Communist government in the USSR, 1917-1985 Flashcards
The October revolution in 1917 was how the Bolsheviks seized power, even though they were a minority party (only had the support of the proletariat), by organizing a coup d’état, and overthrowing the provisional government.
The government system established by them was authoritarian, highly centralized and based on the use of terror to reinforce the dominant position of the party. This reached extreme heights in the 1930s, when there were bloody purges carried out by Stalin against his own party.
Bolshevik party was established in 1903 as one of the several revolutionary groups that wished to bring about change to Russia. Collective target was to rid Russia of the repressive Tsarist regime (collapsed in February 1917).
Chaos of 1917, allowed Bolsheviks to seize power and to put their aims into action:
- To get rid of upper and middle classes who exploited the workers
- Abolish capitalist system that had developed under industrial revolution, and replace with socialism.
- Wanted communism to be established so that people could have control of their whole lives.
Lenin believed that a highly centralized party should seize power on behalf of the proletariat. Power would them be taken away from the bourgeoisie and placed in the hands of the Bolshevik party, who would then act as the dictatorship of the proletariat.
The Bolsheviks hoped that this would promote socialism by government control over the economy in the interests of the workers. Stalin believed that the state would then wither away and communism would develop.
October Revolution 1917
After the Tsar was overthrown in February 1917, a provisional government was set up, the Bolsheviks knew of the chaos in Russia at that time, so they decided to orchestrate a revolution. In October 1917, the Bolsheviks organized a coup d’etat to overthrow the provisional government. They were met with very little resistance, and successfully seized power. Since they were a minority party, force would be required to ensure they held on to this newfound power.
Factors leading to the success of the October revolution
- Economic and military shortages
- Ongoing world war 1
- Weaknesses of the provisional government
- Lenin issues April thesis
- Trotsky president for petrograd soviet, he was best at executing and planning military strategies for defense of petrograd.
- The Kornilov Revolt
Kornilov Revolt
It was a confused episode in August 1917, when the provisional government appeared to be under attack by a counter revolution led by their own troops. The government survived, partly due to the aid of the Bolsheviks, but their weaknesses were fatally exposed.
Establishment of Soviets
Soviets were councils elected by the working class (workers, soldiers, and sailors). There were usually rowdy and disorganized but they were elected unlike the provisional government. Lenin declared “all power to the Soviets” which was an extremely effective rallying cry. Lots of political disagreements between provisional government and soviets. Trotsky was leader.
Role of terror in the establishment of control by the Bolsheviks.
Bolsheviks faced immense challenges in trying to secure their power-they were a minority party. Because though the Bolsheviks claimed to represent the interests of the people, they did not enough support to lead a popular revolution, so they had to seize power by force. Thus, they faced lots of opposition from many groups. The Bolsheviks also did not want to share power or form a coalition.
Destruction of other political parties
Bolsheviks decided to hold a constituent assembly. The assembly was to be democratically elected, which was beneficial to the S.Rs as they had the majority of the support from the peasants. The S.Rs ended up obtaining the majority of the vote, and so Lenin dissolved the assembly claiming it to be an instrument of the bourgeoisie.
Destruction of political parties continued
- Removal of vote from bourgeoisie classes
- Mensheviks and S.Rs couldn’t publish newspapers.
- Left wing S.Rs were stripped of their power within the government.
- By 1921, all other parties were effectively banned.
- Waves of arrests of S.Rs and Mensheviks supporters.
Role of Terror
- Cheka established to eliminate any counter revolutions in order to remain in control. Carried out red terror starting in 1918 after the beginning of the civil war.
- Bolsheviks use of show trials to intimidate political opponents. They were recorded on video, allowed no defense, and were forced to confess to crimes.
- Persecution of religious beliefs to bring the people into the mindset of communist thinking-to remove rival beliefs. Repression of Orthodox church led to execution of bishops and priests (1921-1923).
- Used Urals Siberian method to force peasants into giving them grain, forced grain requisitioning. If met with resistance then Cheka was used, villages were burned down.
- The Chistka or political purge was also used to get rid of all the undesirables in the Bolshevik party, as many people had only joined the party for their safety but not with the party’s principles in mind.
Other factors used to get the people’s support
- Land decree of 1917, which gave land to the peasants.
- Peace, Bread Land Slogan
- The Treaty of Brest Litovsk, 1918-Way for Lenin to please the people of Russia and the soldiers fighting on the frontlines. However, that meant that Russia lost control over the Baltic States of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, Finland, Ukraine and parts of the Caucasus region. National humiliation for conservatives. Thus they wanted to overthrow the Bolshevik regime and reject the treaty. Led to civil war.
Russian civil war, 1918-21
Whites vs Reds. Whites were a mix of all political groups, united by their desire to get rid of the Bolsheviks. Whites received help from Allies, who wanted to see communism gone from Russia, but due to corruption and inefficiency they failed to use this wisely. Leon Trotsky was also very effective at planning and executing military strategies, commissar for civil war in 1918. The Red army also controlled most industrial areas, railways and areas which had a higher population. While the whites gained control of underdeveloped areas. Victory of red army led to Bolshevik state becoming highly centralized due to war communism and the demands of the civil war.
Timeline of Soviet Union
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17858981
War communism from 1918
- Nationalisation of all industries without compensation.
- All industry under ownership of state, Vesenkha (Supreme Council of National Economy)
- Decree on Workers Control abolished as workers were giving themselves large pay rises and many days off. Workers instead had to work at gunpoint, death penalty for workers who went on strike. Communist Saturdays-all workers to do unpaid labor. Unemployed were forced to join labour armies. Support from the proletariat for the Bolsheviks would decrease.
