New Economic Policy Betrayal Essay Flashcards
Discuss Lenin’s interpretation of Marxism (2)
Marx had believed that the working classes created by capitalism would eventually overthrow the system themselves. BUT Lenin argued that political revolution needed to come first, led by a well organized working class party.
Although Marx had believed there would be no need for a government once communism was established, this did not happen in Russia. LENIN believed that the party needed to keep control of the state after the revolution, in order to bring about and protect communism. Soviet Russia thus became a totalitarian, one-party state with a hugely powerful leader.
Lenin believed that a disciplined group of full-time revolutionaries organised into a single political party such as the Bolsheviks should lead the mass of the people to revolution. Now that the party were in power, he believed they should continue as “the dictatorship of the proletariat” as Marx suggested.
How do the Bolsheviks seize control of the state?
The provisional government had planned to hold elections for a constituent assembly, and the new Bolshevik government went ahead with these elections.
The results were disappointing for the bolsheviks; they won less than a quarter of the seats. This showed that the Bolshevik position was not secure.
In January 1918 the constituent assembly met for the first and only time, and criticized Bolshevik policies. On the following day, Lenin sent troops to close it down permanently.
The red guards used force to stop demonstrations in support of the parliament and over a hundred people were killed or wounded.
It was clear that the new government was prepared to use force to stay in power.
What were some of the long-awaited reforms the government began to introduce? (Bolsheviks once in power?)(4)
Peace with Germany-March 1918 Russia signed a peace treaty with Germany. Harsh peace terms were dictated by Germany-Russia lost a lot of land and resources in its western areas.
Land reforms-government confiscated large areas of land from the estates of the tsar, the church, the nobles and other landlords. It redistributed the land among the peasants.
Working condition- the government established an 8-hour day and 40-hour week. Introduced system of insurance to protect workers against injury, illness and unemployment. Also placed factories under control of elected committees of workers
Education- government introduced free education for all and launched adult literacy campaign.
Why was the civil war started?
Many groups opposed the communist regime because
They had destroyed the democratically elected parliament
Imposed a one-party dictatorship
Wanted to introduce a radically new social and economic system
From 1918 to 1921 there was a civil war where opponents of the communists fought to overthrow the new government
Discuss the civil war
The civil war was between the “White Russians” who were made up of different groups who opposed the communist party dictatorship. They all had a variety of different goals but all wanted to get rid of communist dictatorship.
The white forces were weakened by rivalry amongst their leaders and because they didn’t agree on how Russia should be ruled once defeating the communists.
Trotsky led the communist forces and he converted the Bolshevik Red Guards into the Red army.
By 1921 the red army had won the civil war because they were United by a common purpose. Trotsky organisation was excellent and Lenin ensured that the red army was well-equipped and fed through his policy of war communism.
Discuss war communism (6)
Government took control of the economy and used nationalization and central planning.
Grain and other food supplies were requisitioned from the peasants at prices set by the government.
Soldiers and manual workers received more food than anyone else did.
People were conscripted to work in factories or to fight for the red army.
Strikes were banned and workers were strictly controlled.
Private trade was banned and private wealth became the property of the government and nobody was allowed to inherit property.
What effect did war communism have on the Russian economy and agriculture? (3)
Production fell dramatically and there were food shortages and famine.
There were peasant rebellions against requisitioning and peasant farmers refused to work on the land because all the food they grew was taken away from them.
Even though the communists had won the civil war, people were starving and had nowhere to live. Production in factories and on farms had virtually stopped. Lenin realized that war communism would have to be changed if the communist government were to stay in power.
Discuss the new economic policy (NEP)
In 1921, Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP)
The NEP allowed limited free enterprise and was a temporary compromise with capitalism as a solution to the economic crisis.
The main features of NEP:
Peasant were allowed to sell any extra produce after they had paid a tax in grain to the state. This encouraged them to produce more. Some farmers became wealthy-kulaks.
State kept control of large industries, but ordinary people could set up their own small businesses. Some became wealthy through private business-nepmen.
Workers were paid incentives and bonuses to encourage them to work harder, produce more. No longer forced to join trade unions.
The government made trade agreements with capitalist western countries.
What was the result of the NEP?
The NEP helped to restore the economy and gave the government time to consolidate its control.
However, many communists were unhappy about the compromise with capitalism, and the social inequalities it created.
These aspects of the NEP went against the communist belief in classless society.
Poorer people resented the success of the kulaks and nepmen.
Discuss Lenin’s influence following the abdication of the tsar (1917)
Following the Tsar’s abdication and duma appointed government in 1917, many political exiles returned to Russia, among them were many leading Bolsheviks such as Lenin from Switzerland and Trotsky from America.
Lenin saw the issues with the provisional government and called for an end to the war with Germany and for land to be given to the peasants immediately which were two key issues the provisional government failed to tackle.
Lenin’s slogans and Bolshevik propaganda led to widened support for the Bolsheviks.
They also built up their strength by establishing the Red Guards.
By October 1917 the Bolsheviks were strong enough to take action.
The Bolsheviks carried out a successful well planned revolution and the provisional government surrendered.
The next day Lenin announced the establishment of a new government to introduce communist rule in Russia.
Structure of this essay
Introduction
background
• communism
• bolsheviks
• civil war + bolsheviks taking control of
failures of the civil war + war communism
aims of NEP, NEP agriculture + industry
analysis =
• looking at whether it was betrayal of communist ideals
• successes and criticism of the NEP
Conclusion
