Crisis of the New Regime (1921-1927)

Question 1

Causes and outcomes of the Kronstadt revolt

Answer 1

Causes
-The continuation and increased severity of War Communism policy after the civil war (increased prodrazverstka and labor armies)
- Fostered resentment; peasants were more displeased by grain requisitioning after finding out it wasn’t supporting the troops, and workers wanted more freedom in the workplace
- Shortages of coal and fuel closed many factories, such as the Pulitov Steelworks, leaving many workers unemployed
- Cutbacks on rations and military methods in factories also ignited dissatisfaction
- Martial Law was declared and trainee Read Army officers were sent to guard factories, which alerted the Kronstadt sailors of their plight

Outcomes
- Turning point; communist abandoned the values of the revolution
- Lenin accepted the current economic policy as unfeasible, and it motivated more economic change

Question 2

Alexandra Kollontai’s influence

Answer 2

Headed Alexandra Kollontai
Women’s Rights
Speaker
Lost influence after the 10th Congress

Question 3

Important decisions made at 10th Party Congress

Answer 3

• Ban on Factions within the Party
• Crushing of Green Armies (Aleksandr Antonov’s army)

Question 4

NEP and why it was introduced

Answer 4

NEP ( New Economic Policy)
- Basically capitalism
- Free economy, government support systems were rolled back
- War Communism was a leap into socialism, NEP was a leap out of

Why it was introduced
- War Communism was no longer sustainable, food and coal shortages fostered discontent among both peasants and workers

Question 5

Effects of NEP on the economy and society

Answer 5

NEP was successful in turning the economy around
- NEP men
- 1926-1927, industrial output slowly increased to pre-war levels (uneven depending on the industry)
- Manufacturing, light industry, and oil exports increased beyond Tsarist levels
-heavy and iron ore industry stagnated

NEP decreased the discontent of workers and peasants, with strikes decreasing from 1922 onwards, increasing agricultural output, decreasing grain prices

Question 6

Why did many Bolsheviks consider the revolution a failure?

Answer 6

The NEP was basically capitalism, Lenin had decided to roll back War Communism in the name of pragmatism, essentially betraying

Question 7

2 different views on NEP

Answer 7

‘stepping stone towards socialism’-Buhkarin
‘New exploitation of the Proletariat’