Consolidation Flashcards
What was Sovnarkom?
The bolshevik governing body
What did the Land decree give peasants the right to?
The right to take over the estates of the gentry and to decide for themselves the best war to divide it up
What did the workers control decree give factory committees?
The right to control production and finance in workplaces and to supervise management
The three main decrees
- land decree
- workers control decree
- rights of people of Russia decree
What did the rights of the people of Russia decree do?
Gave the right of self determination national minorities in the former Russian empire
Decrees of October 1917 (5)
- max 8 hour work day
- social insurance introduced
- opposition press banned
- decree on peace
- decree on land
Decrees of November 1918 (5)
- the rights of the people of Russia
- abolition of titles and class distinctions
- workers control decree
- abolition of justice system
- woman declared equal
Decrees of December 1917 (5)
- Cheka set up
- banks nationalised
- democratisation of army
- marriage and divorce declared civil matters
- church land nationalised
Decrees of January 1918 (3)
- workers control of railway
- creation of red army
- church and state separated
Decrees of February 1918 (2)
- nationalisation of industry
* socialisation of land
What happened to the soviet?
It’s power was breached by the sovnarkom as it did not seek the soviets approval for decrees
Why were the Kadets denounced and outlawed?
They had done well in the constituent assembly elections
What happened to the leaders of the Kadets?
They were arrested and two were beaten to death by Bolshevik sailors
When were the Cheka set up?
December 7th 1917
Why did Lenin encourage class warfare?
It was a means of intimidating the middle classes and terrorising them into submission
What was the legal system replaced with?
Revolutionary justice
What does burzhui mean?
Bourgeois. A term used for anyone perceived to be an enemy of the peasants or workers
What happened to anyone accused of being a burzhui?
Liable to be arrested
What happened to any well dressed person found on the streets?
Liable to be beaten and robbed
Why did Lenins use of class warfare play well I Russia?
Workers, soldiers and peasants supported the end of privilege and the moves to make a more egalitarian society
What term was used when titles were abolished?
Comrade
What did the socialist press encourage?
The perception that the Burzhui as enemies of the people
What did the state license and encourage?
People to plunder the houses of the middle classes, to loot the looters
What happened as a result of striking civil servants?
They were arrested and the civil service was thoroughly purged
Who was put in place of civil servants?
Junior officials willing to support the Bolsheviks were promoted and Bolshevik officials were brought in
Why did the constituent assembly pose a big threat to Lenin?
It could claim to be the legitimate body to decide the make up of the future government of Russia
What did Lenin assert that the soviet government represented?
A higher stage of democracy than an elected assembly containing different political parties
What happened to a crowd who demonstrated in favour of the assembly?
They were fired upon by soldiers loyal to the sovnarkom
Wen was the decree on peace signed?
26th of October
What was the benefit of soldiers leaving the front?
The army couldn’t be used against the bolsheviks but Russian generals
What was the negative of the soldiers leaving the front?
The German army was free to walk into Russia and take what it wanted
What testy brought peace between Russia and Germany?
The treaty of Brest-Litovsk
how did the Bolsheviks consolidate their power? (6)
- establish a one party state
- the cheka
- decrees
- removal of constituent assembly
- ending WW1
- civil war victory
how did the Bolsheviks remove the constituent assembly?
it was forcibly closed in January and never met again, when civilians demonstrated, they were fired on and 12 were killed
when were all political parties beside the Bolsheviks banned?
1921
how many people were killed by the cheka in 1918
50,000
how did decrees help the bolsheviks to consolidate their power?
- many of the decrees were popular with workers
2. outlawed opposition press
how did the civil war allow the bolsheviks to consolidate power?
the civil war led to greater government centralisation and increased party control
What happened to the constituant assembly?
It was allowed to meet for one day (5th Jan 1918) then its doors were closed and deputies were told to go home
What happened to a crowd which demonstrated in favour of the constituent assembly?
they were fired upon by soldiers loyal to sovnarkom
Consequences of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk? (3)
- Patriotic Russian horrified by giving away large chunks of the homeland
- Caused splits in the party (Left wing wanted revolutionary war across europe)
- Left SRs left Sovnarkom in protest
What two events provoked the beginning of the Red Terror?
- Lenin shot
2. Head of the Petrograd Cheka shot and killed
Who was the founder of the Cheka?
Felix Dzerzhinsky
What did Lenin order in August 1918 in relation to the red terror?
the implementation of a mass terror against kulaks, priests and white guards
