L6 Summer Exam Flashcards
Decree on peace
outlined measures for Russia’s withdrawal from the First World War without “payment of indemnities or annexations”. This decree aimed to secure the support of many soldiers on the disintegrating Russian front.
Decree on land
outlined measures by which the peasants were to divide up rural land among themselves. It advocated the forceful dissolution of many wealthy estates by peasant forces. Such measures no doubt contributed to an increase in Bolshevik support amongst the peasantry, but were counterproductive in that the Russian war front disintegrated as soldiers (who were formerly peasants) returned to secure land for themselves.
Workers decree
outlined measures for minimum wage, limitations on workers’ hours, and the running of factories by elected workers’ committees. This consolidated Bolshevik support amongst the working classes in the cities, where they had taken power.
Red terror
The Red Terror was a Bolshevik-ordered campaign of intimidation, arrests, violence and executions. It began in mid-1918 following an assassination attempt on Vladimir Lenin and was carried out chiefly by the Cheka, the Bolshevik secret police. The Red Terror was a determined campaign that sought to eliminate opposition, political dissent and threats to Bolshevik power.
Red terror fanatical leader
Felix Dzerzhinsky
Victims of red terror
tsarists, liberals, non-Bolshevik socialists, members of the clergy, kulaks (affluent peasants), foreigners and political dissidents of all stripes.
(Former) tsar Nicholas and families assassination
July 1918
What is war communism
War Communism was the name given to the economic system that existed in Russia from 1918 to 1921. Brought about from the damage done by the civil war to the economy
War communism main features
The policy’s chief features were the expropriation of private business and the nationalization of industry throughout Soviet Russia and the forced requisition of surplus grain and other food products from the peasantry by the state.
War communism challenges
These measures negatively affected both agricultural and industrial production. With no incentives to grow surplus grain (since it would just be confiscated), the peasants’ production of it and other crops plummeted, with the result that starvation came to threaten many city dwellers.
the real wages of urban workers had declined by an estimated two-thirds in just three years. Uncontrolled inflation rendered paper currency worthless, and so the government had to resort to the exchange and distribution of goods and services without the use of money.
War communism challenges (pt.2 Kronstadt rebellion)
By early 1921 public discontent with the state of the economy had spread from the countryside to the cities, resulting in numerous strikes and protests that culminated in March of that year in the Kronshtadt Rebellion. In response, the Bolsheviks had to adopt the New Economic Policy and thus temporarily abandon their attempts to achieve a socialist economic system by government decree.
NEP challenges and pros
introduced a mixed economy which allowed private individuals to own small and medium sized enterprises,[2] while the state continued to control large industries, banks and foreign trade.[3] In addition, the NEP abolished grain requisitioning. Pretty much more capitalist
Stalin rise to power 1.
.held key positions in the party .1922 becomes Secretary General so he could appoint ranks and powers of patronage .from the Lenin enrolment in 1924 Stalin allowed 128,000 people to join the party, majority of which supported him he allowed them to join so he could promote them from within and gain more support. He justified the new members by saying they needed working class support.
Srtp 2 (ideological debates)
.NEP caused a split some saw it as too capitalist, Lenin said it was just temporary, past 1925 the scissor crisis was in effect.
.left wanted to ‘squeeze the peasants’ for rapid industrialisation
.right wanted to tax the peasants with NEP in effect and have gradual industrialisation.
. Stalin was inconsistent, opposed the left once it was eliminated he turned on the right
Scissor crisis
NEP caused the price of food and crops to drop dramatically but the price of industry to sky rocket. This was bad because it slowed down industrialisation.
Srtp 3 (permanent rev or socialism in 1 country)
.USSR was the only communist country, Russo-polish war stopped communism spreading west.
.left: wanted permanent rev. This meant spreading revolution. Their belief was once other countries joined they could support ussr since it was believed to be unsustainable by itself.
.right:believed in socialism in one country, thought world revolution was unlikely, aimed to strengthen ussr as a workers state to rival the west.
Stalin: supported socialism in 1 country because it could also undermine trotsky in 1924 as unpatriotic.
Srtp 4 (outcome of power struggle)
.By end of 29 Stalin was at the top due to many supporters and political manoeuvring.
. Left: all expelled kamenev and z were allowed to rejoin in 28. Trotsky was murder in 40 by Stalin’s orders.
Right: allowed to stay in party if they admitted mistakes.
Show trials: left and right all executed after show trials are held against them in the late 30s
Key dates
Jan 24: he tricks Trotsky May 24: he splits the left Over 25: socialism in one country is popular he gains support 27: left all expelled 28: he turns on the right 29: total power
Collectivisation explained
. Solo farming was un-socialist
. The grain procurement crisis of 27-28 accelerated collectivisation
. Poor harvests so needed more food. Price of food was low so low incentive to sell excess
. Stalin became convinced the kulaks were hoarding supplies
. The plan in first 5 year was for 15% of farms to be collectivised
. Central committee sent 5000 workers to promote the farms
