Bolshevik's consolidation of power Flashcards
Give 8 factors which allowed Lenin to consolidate power 1917-1924
- Ending WW1 with the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on 3rd March 1918
- Introduced the NEP
- Ruled by decree (e.g Decree on land, Rights of people of Russia decree and Peace decree,workers council).
- Introduced Revolutionary justice
- Dissolution of the Constituent Assembley
- Starting and winning a civil war
- Use of Cheka terror
- Introduced war communism
Socialism meaning in Bolshevik Russia and examples of acts.
- Workers control state industry
- Land/estates taken from gentry by peasants and divided fairly between them.
- Grain requisitioning to spread food from the countryside(where it was produced) to the towns and cities.
- All equal, food and wealth evenly spread between the population and all have equal entitlemnet to good housing and good standards of living (opposed by upper class and Bourgeoisie).
- Bread rationing
- Private trade banned
- Land could not be bought or rented as it belonged to the state and was communal.
- Class system was brought to an end
- Period of strict control(e.g Cheka and Red terror) to root out non socialist attitudes (Burzhui). There were mass murders, secret police(Cheka) and an authotriarian society/regime during this period.
Communism definition
A society in which private property and social class doesn't exist. The governement ownes all things neccisary to make and transport good (e.g. factories). Opposite to Capitalism, which instead promotes the ownership of private property and the private sale and trade of goods.
What synonym can be used to describe the main features of the NEP and what does NEP stand for
ROTCOM
NEP stands for New Economic Policy
What does ROTCOM stand for
R-Requisitioning (of grain) stopped
O-Ownership of small private business allowed
T-Trade ban removed
COM-State control of heaving industry, transport and banking.
Describe the 4 main features of the NEP
- Abolished grain requisitioning, whuch was replaced by a ‘tax in kind’. Peasants now had to give a fixed proportion of grain to the state, but the amount they had to hand over was much less than the amount taken by requisitioning (benefited peasants). They could also sell any surpluses on the open market (not communism).
- Small businesses allowed to re-open (private ownership) and make a profit(not communism). The aim of this policy was to increase sales of grain by peasants by producing more consumer goods that they would like to buy, therefore they are more willing to sell grain which can be used to feed towns and cities.
- The ban on private trade was lifted, allowing food and goods to flow more easily between countrysides and towns. Privately owned shops reopened, rationing abolished and people had to pay for food and goods through their own income. New currency introduced (Roubles) to restore security of finance.
- State controlled heavy industry, transport and banking. The state kept control of coal, oil and steel and retained control of the transport and banking system. Industry was organised into trusts that had to buynd materials and pay workers wages. If they failed to manage their finance the state now refused to bail them out of trouble.
What was the significance of the NEP (6 points)
- It was a retreat from Bolshevik policy of state control of the economy.
- Allowed some private trade.
- It was always meant to be a temporary measure (to help enforce socialism in the long run).
- Allowed free trade and the revival of the petit Bourgeoisie (had previously been targeted through terror).
- Ended some opposition and forced opponents like Bukharin to accept the realities of the NEP.
- Gave breathing space to revive the economy (e.g revival of economy with new currency Roubles and ending grain requisitioning.
What was the ‘Third Revolution’
Reference to rebels demand for greater power to trade unions, peasant organisations and other political parties e.g. Social Revolutionareis (SRs) amd the Mensheviks.
Who were involved in the Kronstadt Mutiny of 1921
Sailors and workers from Kronstadt, of peasant origin. They had been amongst the supporters of the revolution, but had grown tired of ruthless years of war communism. They demonstrated and made a list of demands-free elections, freedom of the press and of speech
What were the demands of rhe ‘third revoltion’
free elections, freedom of the press and of speech
What were the demands of rhe ‘third revoltion’
free elections, freedom of the press and of speech
Events of the Kronstadt Mutiny of 1921
Third revolution acted without violence. Peasants protested and workers went on strike. Communists answered with mass executions and blood-thirstiness. Sea of blood with no middle ground, just victor or defeat. 1st stage was a success with no guns fired, only violent as self-defense. Used to open a new broad road for socialist creativity. Had previously been a 3 year violence and opression by Communist dominance. Aimed to remove socialists from social life, so they couldn’t interfere with revolutionary work. Peasants and workers went forward without Constituent Assembley. Made it possible for tailors to to have freely elected soviets and remake state trade unions into assosiations of workers,peasants and labouring intelligencia. Also, policemen’s club (Communist autocracy) had been broke.
