Chapter 13 Flashcards
New leaders and ideologies
What had Lenin and Trotsky incorrectly assumed would happen after the October revolution?
They assumed that other, similar revolutions would take place in Europe, particularly Germany
What decision split the Bolshevik party in December 1917
Trotsky’s decision to pursue peace negotiations split the party as many were ideologically committed to rousing the German people
Which prominent Bolshevik led the ‘revolutionary war group’?
Nikolai Bukharin
What view did Lenin take and how was the matter resolved?
Lenin took a more pragmatic view and thus signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 3rd March 1918
What land did the Bolshevik government lose as a result of peace negotiations?
Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became independent republics and Poland was lost whilst Bessarabia was given to Romania
What were the economic effects of the Treaty of Brest-Litvosk?
Twenty-six per cent of Russia’s railway lines and 7 per cent of its iron ore and coal supplies were taken
Why did Lenin choose to sideline the Petrograd Soviet?
Lenin did this to demonstrate that he had no intention of sharing power with other socialists, particularly the Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries
Which prominent members of the Sovnarkom resigned following Lenin’s refusal to share power?
Zinoviev and Kamenev
What did divisions between the Bolsheviks show about Lenin’s aims?
It showed that there was a division between Lenin’s ideology and his determination to remain a dominant voice
How many people were killed in opposition to the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly?
12 people
How did Lenin try to claim that the Bolsheviks represented the people?
He attempted to work with extreme left-wing SRs which failed when their coalition government broke up
What did the creation of the Cheka in December 1917 suggest about Lenin’s regime?
It suggests that in order for a dictatorship of the proletariat, active repression of counter-revolutionaries was required
What were the greatest developments to the Party and State as a result of the civil war?
The demand for obedience in the party tightened, new central controls were brought in to manage the economy and Terror was used to manage and eradicate opposition
What measures could be considered socialist principles?
Central planning, the nationalisation of industry and state control
How did the civil war alter the ideological belief of the one-party state?
Earlier support for national self-determination for ethnic minorities was abandoned and deemed ‘counter-revolutionary’
How did Lenin remove the influence of the Mensheviks?
Julius Martov was forced to leave the country and 5000 were arrested as a display of ‘counter-revolutionary’ activities
How did Lenin remove the influence of the Social Revolutionaries?
Social Revolutionaries were arrested and given show trials which led to 34 leaders being condemned, 11 executed and the party outlawed
When did Stalin become the Party’s first general Secretary?
1922
Why did Zinoviev and Kamenev fear Trotsky?
They feared him because of his army support, arrogance and uncompromising personality
How did Stalin supercede Trotsky in popularity?
He gave Trotsky the wrong date for Lenin’s funeral. Trotsky refused to speak out against Lenin’s Testament. Trotsky’s speeches are overpowered by Stalinist delegates. Trotsky is then forced from his position as Commissar of War
How did Stalin remove Bukharin from power?
Stalin adopts a left-leaning economic strategy which Bukharin and his supporers oppose. Bukharin considers an alliance with Trotsky, yet both are accused of factionalism. Bukharin is removed as editor of Pravda and removed from the Politburo
What was Stalin’s views on the NEP (New Economic Policy)?
Stalin fluctuated from a left-leaning position in 1925 to a temporary support for the right from 1925-28, and back again to the left thereafter
What pragmatic position did Stalin adopt on an expanding revolution?
He decided that there should be ‘socialism in one country’ and it should be a ‘workers’ paradise’
How was Stalin able to benefit from Marxist ideology?
Marx had not envisaged a single leader as necessary and while the Party sought collective control, they primarily feared Trosky and not Stalin’s power
