Consolidating Power Flashcards
What did the Bolshevik Revolution cause across Russia, and what was the problem with this?
- Soviets seized control all over Russia
- Not all Soviets were ran by Bolsheviks
- Peasants tended to support the SRs
How was the government organised now?
- The government Lenin set up to run the country in November 1917 was called ‘Sovnarkom’
- Lenin was its chairman
When did the Bolsheviks begin introducing their reforms, and why?
- November and December 1917
- Lenin had to keep his promises in the April Theses
Describe the decree on land.
- 540 million acres were taken off of the nobility
- Peasant committees split this up fairly
Describe the decree on peace.
- Plans were put in place to take Russia out of WW1
Describe the decree on work.
- Working overtime was restricted
- Holiday entitlement was introduced
- 8 hour working day, 40 hour working week
Describe the decree on titles.
- Titles and class distinctions were abolished
- Women were proclaimed to be equal to men
Describe the decree on press.
- Only Bolshevik newspapers were allowed
Describe the decree on banking.
- All banks were under the control of Sovnarkom
Describe the decree on marriage.
- It was easier to obtain a divorce
- Marriages no longer had to be religious
Describe the decree on political parties.
- The Cadets (the main Liberals) were banned
Describe the decree on secret police.
- The Cheka was set up
Describe the decree on unemployment insurance.
- Workers were insured in case of unemployment, injury or illness
Describe the decree on workers’ control.
- Factories were now ran by elected committees of workers
When were the first free elections held? What were the results?
- November 1917
- They decided who got seats in the Constituent Assembly
- The SRs won 370 out of a total of 707 seats (more than every other party combined)
- The Bolsheviks got 175 (just under 25%)
- The Mensheviks won 17
- Subject nationality parties won 87
What did Lenin decide to do about the Constituent Assembly and why?
- At first the Bolsheviks and left-wing SRs voted to limit the assembly’s power
- The assembly voted against that
- Lenin shut it down on 19/01/1918 within 24 hours of its first meeting
- More than 100 demonstrators were killed/ wounded as a result (2 Cadet leaders even ended up in hospital)
Who was sent to hold peace talks with Germany and when?
- Trotsky
- 3rd December 1917
What was Russia’s treaty with Germany known as?
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
What were 5 ridiculous terms of the treaty and why did Lenin agree to them?
- 3 billion roubles
- 50 million people
- 1 million square km (including Ukraine, Russia’s main source of grain)
- 74% of iron and coal
- 26% of railways
- Lenin had predicted that the Allies would win and any losses would only be temporary
What impacts did the treaty have?
- It was heavily criticised due to the huge impact on the economy
- Lenin and Trotsky seemed to be sacrificing national interest
- Even Bolsheviks criticised Lenin
