Nature of Government Flashcards
Nature of Government for Exam
Ideology
Tsars autocratic throughout, believed they were accountable only to God and had god-given right to rule the Russians. AII made Zemstva in 1864, Duma in 1905 but limited (fundamental laws).
PG Left-wing, wanted constituent assembly
Bolsheviks very left-wing, for the people, but firmly against democracy, with Lenin believing the people lacked the intelligence to make decisions best for the ‘proleteriat’. Stalin totalitarianism. Khruschev destalinisation
Structure of Government
Tsars were head, with subservient bodies such as the Imperial Council of Ministers and imperial Council of State.
PG moved to national assembly, but they were overthrown.
Lenin initially accepted the Consituent Assembly, but when it elected a membership dominated by the SRs it was shut down
Lenin believed that the ‘superstructure’ of bodies that formed the base of tsarist rule must be destroyed and replaced with new bodies that reflected an egalitarian society, such as the Central Executive Committee. Lenin used a Party Central Committee to run the country, believing the people did not have the knowledge to make successful democratic decisions.
Lenin also removed any opposition, with over 800 SRs being executed in the first 3 months of the Red Terror 1917-22
After Lenin’s death in 1924, Stalin moved to Totalitarianism. He believed this is what Lenin had planned to move to before he died. Stalin im0plemented the change through the 1936 Constitution. Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Soviet of the Nationalities set up, but the Communist Party still ruled supreme.
Khruschev then did Destalinisation. The country was technically run by the Party Central Committee but Khrushchev, as Secretary, had huge influence
Repression
Tsars used 3rd Section, then Okhrana in 1880.
AIII used army to enforce Russification, and NII used them to control workers’ protests.
AIII enhanced censorship in 1881 Statute
PG removed the Okhrana in Feb 1917.
Lenin established the Cheka in December 1917 for those who opposed Bolshevik power, used to implement War Communism and the Red Terror. Red Terror (1917-22) aimed to remove opposition to the Bolsheviks. Deaths around 100,000 to 200,000, with estimates suggesting 28,000 were executed per year.
In 1918 Lenin sent a telegram to Nizhny Novgorod, ordering ‘kulaks’ to be ‘hanged’: ‘Do it so that for miles around people see it all, understand it, and tremble’.
State-controlled Newspapers, such as Pravda, were used to spread the message of terror. One headline read: ‘Only rivers of blood can atone for the blood of Lenin and Uritsky’ - after assassination attempt on Lenin and murder of Uritsky (Petrograd Cheka Leader 1918)
After only a few weeks of the Red Terror, the death sentences tripled the total amount handed out by the Russian Empire from 1825-1917.
Also targeted workers who went on strike. In 1918 200 Putilov Factory workers executed without trial.
Replaced by the OGPU in 1924 as it had served its purpose.
Stalin created the NKVD in 1934, returning the days of the Cheka.
Salin’s GREAT PURGE of 1936-8. Estimated that 950,000 - 1.2million were killed. Stalin also wiped out almost all Communist Party leaders due to paranoia of conspiracy. Of the 6 original Politburo Members of the 1917 October Revolution, Stalin was the only one who remained. With 4/5 executed.
Night of the Murdered Poets 1952, 13 prominent Jewish writers assassinated.
135,000 died in Gulags
Heavy censorship under Communists, with official newspapers.
Khruschev used force to repress opposition, e.g. Hungarian Uprising 1956, Nagy, but was significantly less repressive than Stalin or Lenin. The Khrushchev Thaw is the period from the mid50s to 60s were censorship was relaxed and thousands of prisoners were released from Gulags, many of whom published best selling books about their experieces
Opposition to Russian Rulers was more successful under the rule of the Tsars than the Communist Governments” How far do you agree?
Peasant Opposition
712 uprisings between 1826-54. Workers wanted more land, more freedoms and an end to serfdom.
EoS in 1861. However, wasn’t favourable and actually against the majority of their goals. 20% less land on average, 44% less for state serfs in northern Provinces. End to serfdom, yes, but in reality, they were now indebted to mir instead, 49 years at 6% interest, passed onto children. Didn’t receive more freedoms, could not move more than 20 miles from Mir. Moreover, freedom further limited as AIII appoints Land Captains in 1889, who essentially had unlimited rural power, appointed lords who could prosecute without trial.
Some benefits: height of serfs in worst affected areas by serfdom, Barschina and Corvee, increased 1.6cm in height from army records
People’s Will claimed to be acting in the wishes of the peasants, although failure of Going to The People would suggest peasants were not truly supportive. Killed AII in 1881, not truly what peasants wanted, many horrified, believing he was ‘on their side’.
After 1917 -
War Communism and collectivization during the Civil War 1917-22 was opposed by peasants, but ruthlessly put down. Particular target was on the Kulaks, wealthier peasants, highlighted by Lenin telegram to nizhny Novgorod saying ‘hang’ the ‘kulaks’ ‘Do it so that for miles around people see it all, understand it, and tremble’.
Many of the 100k - 200k killed by the Red Terror were peasants
Nationalities Opposition
Before 1917 -
Nationalist movements in Poland, Finland and parts of the Caucasus.
Greater freedom in some regards. Finland granted full autonomy in 1905, although Stolypin quickly reneged this.
Polish National Democratic Party members gained seats in the first and second Duma
After 1917 -
Less opposition to the communists. Mainly due to some reforms such as 1918, 1924 and 1936 constitutions.
1936 Constitution created Soviet of the Nationalities, giving them more representation in government.
Some nationalities, like Poland, involved in the Civil War fighting the Red Army for the Whites
Poland & Finland gained autonomy after the 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
Georgia gained temporary independence in 1920
Workers Opposition
Before 1917 -
The urban proletariat began to grow at the turn of 20th century and became ‘politically conscious’ in the words of Lenin. Strikes were common.
There was no Factory Inspectorate until 1881 and 10-hour day didn’t become the norm until after WW1
Protests achieved little before 1914 and were put down with considerable force e.g. Bloody Sunday 1905 and 200 killed during Lena goldfields strike of 1912.
Most famous probably the strikes at the Putilov Works, marked by many as the start of the February Revolution.
Ultimately urban proliteriat played a strong role in support and success of the Bolsheviks, making up majority of their votes in the Constituent Assembly.
After 1917 -
Not a huge amount of worker opposition to the Communists, theoretically they were the ones who benefitted from Bolshevik power. However, there were some strikes resulting in deaths, such as the 200 executed without trial after Putilov Factory Strikes
Novocherkassk protests 1962
