Early Consolidation of Power 1917-18

Question 1

What was the timeline for the decrees?

Answer 1

1. Nov 1917: Decree of Peace
2. 8 Nov 1917: Decree on Land
3. Nov/Dec 1917: Decrees on Workers’ Rights.
4. Nov 1917: Decree on Nationalities

Question 2

What was the Decree on Peace?

Answer 2

The aim was to create peace ‘without annexations and indemnities’. This meant that no country’s land was to be seized by another, and no country would punish another with heavy fines. Increased support around the army and civilians.

Question 3

What was the Decree on Land?

Answer 3

Distributed the land of wealthy landowners to the peasants. Many peasants did this already, gave this the force of law and showed they approved of them

Question 4

What were Decrees on Workers’ rights?

Answer 4

1. Decree on Work: 8 hour day and 48 hour week.
2. Decree on Unemployment: Brought in unemployment insurance, to support who found themselves injured.
3. Workers’ Control: allowed the workers’ committees to run the factories.

Question 5

What as the Decree on Nationalities?

Answer 5

This promised all the different peoples of the old tsarist empire could have their own governments. In reality, they became more tightly controlled.

Question 6

What was the soviets’ response to the Bolshevik’s decrees?

Answer 6

Gained them increased support from across the system of soviets. This encouraged those soviets which were not run by Bolsheviks to accept the new government. The Bolsheviks did not control every soviet.

Question 7

How did they deal with political opponents?

Answer 7

After an election was held, Bolsheviks only won 168 but SRs gained 370. Constituent Assembly met in Jan 1918, after one day it was broken up by Red Guards and sailors from Kronstadt.

Question 8

What happened to the Romanovs?

Answer 8

On 17 July 1918, Nicholas II and his entire family, servants and doctors were taken into the cellar and murdered.

Question 9

What were the outcomes of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 9

1. Lost all of its western lands: Finland, Estonia, Lithuania….
2. Lost 62 million people, 26% of people.
3. 27% of its farmland, 26% railways and 74% of iron.
4. Russia had to pay 300 million gold roubles.

Question 10

Why did they agree to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 10

1. Needed ‘breathing space’ to not be overwhelmed by economic problems.
2. Needed to focus on threat it faced within Russia.
3. Hoped that revolution would break out across Europe and the treaty would be torn.

Question 11

What were reactions to the treaty in Russia?

Answer 11

Encouraged the Bolsheviks enemies to try and overthrow them to restore Russian greatness. Nationalists were horrified. Their country had been humiliated and had lost huge amounts of territory.