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
