Lenin's methods of control

Question 1

describe cultural change and propaganda:

Answer 1

-propaganda emphasised the importance of socialist values
-visual representation/ repeated messages were vital in mobilising support from barely literate peasants
-the october revolution did bring in a freer atmosphere which allowed cultural expression, providing it wasn’t counter revolutionary
-‘silver age’ of russian literature and poetry

Question 2

who were the Bolsehviks’ political opponents?

Answer 2

-supporters of tsarism
-reluctant peasants
-SRs
-mensheviks
-class enemies (burzhui)

Question 3

how did they supress political opponents?

Answer 3

-the sovnarkom banned opposition parties
-political prisoners jailed
-creation of Cheka
-most provinces had their own cheka branch

Question 4

describe The Red Terror:

Answer 4

-after an assassination attempt on lenin in august 1918, he wrote a frenzied attack on class enemies
-the Cheka saw this as a direct order, so rounded up 1000s who could be seen as class enemies, and obtained confessions by torture
-sept 1918 = sovnarkom gave cheka authority to find, question, arrest and execute the families of suspected ‘traitors’
-all SRs and mensheviks branded traitors - 500 shot in Petrograd alone
-terror escalated as local cheka agents ‘created’ opposition to demonstrate their commitment, it was like a competition to find the most traitors
-killed tsar and his family in july 1918
-religious figures were targeted - 8,000 priests killed in 1921
-estimated that between 500,000 and 1 million people were executed 1918-1921