Lenin Flashcards
When was he in power?
1917-1924
List his characteristics
- Son of provincial school inspector
- Studied law/history at St Petersburg uni
- Most academic/intellectual
- Pragmatic
Summarise his reign
-At first his policies directed at confronting opposition/dealing with effects of WW1- went to consolidate Bolshevik power and attempted to win acceptance for the new regime.
What did he do in October 1917?
-Led Bolsheviks in overthrowing P.G but allowed elections to occur for C.A
What did he introduce in Nov 1917?
State Capitalism before a ‘Dictatorship of proletariat could be established’
Which policies reinforced State Capitalism?
- Nov 1917= Decree on Land
- Nov 1918= Decree on Workers Control
- Dec 1917= Supreme Economic Council formed which controlled means of production, distribution & exchange.
How many nationalised businesses were there by 1920?
30,000
What was War Communism?
- To win the civil war Lenin focused on economy
- Nationalisation of large enterprises
- State monopoly of markets for goods and services
- Forced requisitioning of agricultural produce
- Cheka (secret police) used to enforce it
What were the effects of war communism?
- Very unpopular
- Huge decline in no. of industrial workers
- Huge falls in production
- Disease/malnutrition
What was Sovnarkom
-The Soviet of Peoples’ Commisars set up in 1917, consisted of elected members who were given government responsibilities.
What was the RSFSR?
-Another new organ of gov. run by All-Russian Congress of Soviets, Central Committee and Sovnarkom- Bolsheviks still dominated
What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
-Signed in March 1918, ended Russia’s involvement in ww1
What was the New Economic Policy?
- State control of heavy industry- but small-scale businesses denationalised
- Nepmen benefited
- Stimulated trade
- Ended rationing/grain requisitioning/encouraged foreign investment
- Industrial output/range of consumer goods increased
- Some Bolsheviks viewed it as betrayal.
