NATURE OF GOVERNMENT- opposition from groups essay Flashcards
Peasants, workers, political parties
Stalin political parties and cliques
- Threatened by Zinoviev, Kamenev, Trotsky and Bukharin for power in the post Lenin Soviet Union – politically out-manoeuvred and used his appointments of many loyal Bolsheviks to outwit and remove opposition such as Bukharin, Zinoviev and Kamenev.
- Formed the Triumvirate with Zinoviev and Kamenev to expel Trotsky from the party.
- Launched ‘Show Trials’ against rival for power such as Bukharin, Zinoviev and Kamenev to legitimise their execution.
- Removed internal opposition with the NKVD 40% of the upper echelons of the army just before WWII.
- Removed class opponents of Kulaks with 1.8m sent from 1930-31.
*How great? Following on from the initial power struggle Stalin faced little opposition from political parties as his terrifying purging of his own party, including leading Bolsheviks in the Show Trials showed that any who attempted to be opposition were quickly removed.
* In comparison to… did not face great opposition. More limited than at any other period. Kept power until he died of natural means as the sole leader of the Soviet Union.
* Partly due to effective state of terror, use of the NKVD and ruthless removal of opponents within his party so power was totally consolidated.
Lenin political parties and cliques
- The signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was opposed by the left and Trotsky but Lenin countered opponents and the treaty was signed.
- Lenin did face pressure on the issue of War Communism and introduced the NEP to replace it.
- Right wing saw this as a temporary concession to capitalism whereas Left wing saw it as a betrayal. Showed would give concessions when needed.
- In 1921 made Russiaone party state to avoid criticism and aid in consolidation of power
- Used Civil War 1917-1922 to eradicate opposition groups effectively.
- 2m educated Russians had left come 1917 (therefore nobility and gentry no longer as much of a threat)
PG political parties and cliques
- Crippled politically from ruling due to partnership with Petrograd Soviet who demanded ‘peace without annexations and indemnities’ so were tied into sustained fighting of an unpopular war.
- Order No. 1 issued 1st March 1917 by the Petrograd Soviet expressed how the army must show ultimate loyalty to the P.S over the P.G. alongside removing officer classes of the army and encouraging soldier freedoms such as not returning weapons. Effectively placed control of the army in the hands of the Petrograd Soviet.
- Bolsheviks were a major opposition group. They were freed from prison during the Kornilov Revolt by Kerensky who feared General Kornilov was launching a coup to overthrow him.
- 500 pamphlets produced in Petrograd
- Lenin’s April Thesis declared the Feb Rev as ‘bourgeoisie’ and called for the Bolsheviks to launch another revolution. Great deal of opposition. Shown in the July Days where many workers, encouraged by Bolsheviks took to the streets to protest about working/living conditions and the war.
*How great? P.G. were overthrown after less than a year in power due to the power of opposition of the combined forced of the Petrograd Soviet and Bolsheviks.
* In comparison to… faced threats from both the left and the right on a growing scale. Opposition united in war strain.
Alexander II peasants
- Seen as ‘Tsar Liberator’ due to Emancipation of Serfs of 1861 gave much relief.
- But peasants had to pay redemption payments for 49 years and only then could they legally own land. (LE of 35 years)
- They also were allocated poorer quality land than they had been farming before 1861, they struggled to earn enough to meet redemption payments, still had to answer to the MIR.
- God fearing people meant that they followed the Orthodox Church firmly and thus supported the Tsar. Emancipation furthered this idea.
- For these reasons there was a large level of unrest from peasants after the Edict but did settle.
*How great? Did not threaten Tsar’s autocracy or alter Nature of Gov BUT AII was assassinated by People’s Will who were frustrated by the fact he did not continue a reform programme past 1960s so clearly opposition grew.
* In comparison… not the most opposition due to many seeing hope in this concession, not attempting to oppose ruler?
Stalin peasants
- Collectivisation and De-Kulakisation ignited unrest
- Thousands of peasants died as a result of the different phases of Collectivisation, they opposed the scale and speed of the reform, the loss of the Mir in 1930.
- By 1939 Stalin forced 90% of land to be collectivised
- At the height of unrest peasants refused to cooperate and showed dissent by slaughtering large numbers of cattle and horses.
*How great? Affected economic surplus and feeding population but not great enough to truly threaten Stalin’s rule. He continued to collectivise and resulted in a famine 1930-2 which some consider ‘man-made’.
PG peasants
- Peasants did play a role in Oct rev 1917 and overthrow of the P.G. they launched attacks on landowners, engaged in peasant vigilantism (taking law and order into their own hands).
- This was aided by over 2 million men by August 1917 deserting from the frontlines to seize land, armed and join peasant soviets which in turn would help support the revolution.
*How great? Were not the key to the revolution of Oct 1917 but did support the overthrow of the P.G. by exacerbating tensions due to the land problem the P.G. failed to deal with and made them look weak and ineffective.
Nicholas II workers
- Following on from Witte’s ‘Great Spurt’ industry and the need for workers expanded but conditions worsened. No factory inspectorate until 1882 and 10 hour day norm until 1914.
- 1905 Pulitov Ironworks 1905- 4 people fired -> 13,000 go on strike and 150,000 in 382 factories sign petition for better working conditions. Led to Bloody Sunday
- 20,000 workers go on strike. 150,000 workers marched to the Winter Palace on Bloody Sunday with Father Gapon in the hopes of petitioning for better working conditions but were met by Cossacks. Sympathy strikes followed.
- Lena Goldfield Miners in 1912 – massacre after workers strike over conditions. Tsarist army opened fire and 260 reported dead 250 wounded.
*How great? Unarmed protests and strikes – did threaten stability of tsarist rule and undermine his image. Led to more increasingly bolstering the strength of the Soviet and turning to revolutionary parties.
Krushchev workers
- Workers rioted over a perceived falling of living standards
- In 1962 workers at Novocherhassk protested against food shortages and rising food prices. The authorities killed 20 workers and a number of ring leaders.
- But working day reduced from 11 ½ hours in 1897 to 7 hours in 1960s.
*How great? Some improvements but uprisings show discontent as wanted more. Nevertheless it was not the workers that resulted in Khrushchev’s greatest form of opposition instead it was the failed Virgin Land Schemes.
PG workers
- Encouraged by the Bolsheviks, who favoured peace negotiations, there were worker demonstrations against Kerensky in Petrograd, which became known as the July Days. Riots occurred on the 16th and 17th against the PG which were put down by loyal troops.
- Opposition grew as aresult of the series of liberal reforms, including political amnesty and full freedomof speech that they introduced on coming to power. (not repressed enough)
- Kerensky believed that Kornilov, after achieving his aims, would then turn on the PG and impose a military dictatorship.
- Kerensky armed the Bolsheviks in order to defend the city and a bloody conflict was avoided. Within days they had enlisted 25,000 men to defend the city
- Bolsheviks were now seen as heroes for defending the city. By the end of October, they now commanded majorities in both the Moscow and Petrograd Soviets. These groups also had big influence over the railways and the banks.
*How great? The growing opposition to P.G. would result in their failure to keep control. Some argue a revolution in Petrograd alone that Russia would not challenge. Surely showing the considerable opposition and sheer numbers in July days proved the greatest threat was in the workers.
