Consolidation of Power Flashcards
What were the Cheka?
Secret police established by the Sovnarkom in December 1917
How did the Cheka help the Bolsheviks consolidate power?
Executed the royal family
Rounded up remaining SRs, Mensheviks, Anarchists and any other threats
Used behind lines to shoot deserters
How many people did the Cheka execute in 1918 alone?
50,000
How many people were executed between 1918-1920?
500,000
What were Gulags?
System of concentration + labour camps set up by Bolsheviks
Who was targeted within class warfare?
Bourgeoise, kulaks, writers, judges, lawyers, priests, religious groups
How harsh was discipline?
Extremely harsh - any sign of disloyalty resulted in the death penalty
How did Bolsheviks consolidate their power in 1918 - 1921?
Establishment of one-party state Cheka (Red Terror) Removal of Constituent Assembly Ending of WW1 Decrees Civil War victory
How did victory in the civil war consolidate Bolshevik power?
Led to greater governmental centralisation and increased Party control
What was the result of the 1917 Constituent Assembly elections?
Over 41 million votes cast.
Social Revolutionaries: 53%
Bolsheviks: 24%
Kadets: 5%
What was Lenin’s response to the Constituent Assembly elections?
‘We must not be deceived by the election figures. Elections prove nothing’
Kadets outlawed by the time the Assembly met on 5th January 1918
Forcible closed the CA and it never met again
What happened when civilians demonstrated against the closing of the Constituent Assembly?
They were fired upon and 12 were killed
When were all other political parties banned?
1921
Why did the Bolsheviks end WW1?
It was unpopular (lots of Russians wanted an end to it).
Lenin believed it was essential to the survival of the new government and could provide a chance for the economy to recover.
Civil war looked inevitable and Russia’s military was exhausted.
When was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed?
Signed by Trotsky on 3rd March 1918
What were the terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
Lost 2 million square km of land including Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine.
Lost 1/6 of its population (62 million).
Lost 25% of its railway system.
Lost 33% of its factories.
Lost 75% of its coal and iron supplies.
Had to pay 3 billion roubles in reparations to Germany.
Who opposed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
Many Bolsheviks - Bukharin wanted to fight a revolutionary war to spread the revolution to Austria and Germany
What were the consequences of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
Extremely unpopular due to loss of land
Left SRs who had supported government and participated in Sovnarkom resigned in protest.
Led to a decline in support.
Support for SRs and Mensheviks increased.
What Decrees was released before 1918 and what did they do?
Workers’ decree - October 1917. Very popular, established maximum 8 hour working day.
Decree to outlaw sex discrimination - November 1917. Gave women equality with men and right to own property
Press Decree - banned the opposition press
Bank Decree - December 1917. Nationalised banks and ended the private flow of capital.
What was the first Soviet Constitution for the ‘Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic’?
Proclaimed July 1918.
Stated that power rested with the All-Russian Congress of Soviets, which was made up of deputies from elected local soviets.
Looked democratic but the Congress was only to meet in intervals - executive authority remained in the hands of the Sovnarkom.
Structure of the new constitution was centralised and the real focus of power was the Party.
What was the Sovnarkom?
The council of the Peoples Comissars that was at the top of the new constitution
Replaced the Cabinet
