just peace”
what was the split within the bolshevik party over in early 1918?
“just peace”
or
“neither war nor peace”
what were the consequences of the treaty of brest litovsk for the bolsheviks?
lenin seemed weak
lost support
farmers unhappy
pro-bolshevik nationalists lost as they were cut from Russia
Left SR uprising
how did the attacks on opposition help the bolsheviks stay in power pre CW?
anything that could threaten the party was attacked
how did the weak opposition help the bolsheviks stay in power pre CW?
Left SRs dissolved
power of Soviet declined but there was no serious contender
how did distractions help the bolsheviks stay in power pre CW?
declining living conditions and disillusion about revolution workers and peasants weren’t fussed about central government
how did the collapse of the army help the bolsheviks stay in power pre CW?
officers and conservatives couldn’t count on troops to attack Bolsheviks
how did class warfare help the bolsheviks stay in power pre CW?
bourgeouis attacked by lower class
deflected antagonism
support from workers
how did concessions help the bolsheviks stay in power pre CW?
lenin gave the workers what they wanted
8-hour working days
socialism of the land
how did political misjudgements help the bolsheviks stay in power pre CW?
mensheviks walked out of soviet assembly
thought that the bolsheviks were weaker and believed in the constituent assembly
underestimated
junker mutiny
oct 1917
right SRs
central petrograd
siezed telephone exchange and were going to hold Astona hotel until Kerensky arrived
moscow uprising
oct 1917
detachment of young junkers
supported the PG
universoty students built trenches and started shooting
inflicted more damage than during WW2 to moscow
villagers of novoderiche
spring 1919
against grain requisitions
requisition brigade has seized more than required
neighbouring villages joined uprising
cheka dispatched 13,000 soldiers which were defeated
peasants arrested, executed and sent to concentration camps
czech and slavic uprising
1917-1918
czechs wanted independence
anti bolsheviks joined and Samara was liberated
who was part of the red allegience?
communist leaders
bolshevik officials
moscow workers
petrograd workers
cheka
red army
who was part of the white allegience?
tsarist officers - denikin, kolchak
former members of constituent assembly
allied forced
right SRs
kulaks
who was part of the green allegience?
nationalities
how did peasant opposition contribute to causing civil war?
committees of poor peasants pursued resistance
serious and violent opposition to grain requisitions
use of cheka and red army in food procurement
how did the old order contribute to causing civil war?
white armies established to oppose bolsheviks > denekin and kolchak
SRs gained support in Volga region and established the Komuch
how did foreign intervention contribute to causing civil war?
british and french intervention was greeted with suspicion by the bolsheviks
whites saw as increased support to overthrow government
international community deeply concerned by ‘world revolution’
how did the czech legion contribute to causing civil war?
siezed trans-siberian railway initiating a broader call for action
how did the working class contribute to causing civil war?
soviet rule and self rule had not been realised. workers resented bolshevik rule
self management of factories not achieved
food shortages in urban areas
forced disolution of local soviets by commission, red guard and cheka resulted in anger as no political voice
how did nationalism contribute to causing civil war?
resistance to bolshevik rule among gerogians, ukraines, finns
red councils chased out of government in provinces by anti-bolshevik forces due to brest litovsk
nationalsist armies emerged
how did the october revolution contribute to causing civil war?
argued that the coup was caused by Russian on Russian hostility
led to hostility in Ukraine and assaults on cossacks
why were the whites anti-bolshevik?
said that the bolsheviks had no legitimacy
criticised them for not submitting to democratic elections
criticised marginalisation of the local soviets
liked monarch
why did the bolsheviks kill the romanovs?
if the whites did it it could be used as propaganda coup or to restore the monarchy
what was the treaty of riga?
russians accepted that their attempt to control Poland had failed
allowed poland to self-rule
what happened to kolchak?
after he declared himself supreme ruler of russia the bosheviks killed him
what were the five main features of war communism?
grain requisitioning
industry nationalized
labour discipline
private trade banned
rationing
what were the success of grain requisitioning?
set up to feed cities so industries could produce munitions to supply red army
able to continue class warfare by blaming kulaks
what were the failures of grain requisitioning?
wealthy peasants seen as class enemies > stores and flocks stolen
Black army formed in Ukraine
reduced incentive to work leading to famine
33% of agricultural land abadoned
caused Tambov revolt
118 uprising in Feb 1921
what was the tambov revolt?
1920
70,000 men using guerilla warfare
ungovernable until 1922
what were the successes of industry being nationalised?
Lenin’s decision to nationalise industry please Bosheviks
industrial focus remained on heavy industry
all industry under state control and single managers had to report to soviets
what were the failures of industry being nationalised?
light and consumer goods industry suffered because of limited resources, fuel and manpower
70% of locomotives needed repair
coal production decreased from 27.5 million tonnes to 7 million
what were the successes of labour discipline?
discipline and fines made incentive to work
internal passports introduced to stop people leaving the cities - 58% left in 1914
workbooks needed to obtains rations
what were the failures of labour discipline?
strikes forbidden- workers lost freedom
working hours extended beyond 8 hours a day - against decree of workers
workers opposition group created
what were the successes of private trade being banned?
kept money circulating in economy
what were the failures of banning private trade?
made state organisation chaotic
not able to produce enough
value of rouble collapsed
bartering is the only way to survive
black market developed
traders raided trains and markets
illegal trade tolerated
what were the successes of rationing?
food replaced wages to create more incentive
workers and soldiers given priority
class warfare
what were the failures of rationing?
unequal society
class enemies given least priority
looks like dictatorial and centralised control
rations weren’t enough
what was Trotskys role in the Civil War?
