Lenin Essay (Not in Prelim)

Question 1

Lenin- War Communism

Answer 1

Under War Communism in 1918 one of the Communists’ polices was to class base rations giving priority to Red Army Soldiers and Labourers and the likes of the middle class getting less food.

Grain requisitioning policy which lead to many Peasants starving (as a lot of their grain was taken to the cities) and hard working peasants were treated unfairly as they were often left with the same amount of grain as lazy peasants (that was if the Government didn’t take all the Peasants grain which they sometimes did).

No private trade but didn’t work well as massive black market

3. Nationalising of industry 
All industries under state control with one manger reporting to central authorities.

5. Labour discipline  Punishments such as fines if people were late for work for example to get people working and economy back up and running.

Question 2

Lenin NEP -

Answer 2

This is a an emergency policy due to the unpopularity of War Communism

Grain Requisitioning became more a tax on grain where peasants gave a proportion of the grain

Private trading: Peasants could sell any surpluses (continued from above point) on the open market

Rationing: Rationing was abolished and people had to buy food and goods from own income.

* Small-scale businesses under private ownership were allowed to reopen and make profits- e.g makes clothes
* Ban on private trade removed and money economy was back

Small-scale industry: Could be under private ownership

Large-scale industry: Big Industries like coal, steel and oil owned by the state

Transport and banking: Private Trade allowed meant food could be transported between the city and country
Banks and transport owned by state

Here is how grain production operated under NEP

Question 3

Why War Communism needed to be changed

Answer 3

• Famine in the south killed 5 million 1920-21
  
  • 50,000 Peasant Army held off the Red army for a year between August 1920 and 1921 as angry with grain requisitioning- Tambov rebellion
  • Lack of bread in cities in Moscow lead to bread rationing
  • Trade Unions were demanding action
  • Sailor mutiny Kronstrat March 1921
  • Heavy industry production struggling

Question 4

Trotsky influence

Answer 4

Lead Reds in Civil War and used discipline with death penalty so helped them win

Against NEP

Question 5

Brest-Litovsk Treaty March 1918

Answer 5

Trotsky, Russian Committee for foreign affairs (too humiliated to sign treaty himself) were Brest-Litovsk Treaty 3 March 1918 key negotiators. Russia ceded to Germany Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. This Loss to Germany resulted in loss to Germany of 32% of Russian arable land, 33% of population and 50% of industry. Russia ceded to Turkey kars, Ardahan and Batum. Russia agreed to make Finland, Belura, Latvia and Ukraine independent. Russia gave Germany 6 million marks to pay Germany reparations in August 1918.
• Lenin persuaded Bolsheviks including initially Trotsky that a treaty this harsh had to be signed so Bolsheviks can focus on internal enemies.
• 21st January 1918 only 15 of 63 voted in favour of peace treaty but Lenin got his way.
• Argument: Despte Trotsky heavily involved in negotiations, Lenin had to persuade others (including Trotsky initially) this was right thing to do to fight opposition in Russia instead of abroad.

Question 6

Kronstadt Rebellion

Lenin essay

Answer 6

Look into

Question 7

Historians

Answer 7

A.N.Potresov “Lenin was followed unquestionably as the undisputed leader”

Historian Robert Service outlines the brilliance of Trotsky

Historian Robert Service believes peasant revolts were the main reason for changing from War Communism to NEP