Lenin Flashcards
When was the Treaty of Brest Litovsk
3 March 1918
What percent of railways and iron supplies were lost in the Treaty of Brest Litovsk?
26% of railways and 74% of iron supplies
What amount of population and land did Russia lose in the Treaty?
1/6 of its population and 2 million square km - an area that produced 1/3 of its agriculture
What was the ideological significance of the Treaty?
It denied ‘permanganate revolution’ and meant Lenin was adopting socialism at home
When was the Constituent Assembly?
Voting began 12 Nov
Assembly commenced 5-6 Jan 1918
What were the initial decrees/policies made?
Ban on opposition press (Oct) Decree of Peace (Oct) Decree of Land (Oct) Cheka established (Nov) Worker control of railways (Jan) Nationalisation of Industry (Feb)
When was the 1918 Constitution?
July 1918
How was the 1918 Constitution undemocratic?
Exploiting classes were exempt from voting
Workers to peasant vote weighed 5:1
The Bolshevik only Sovnarkom rarely met
How did Lenin create one Party Government?
Bolshevik only Sovnarkom that ruled by decree
Dissolve of Consistent Assembly
No coalition government
How did Lenin ensure the preservation of the soviet?
A policy of Terror enforced through centralisation
‘Self determination’ abolished due to counter rev national minority’s
Political opposition arrested, exiled, executed
War communism aggressively repressed peasantry
Was Red Terror inevitable?
Red Terror was not forced upon the Bolsheviks but served as a surrogate for support - the more popularity eroded the more Terror was exerted
When was the Civil War?
1918-1920
How many people died in the Civil War?
An estimated 7-10 million people
What did the Civil War cause?
Political measures were tightened and centralised
What changes to Government were seen after the Civil War?
Ban on Factions ensured in party unity (1921)
Nomenklatura introduces and ensured loyalty (1923)
What did Lenin say about electrification?
“Soviets plus electrification equals communism”
What is a socialist economy?
One with no private ownership and all members of society have an equal share in state resources
What early decrees showed a move towards socialist economy?
Decree on Land nationalised so ‘entire people’ owned land
Workers Decree recognised ‘proletariat’ control as legitimate
Why did War Communism occur?
It existed to ensure the Red Army was supplied with munitions and food
Arguably an ideological move that was in the build up to socialism
What was War Communism?
Grain requisitioning programme to prevent famine
Nationalised industry to lessen inflation and recover the economic depression of war
How was grain requisitioning carried out?
Soldiers and workers were deployed to ensure grain was delivered to state - violence often used - specifically against Kulaks (‘enemies of the state’)
How fast did nationalisation occur?
May - sugar industry industrialised
June - oil industry industrialised
By Nov 2020 all major factories were industrialised
How did workers lose their freedom in War Communism?
Professional managers employed by the state
Working hours extended
Rationing cards were people’s wages
Internal passports stopped workers from moving to the countryside in search of food
How much had War communism caused industrial output to fall by?
By 1921 it had fallen by 20% (since 1918)
How many deaths occurred because of War Communism?
Spread of disease and famine caused 3 million deaths by 1920
What percentage of grain was being made in 1920 compared to 1913?
Only 48% of what was made in 1913 was being made
How much had the population decreased by since 1913 to 1920?
It was 170 million but decreased to 130 million
What was Gosplan?
The State General Planning Commission
What did the NEP institute?
End to grain requisitioning
Small businesses and private ownership was allowed
The state controlled the major industries
What was the scissor crisis?
It began in 1923 and was peasants producing grain at a higher rate than the towns could sell/consume causing prices of grain to drop - it ended in 1926
Who thrived off the NEP?
As a private wealth and money economy NEPmen and Kulaks thrived
How did Lenin defend the NEP?
Socialism could not exist without qualitative modernisation of the economy - capitalism provided this
Was did Lenin say to defend the NEP and Capitalism?
“The development of capitalism, controlled and regulated by the State, is advantageous and necessary in an extremely devastated and backward small peasant country”
What did Lenin say about pragmatism?
“In revolution we advanced along the path of practise and not theory”
What did Bulgarian say in defence of the NEP?
“We are making economic concessions in order to avoid political ones. The NEP is a temporary deviation, a tactical retreat.”
What did Lenin say about the NEP and socialist revolution?
“Only agreement with the peasantry can save the socialist revolution in Russia”
Why did Lenin switch to the NEP?
To save the failing economy when War Communism deprived people
To revive the socialist revolution by appeasing the peasants
As a reaction to the Kronstadt mutineer situation that called for concession
A planned economic shift after civil war
When was the Kronstadt Mutiny?
February- March 1921
How many people were involved in the Kronstadt Mutiny?
16000 soldiers/sailors
30000 civilians