Response of authoraties to the Kronstadt Mutiny of 1921
Kalnin a leading party member warned people of Kronstad to prevent any furthe humiliation, which Trotsky ignored, starting an ultimatum on 15th March 1921. 2 days later red army launched assault on Garrison. Sailors slaughted them and fought like ‘wild beasts’. Captured all houses of Communists, one taking 1 hour to capture. Revolutionary slogans appeared about ‘liberty’, ‘free trade’,’emancipation from serfdom’ and ‘;’Soviets without Bols’. Both Mensheviks and SRs declared the movement to be there own, Bukharin said it was not a white rising.
Significance of Kronstadt Mutiny of 1921
Warning for Lenin, people had endured war communism for too long and rebel slogans emerged about freedom and began to demand greater political freedom. Lenin saw it as time to compromise and recognise failure of War Communism. Faced challenge of Russia’s economic situation, to avoid further rebellions like this one. Lenin had to admit his errors,revise his policies and make a tactical retreat. Central aim of Lenin was to win over Russian Peasantry as this was the only way to save Socialist Revolution in Russia.
What was the Sovnarkom and what was it also known as. How many members did it have and when was it set up. When did it operate until
Also known as the Council of People’s Commisars. It was the Bolsheviks governing body. It had 30-40 members and was set up after the October Revolution in 1917. It operated until 1941. The Commisars in Sovnarkom ran commisariats and it became less influencial after the Politburo was formed in 1919 with 7-9 members.
Who was the chairman of the Sovnarkom
Lenin
Who was the Commisar for Nationalities in the Sovnarkon
Stalin
Who was the Commisar for Social welfare of the Sovnarkom and why were they significant
Alexandra Kollanti and it was significant as she was a woman, showing more equality for women.
Who made up the Sovnarkom
Exclusively made up of Bols however some left-winged SRs were later invited to join.
What did the Sovnarkom show
Lenin had no intention of sharing power with the Mensheviks, SRsor other socialist groups in the Soviet.
How did the Sovnarkom rule
Ruled by decree without going for Soviet approval.
What is the Land Decree
Gave peasants the rights to take over estates of the gentry, without compensation, and decide for themselves the best way to divide it up (They had been doing this anyway). Land could no longer be bought,sold or rented as it belonged to the ‘entire people’. This was not what the Bols wanted as privately owned land was not part of their socialist vision.
What is the Workers’ control decree
Factory Committees given right to control production and finance in workplace and to ‘supervise’ managment. This decree did not give direct managment to the workers but some committees took it to mean so. Far beyond what Bols wanted but they were unable to withstand the strength of workers’ pressure for reform.
What is the Rights of the People of Russia decree
Gave right of self-determination to the national minorities in the former Russian Empire. Bols didn’t have control of most of the areas where these lived, so this was nothing more than a paper measure.
5 decrees issued by Sovnarkom in October 1917
- Max 8 hour day for workers
- Social insurance (old age, unemployment, sickness benefits,etc) to be introduced
- Decree on Land
- Decree on Peace
- Opposition press banned
5 decrees issued by Sovnarkom in Novemeber 1917
- Rights of social determination granted to all parts of the former Russian People (Rights of the People of Russia decree)
- Workers to control factories
- Abolition of titles and class distinctions
- Abolition of justice system (replaced by Revolutionary Justice.
- Women declared equal to men and are able to own property.
5 decrees issued by Sovnarkom in December 1917
- Cheka set up
- Banks nationalised
- Democatisation of army- officers ti be elected, army to be controlled by army soviets and soldier’s committees, ranks, saluting and decorations abolished.
- Church land nationalised
- Marriage and divorse became civil matters, no longer linked to the church.
