Consolidation of Communist Dictatorship

Question 1

What were the Congress of Soviets expecting from the overthrowing of PG?

Answer 1

A coalition government, similar to PS

Question 2

Why didn’t Lenin want to share power?

Answer 2

Believed Bolsheviks were acting in interests of working class

Question 3

What was the Constituent Assembly election?

Answer 3

organised elections by PG

Question 4

Who won the Majority of seats in Constituent Assembly Nov 1917?

Answer 4

the SRs with 53%
Bolsheviks had 24%
Mensheviks and others had 23%

Question 5

What happened after the Bolsheviks lost the election?

Answer 5

Lenin said ‘Elections prove nothing’ and closed the Constituent assembly with troops

Question 6

How did Lenin justify closing the Constituent Assembly?

Answer 6

Russia now governed by a ‘Dictatorship of the Proletariat’

Question 7

How many civilians were killed after a demonstration following the Constituent Assembly closure?

Answer 7

12

Question 8

Who lost the right to vote in July 1918?

Answer 8

the ‘bourgeoisie’

Question 9

What were the main reasons for Lenin ending Russian involvement in WW1?

Answer 9

Bolshevik promised peace,
Germany could invade
Everyone would rebel against capitalism anyways - German revolution

Question 10

When was an Armistice with Germany signed?

Answer 10

Dec 1917

Question 12

Who led the ‘Revolutionary war group’ that believed Russians should fight on?

Answer 12

Bukharin

Question 13

Why did Trotsky drag the Peace Treaty proceedings out?

Answer 13

Thought that Germany would have own revolution

Question 14

What was Trotsky’s approach to the Armastice?

Answer 14

‘No peace, no war.’ - Germany took advantageL

Question 15

What was signed on the 3 March 1918?

Answer 15

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Question 16

Who opposed the Brest-Litovsk treaty?

Answer 16

SRs - walked out in protest
Lenin threatened to resign to get the treaty through - majority of one

Question 17

How many people had Russia lost due to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 17

62 million people

Question 18

How much land had Russia lost due to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 18

2 million km squared - 1/3 of agriculture
3/4 iron and coal supplies

Question 19

Brest-Litovsk summary terms?

Answer 19

people
land
produce
agriculure
money

Question 20

Who became the head of the Red Army in March 1918/

Answer 20

Trotsky - Red Guard disbanded

Question 21

Where was the capital moved to?

Answer 21

Moscow - to be more central to the country

Question 22

When was the first Soviet constitution proclaimed?

Answer 22

July 1918

Question 23

Who was at the top of the 1918 constitution power structure

Answer 23

the Sovnarkom - (Lenin as chairman)
appointed by congress + ran country while congress not in session

Question 24

Who were banned from voting or holding office?

Answer 24

the former ‘exploiting classes’

Question 25

What was the difference between workers and peasants?

Answer 25

Workers’ votes = 5 peasant votes

Question 26

Was there free choice of candidates for Congress of Soviets?

Answer 26

Nope - all were Bolshevik