R2.3 Social and Economic Developments

Question 1

Which years were State Capitalism and War communism?

Answer 1

1917-18 were State Capitalism
1918-21 were War Communism

Question 2

What key events happened in 1917?

Answer 2

February- Decree on Land (abolish private ownership)
November - Decree on workers control of factories
December - Nationalisation of the banks

Question 3

What key events happened in 1918?

Answer 3

June - war communism began
September - Intensification of the Red Terror Nationalisation of Factories and Railways

Question 4

What key events happened 1919?

Answer 4

January - Start of Compulsory grain requisitioning

Question 5

What key events happened 1920?

Answer 5

August - Outbreak of Tambov Revolt
December - Industrial production at 20 percent of 1913 levels

Question 6

what key events happened 1921 onwards?

Answer 6

March - Kronstadt Rising
June - Final defeat of Tambov revolt

Question 7

What are examples of state control?

Answer 7

-Nationalisation of banks(1917) and railways(1918)
-Establishment Vesenkha(1917)
-Establishment of GOELRO 1920

Question 8

What were three main problems with state capitalism?

Answer 8

-Many Bolsheviks don’t want halfway house but rather full state control of economy
-Allowing factory workers to take control reduce production
-Peasants having control over selling of grain meant prices spike

Question 9

What was the problem of falling industrial production?

Answer 9

-Factory supplies disrupted by fighting
-Workers join Red Army or return to Countryside
-Between Jan 1917-18 Urban proletariat decline from 3.6 mil to 1.4 mil
-Peasants hoard grain without products to buy

Question 10

What was the problem of fighting in the countryside?

Answer 10

-Peasants were better off than urban workers
-Villages were attacked by reds and whites

Question 11

What was the problem of food shortages in the cities?

Answer 11

-Lost land from treaty
-Hostile foreign powers refuse to supply with grain
-Early 1918, bread ration 50g a day
-Many resort to black market

Question 12

What was the problem of Disease and Starvation?

Answer 12

-Unsanitary living conditions, lack of doctors and medical supplies lead to many deaths
-Approx 5 mil died during civil war from starvation and disease

Question 13

What was the features of nationalisation in War Communism?

Answer 13

-By 1920 nearly all factories and businesses nationalised
-Private trade banned
-Railways under military style control

Question 14

What was the features of grain requisitioning in war communism?

Answer 14

-Food Supplies Dictatorship set up May 1918, organise requisitioning
-Peasants supposed to pay fixed price for grain, often given vouchers
-Peasant opposition common, Cheka had to be used

Question 15

What was the features of labour discipline and rationing in war communism?

Answer 15

-Workers lost rights and freedoms of Decree on Workers Control of Factories
-Strict discipline re-imposed, fines also
-Wages replaced with ration-card workbooks.

Question 16

What was the harvest of 1921 like?

Answer 16

Harvest of 1921 produced only 48 percent of 1913’s harvest

Question 17

What happened to Russias population?

Answer 17

In 1913 it was 170.9 mil, by 1921 it was 130.9 mil

Question 18

What was the results of depopulated cities?

Answer 18

-By 1921, industrial output just 20 percent of pre-war levels
-By end of 1920, population of Petrograd had fallen by 57.5 percent and Moscow by 44.5 percent

Question 19

What was the red terror?

Answer 19

-triggered by assassination attempt on Lenin August 1918
-Cheka round up Mensheviks, SRs, anarchists and all threats
-Estimate of 500k executed

Question 20

What was the Tambov Revolt?

Answer 20

In August 1920, peasant army of 70,000 men rose up, lasting until June 1921. Brutal crushing of revolt with 100k Red Army soldiers

Question 21

What was the Kronstadt Rising?

Answer 21

In 1921 March, sailors at Kronstadt naval base rebel. Former loyal supporters in 1917 but by 1921 didn’t like use of terror and one-party dictatorship.
Trotsky sent Red army, imprisoning 15k rebels and killing ringleaders. Caused divisions within party though

Question 22

When was NEP established?

Answer 22

Gosplan was established February 1921, with the NEP introduced at the Tenth Party Congress March 1921

Question 23

Was the NEP voted for?

Answer 23

No, Lenin knew how many would object to the ideological step backwards. So did not allow a vote.

Question 24

What were features of NEP in countryside?

Answer 24

-Grain requisitioning end
-Ban on private trade end
-Peasants could sell surplus for price of choice

Question 25

What were features of NEP in cities?

Answer 25

-Small-scale industries private again
-Rations end
-Industries had to pay workers out of their profits. Pay by how much work done

Question 26

What helped to stabilise Russian economy in 1921?

Answer 26

End of Civil War and NEP

Question 27

How was the scissor crisis prevented?

Answer 27

Peasants quota became money tax, forcing peasants to sell grain. Price of industrial goods capped.

Question 28

How did most Bolsheviks regard the NEP?

Answer 28

Regarded as a retreat back to capitalism, put transition into socialism much further away on the agenda. Lenin knew there would be opposition so crackdown on opposition (ban on factions 1921)

Question 29

What actions did Lenin take to prevent opposition 1921 onwards?

Answer 29

-Ban on factions 1921
-Mensheviks and SRs banned 1921
-Cheka(renamed OGPU in 1922) given power to spy on people.
-Censorship increase and church under pressure
-Nomenklatura introduced 1923

Question 30

What was the Nomenklatura?

Answer 30

Introduced in 1923, those who showed complete loyalty in the party joined Nomenklatura lists. Approved list of people to be considered for promotion in Party and government jobs.