Lenin let him mould the army into a capable fighting force
directed war from his train and convered over 65000km2, visited commanders
visits created a morale boost
pragmatic and recruited 50,000 former tsarist officers to train new recruits
appointed political commissars to army units to shoot deserters or enforce discipline
traditional ranks and practices reintroduced alongside conscription
used mass terror to recruit bourgeouis
how did the bolsheviks use social reform to consolidate their power 1918-1924?
stopped illegal seizure of land - less rebellion - decree on land 1917
reduced likelihood of rebellion which was important as the peasants were 85% of population
how did the bolsheviks use economic reform to consolidate their power 1918-1924?
NEP introduced free market
ended grain reqs, peasants just gave 10%, which increased harvests by 23% and output by 200%
how did the bolsheviks use government to consolidate their power 1918-1924?
divison within constitunent assembly
Left SRs liked Bolsheviks and the other SRs wanted to demonstrate against them
closure of CA and est Sovnarkom
Lenin as chairman
how did the bolsheviks use military to consolidate their power 1918-1924?
key to propaganda , peace, land and bread
Lenin used CW to force people and opposition to choose whether they wanted old order or communism
victory in civil war due to military tacttics
prevented white allies from replacing their leadership
how did the bolsheviks use repression to consolidate their power 1918-1924?
GPU and cheka used to seize grain dec 1917
Cheka killed tsar in July 1917 to remove focus for opposition
banned other parties with Ban on Factions 1921
pravda
camps
censorship arrested and closed newspapers of other parties
Red troops shut down rebellions and cheka hunted rebels who tried to escape
meant that any potential oppostion was shut down and anyone who wanted to try and oppose was too scared
when was state capitalism used by the USSR?
1917-1918
successes of state capitalism
helped with gradual transition to socialism
decree on land ensured peasants had incentive to produce grain - land was not fully nationalised
decree on workers control acknowledged that many factories had been taken over by workers and did not seek full nationalisation
nationalisation of banks and railways allowed for greater state control of key infrastructure
GOELRO was first Soviet plan for national economic recovery and to distribute electricity across Russia - successful
vesenkha set up in 1917
failures of state capitalism
many bolsheviks disagreed with old capitalist system
in urban areas workers could not organise factories and output shrank
some workers helped themselves to wage increases, stock and equipment to sell on black market
what was state capitalism?
halfway between capitalism, based on private wealth and free market and socialism
what was war communism?
political and economic system adopted during the CW to keep the towns and Red Army provided with food and weapons
successes of war communism
ensured that the Red army were supplied with munition and food
treated economy as single enterprise based on survival - making the most of Russia’s productivity without worrying about individual concerns
some workers welcomed changes brought in by large scale nationalisation as it provided ongoing employment
Bolsheviks could centralise economy
regime could prioritise victory
Bs could fight class enemies
terror justified
prisoners in camps after red terror allowed forced labour
failures of war communism
industrial production fell as workers fighting
high inflation
peasants with surplus food did not want to sell it in the city
many reverted to subsistence farming
blockade of trade and loss of ukraine caused bread rationing and black market
emphasis on heavy industry meant that other sections of economy were starved for labour and resources
grain requisitioned to feed cities
minority of peasants complied with co-operative farming
cheka would seize more grain than was required and gave vouchers instead of money
kulaks had whole stock seized
peasants attacked requisitioning squads
strikes forbidden and working hours extended
internal passports
rationing organised on class basis
1921, output fallen to 20% of pre war levels
urban depopulation - petrograd decreased by 58%
1921 famine
peasant uprisings 155 in feb 1921 alone
workers oppositon created
when was war communism used in Russia?
1918-1921
what was NEP?
relaxation of harsh controls of war communism
when was NEP?
1921-1924
successes of NEP
ended grain reqs
peasants still had to provide a quote for the state but could sell surplus
demarcation made between heavy industry owned by state and small enterprise
rationing ended
private businesses reopened led by NEPMEN who openly flaunted wealth
agricultural production recovered quickly
1926 production = 1913 levels
“one step backwards, two steps forwards” - Lenin said to justify NEP
introduced ban on factions
cheka renamed GPU and became more powerful
failures of NEP
scissor crisis
nepmen hated by bolsheviks
nep did not solve underlying problems of economy + backwardness
union of militant godless attacked church
nomenklatura system established for filling government posts
foreign relations post CW
Stalin wanted direct control of all areas conquered by Red Army from Moscow but Lenin wanted federation of republics on equal footing
Lenin won
foreign intervention in CW
USSR isolated after treaty of Brest Litovsk
West wanted to support white armies
why was the foreign intervention in the CW limited?
geography, allied troops miles apart
British backlash - ‘hands off Russia’ campaign. government could not afford major conflict so adopted policy of minimal interference
confusion - didn’t know what was happening on the ground
failed peace - USA sent diplomat to discuss peace with Lenin but Britain and France hostile to any agreement
red army - Trotsky and Tukachevsky effectivly targeted white troops so put off conflict
trade- Britian wanted to resurrect trading relationship with Russia
cominterm
founded 1919
zinoviev chairman although lenin had significant influence
promoted marxism and permanent revolution internationally
outcomes of treaty of riga
long term distrust between russia and poland
recongised polish independence
what war was the treaty of riga?
russo-polish war
pro isolation arguments
russia had been excluded from joining League of nations
russia separated from Europe by ideology
Lenin accepted that global revolution would be postponed
zinoviev letter caused suspicion
anti-isolation arguments
both sides recognised that russias isolated would be impractical in the long term
trade contacts began in 1920 between Britain, Germany and Russia
Chicherin (foriegn affairs) invited to important global economic conference
treaty of rapallo = closer integration of germany and USSR
