Chapter seven - Economic and social developments

Question 1

What is state capitalism?

Answer 1

A compromise economy which embraced some elements of socialism by imposing a degree of state control but retained elements of capitalism such as private markets and the profit incentive

Question 2

When was state capitalism?

Answer 2

1917-18

Question 3

How did the Bolsheviks establish a greater control over the economy in 1917?

Answer 3

Nationalisation of banks - December 1917
Nationalisation of external trade - June 1918
Nationalisation of railways - June and September 1918

Question 4

When was the Veshenka?

Answer 4

The Supreme Council of the National Economy in December 1917

Question 5

What was the GOELRO?

Answer 5

1920 - organised the promotion and distribution of electricity throughout Russia

Question 6

What were the problems with state capitalism?

Answer 6

Workers failed to organise their factories efficiently and output shrank. Some workers awarded themselves unsustainable pay rises and others helped themselves to stock and equipment. They lacked the skills needed for successful management

Question 7

What was life like during the Civil War?

Answer 7

Industrial production fell drastically, workers were taken to serve in the army, and non-essential businesses were forced to close. Led to rampant inflation.

Question 8

What was the bread ration in Petrograd?

Answer 8

Early 1918 - 50g per person per day

Question 9

How was the black market used?

Answer 9

Up to two thirds of food that was consumed in cities came from this source

Question 10

What was the population like in cities during the civil war?

Answer 10

60% of Petrograd workforce had left the city by April 1918. Between January 1917 and January 1919 Russia’s urban proletariat declined from 3.6 million to 1.4 million

Question 11

Death from illness during the civil war?

Answer 11

5 million died from starvation and diseases such as typhus, typhoid, cholera and dysentery
A typhus epidemic swept through the cities and caused the death of more than 3 million in 1920

Question 12

What was war communism?

Answer 12

The political and economic system adopted by the Bolsheviks during the Civil War in order to keep the towns and the Red Army provided with food and weapons

Question 13

When was war communism?

Answer 13

1918-21

Question 14

What were the key features of war communism?

Answer 14

Requisitioning
Nationalisation
Labour discipline and rationing

Question 15

What was grain requisitioning?

Answer 15

Based on the socialisation of land decree in 1918.
Peasants were paid a fix rate for their grain, but the Cheka often seized more and offered inadequate vouchers.
Peasants reacted by growing less and murdering members of the requisitioning squads

Question 16

What was nationalisation?

Answer 16

Nationalisation of foreign trade and all industries was carried
Sugar was nationalised in May 1918 followed by oil in June
November 1920 - nationalisation extended to nearly all factories and businesses
Professional managers were employed by the state

Question 17

What was labour discipline and rationing?

Answer 17

Strikes were forbidden, working hours were extended and ration-card workbooks replaced wages
Internal passports introduced to stop employees going back to the countryside
Rationing on class basis with Red army and factory workers getting the most

Question 18

What were the effects of war communism?

Answer 18

1921 - total industrial output had fallen to 20% of its pre war levels
By the end of 1920 - population of Petrograd had fallen by 57.5% and Moscow by 44.5%
Food shortage in 1920
Harvest of 1921 produced 48% of that of 1913 causing millions to die - population dropped by 40 million

Question 19

What was the red terror?

Answer 19

Lenin was wounded in an assassination attempt in August 1918, an excuse for the Cheka to launch the Red Terror. They rounded up the remaining SRs, Mensheviks and anarchists, and half a million were shot between 1918 and 20. Also carried out class warfare against the bourgeoisie.

Question 20

What was the Tambov revolt?

Answer 20

Cheka reported 155 risings across Russia in February 1921. In the Tambov province, a 70,000 man peasant army led by Antonov revolted against the requisitioning squads. 100,000 Red Army troops were sent to deal with the uprising. In 1922 Red Army troops brutally destroyed whole villages.

Question 21

Who were the Kronstadt sailors?

Answer 21

Supported the Bolsheviks in 1917. 20,000 took part in the July days

Question 22

What was the Kronstadt rising?

Answer 22

Due to food crisis in 1921 - 30,000 rebelled. March 1921 they sent a manifesto to Lenin demanding an end to one party rule. The Red Army under Tukhachevsky was sent by Trotsky - 15,000 taken prisoner and most sent to labour camps

Question 23

What was the NEP?

Answer 23

Announced at Tenth Party Congress in 1921,
Requisitioning of grain was ended and the ban on private trading was removed. They were still required to give a quota of grain to the State but could sell the remaining on the open market for profit
The State would control large-scale heavy industry. such as coal, steel and oil but small scale industry would return to private hands
Rationing was ended and industries were required to pay workers with profits

Question 24

What was the economic impact of NEP?

Answer 24

Production recovered.
1923 - large quantities of food entering the cities caused food prices to drop
By 1926, the production level of 1913 had been reached again
By 1925, there were 25,000 private traders in Moscow alone

Question 25

What was the Bolshevik reaction to NEP?

Answer 25

Lenin used the argument ‘One step backwards, two steps forward’ and he compared it to signing Brest Litovsk
Zinoviev said it was a tactical retreat

Question 26

What was introduced at the tenth party congress?

Answer 26

1921 ban on factions

Question 27

How did the Cheka gain more power?

Answer 27

Renamed GPU in 1922 and had the power to arrest people at will and carry out the death penalty

Question 28

How was censorship increased?

Answer 28

1922 - many writers were deported to other parts of the country and all writings had to be submitted for approval by the GLAVLIT before publication

Question 29

What was the renewed attack on religion?

Answer 29

1921 - Union of the Militant Godless
1922 - churches were stripped of valuable possessions and thousands of priests were imprisoned

Question 30

What was the nomenklatura system?

Answer 30

1923 - influential posts in government and industry were filled by party officials