Economic + Social Change, 1918 - 24 Flashcards
When was War Communism introduced, and why?
- in 1918
- to put Russian economy under government control - Lenin believed this was necessary to win Civil War
What was the essential basis of War Communism?
everything in the economy was geared to meet the needs of the military first
Why did the peasants hate War Communism?
- not allowed to sell crops
- Cheka, requisitioned their crops for a fixed low price
- only left peasants small amounts for own needs
what did the peasants do in result when Cheka requisitioned their grains and what was the consequence if discovered
Hoarding grain - tried to hide grain
- shot
what effect did war communism have on industry
industry nationalised + given production targets by government
what effect did war communism have on people’s rights and freedom
rights + freedoms restricted:
- strikes banned
- any suspected political opposition was taken down by Cheka
what was the purpose of production target for industry
meeting military needs, production for consumers was not a priority
What did the Bolsheviks do during War Communism to reduce Capitalism?
Abolish money:
- paying people in kind (paid in good + services) instead, - – conscripted labour: government forced people to work.
What were the two main reasons for initiating War Communism?
- Needing control over industry to supply the Red Army with weapons + resources
- Needing control over food supply to feed soldiers and workers
why was control over food supply needed
- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: major loss of agricultural lands
- Collapse in Industrial production: nothing for peasants to buy –> peasants stopped growing crops to sell to cities
why did the Bolsheviks need control over industry to supply the Red Army
- Transport problems –> industries could not get raw materials needed
- Workers started to leave –> either to Red Army / returning to village to find food
- After October Revolution –> band stopped lending money to government or industries
- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk–> loss of 40% of Russian Industries
What were the consequences of War Communism?
- by 1920 : Farm production fell to 37% of 1913 levels
- Numbers of factory workers and production fell by half
- Food shortages turned into famine –> cannibalism
- Industries were producing almost no consumer goods
- Black markets developed : illegal way of finding consumer products + food people needed, for high prices
- Peasant uprisings began
- Factory workers planned strikes
What were the main reasons for implementing the NEP?
- disastrous economic consequences of War Communism
- Increased political opposition caused by War Communism
what political crisis did War Communism create
- Factory workers organised protest + strikes : falling living standards + lack of food
- Communist Party members protested as they were excluded from decisions
- Peasant uprisings- *Tambov Province
What were the main features of the NEP?
- free market was reintroduced
- state stopped requisitioning grain from peasants : now paid tax on sales
- Money was reintroduced : workers were paid wages
- Small businesses and farms were allowed to be privately owned –> state still kept control of big factories
- Foreign experts were brought in to improve factories methods, being paid highly
What were the economic effects of the NEP?
-
Agricultural production increased as peasants produced more:
- 1921: grain production = 37 million tonnes
- 1923: 56 million
-
Industrial growth increased, but more slowly : shortage of industrial products kept prices high ——>
- “scissors crisis” began : peasants stopped producing lots of food —> lead to fears for more famine. Government cut prices for industrial products -
Traders (NEP-men) made profits from food shortage + manufactured goods. Wealthy peasants did well –> had most surplus products to sell
- creating inequality in USSR, not socialist
Supporters of the NEP, and reasons
- Peasants
- Traders
Peasants preferred freedom to sell grain at their own prices, rather than state requisitioning
Opposition to the NEP, and reasons
- Communist supporters
It seemed like a** backwards step** towards Capitalism, and opposed other Bolshevik values.
What did the Bolsheviks do to be more lenient on marriage?
- Women declared equal to men
- divorce easier with “post-card divorces”
- introduced non-religious divorce
How did the Bolsheviks increase rights and freedom for women?
Zhenotdel (women’s organisation set up):
- to increase freedom, equality and influence of women
1920:
- abortion legal
- promoted literacy in women , with Civil War literacy campaigns
- Introduced co-education
despite the improvement of womens rights under the NEP what were the problems women still faced
- number of creches (child day care) declined
- still expected to do all domestic work + job
What did the Bolsheviks do to help education?
- Introduced co-education
- Had a major literacy drive in the Red Army
- Peasants were encouraged to read and write
although literacy rates increase, why was it still difficult for the Communist Party to make as much progress
economic problems limited investment
What cultural policies did the Communists carry out?
Agitprop - party’s propaganda used:
- music, art, theatre and literature –> to promote communist ideas + portray USSR’s communist future
how did the Bolsheviks control art
1920s : great artistic freedom + new ideas = avant-grande –> experiments with different ways to represent communism, Communist party need artists to spread communism
- Socialist Realism - Artist increasingly censored by state department Glavit:
ensured books, pictures, film, music, dance and other art forms, showed communism in a accessible + very positive way = form of propaganda