3 decrees issued by Sovnarkom in January 1918
- Creation of the Red Army
- Church and state separated
- Worker’s control of railways
2 decrees issued by Sovnarkom in February 1918
- Nationalisation of banks
2. Socialisation of land
When was the dissolution of the Constituent Assembley and what happend on this day. What took its place
5th January 1918
CA allowed to open for the day on 5th Jan 1918 and then the doors were closed and the deputies were told to go home. It was completely dissolved between 18th-18th January by the All-Russian congress of Soviets (the new governing body of Russia).
What were the Constituent Assembley election results before disolution of CA
SRs-410 seats (including 40 left SRs) Bols-175 seats Kadets-17 seats Mensheviks-18 seats Almost 100 seats for other parties
What did Lenin believe with regard to the Constituent Assembley and his Soviet gov
Lenin asserted that his Soviet gov (exploited by Bols to get into power) represented a higher stage of democarcy than an elected assembley containing different political parties.
What did Lenin state about the Constituent Assembley and what did he declare it
It smaked of bourgeois parliamentary democracy and he declared it redundant
What happend to an unarmed corwd which demonstrated in favour of the Constituent Assembley and why was it so significant
The crowd was fired upon by soldiers loyal to the Sovnarkom, which was very significant as it was the first time that soldiers had fired on an unarmed crowd since February 1917.
What had Russia lost in terms of people,farm land, railway lines and iron ore and coal reserves
- Lost 62 million people (1/6 of the population)
- Lost 27% of farm land (including some of the best farm land in Russia)
- Lost 26% of railway lines (destroyed)
- Lost 74% of iron ore and coal reserves
When was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed and what did it due. Who refused to go to the final meeting and why
3rd March 1918
When was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed and what did it do. Who refused to go to the final meeting and why
Signed on the 3rd March 1918
1. Russian-held area of Poland became part of the independent state of Poland (lost land)
2. Estonia,Latvia and Lithania became independent republics (loss of land)
3.Bessarabia was handed over to Romania (loss of land)
4.The Germans set up independent governments in Belarus, the Ukraine and Georgia.
5. Finland had been ruled by Tsars since 1809. In 1918, Germans helped Fins to defeat a Bol rising (gaining independence), and Finland remained independent under the 1918 Treaty.
Trotsky did not attend the final meeting of the treaty as he did not agree with Lenin signing the Treaty on 3rd March 1918.
When was the decree on peace signed and what was it
Signed on 26th October with a plea to other nations for a just peace with ‘no annexations,no indemnities’. Lenin was convinced that revolution in Europe would ensure that equitable peace settlements would be reached.
Why did the Lenin need peace at ‘any cost’
To ensure the survival of his fledging Bolshevike regime.
What was Trotsky’s role for the Bolsheviks and what did he do during peace negotiations at Brest-Litovsk
The Bolkshevik negotiaitor and he withdrew the Bols from peace nogotiations saying that there would be ‘neither war nor peace’ meaning that the Russians would not fight the Germans but would not sign the treaty either (Lenin knew Bols needed peace to survive and pressured his representatives into signing the treaty on 3rd March 1918).
Consequences of Treaty of Brest-Litovsk for the Bols
- Horrified patriotic Russians (terms) as they gave away large chunks of Russian homeland. This antagonised people across the class and political spectrum and encouraged them to join anti-Bol groups (often Kadets or Conservative forces on the right).
- Caused more splits within the Bol party. Bukharin and left wing of party wanted to prosecute a revolutionary war to encourage a European socialist revolution. Some thought international revolution was more important than one in Russia. To them Treaty seemed a shameful peace that helped Germany survived as an imperial power.
- Left wing of SRs, who also wanted to fight revolutionary war like Left Bols, left the Sovnarkom in protest (less support in revolutionary war now). Bols now really were on their own.
- All the opposition to Brest-Litovsk made the civil war almost inevitable
How did some people view the Treaty of B-L and what did it help Germany to do
A shameful peace that helped Germany to survive as an imperial power.
What did the opposition to Brest Litovsk do
All the opposition to Brest-Litovsk made the civil war almost inevitable
