Russia (1917-1924) - Ideology and practicality Flashcards
With pragmatic things, hdh approach
Points on Ideology to end WW1…
(Possible tradeoffs with Marxism?)
(Compromises in ideology)
- Split within Bols as relinquising land would mean effort sacrificed, however, not ending the war would squander chances of revolution.
- Marxist assumptions entail how Bols revolution would spread across Europe, e.g. Germany.
- (Dec 1917) Trotsky reluctantly starts peace talks with Germany, as he knows this would mean German victory! -> Causing land to be relinquished.
- (Mar 1918) Lenin signs Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, showcasing his pragmatic side.
What is Bolshevik democracy?
To rule in the interests of the people.
Difference between Leninism and Marxism?
- Leninism entailed violence in order to seize power
- The Cheka est. meant that Lenin would need to hold back counter-revolutionaries.
Lenin’s conception of Revolution - by Israel Getzler
- Lenin being ‘power-crazed’ and fanatical is unconvincing
- What split Lenin form other revolutionaries was not his intense revolutionism, but his simplistic, brutal understanding of Civil War, which he injected into the Bols ans they bequeathed this.
- (Jan 1918) Lenin admitted at the 3rd Congress of Soviets that he got what he wanted.
- Lenin thought that the 1871 Paris Commune displayed Civil War powers.
Role of ideology + change in Stalin’s rise:
(Dec 1922) Lenin decided to dictate his eulogy, read to the Party Congress on his death.
- Lenin said Stalin’s ‘ruthlessness… lack of finesse’ didn’t make him eligible to succeed him.
- Central Committee suppress the former idea (playing into Stalin’s hands).
Ideology + nature of leadership:
- Lenin was the mastermind of the revolution, and was respected by all senior members of the party.
- Politburo emerged as the most powerful institution within the govt.
What entailed Lenin’s testament…
Lenin mentioned about the flawed leadership of other party members:
- Accused Trotsky of arrogance and being too willing to use violence.
- Accused Stalin of incompetence and rudeness.
- Accused Kamenev + Zinoviev of being disloyal to the party.
- Accused Bukharin of not fully understanding his ideology.
-> At the time, Central Committee did NOT make this public.
Evidence of ideology being NOT important…
- Leniency of Lenin’s idea of permitting private ownership may have been temporary.
- Stalin’s switch back to a left-wing approach would have been due to the food shortages.
- Some argue that one leader was neccessary, as the Civil War meant changes had to be made.
Some reasons why the Bolshevik Revolution occured…
(Oct 1917)
- Ongoing issues, e.g. poverty, famine, social issues, economic issues etc.
- WW1 + Lenin’s April Theses following his return (Apr 1917), his return was sponsored by the Kaiser, and he would then be exiled in July following the July Days (Jul 1917), (seeing the tsar on house arrest and the Bols participating).
- (Jun 1917) June Offensive fails to break Austro-Hungarian lines, perhaps due to insufficient ammo.
- (Aug 1917) Kornilov Coup release jailed Bols to combat Kornilov Coup belligerents.
(58k Baltic soliders, 100k garrison etc).
Ideology v Practicality…
Ideology:
- Ability to influence others, being decisive, unapolegetic, pre-existing ideologies (Marxism), maode of opinion/speech etc.
Practicality:
- Morality, opposition, economic and social realities, (WW1) etc.
Some theories of the Communist Manifesto…
- Capitalism can only be neutralised by unleashing warfare
- Capitalsits exploit labourers/workers.
- Redistribution of wealth and land.
- There’s unfairness towards the proletariat.
- ‘Primitive accumulation’ means ‘profit is theft’.
- More leisure is possible due to very high economic activity.
- The Communist Manifesto is a diagnosis of the ills of capitalism.
- Commodity fetishism makes us value things that have no value.
(Ingels allowed thi e Communist Manifesto to be published).
Ideology and one-party govt.
(Lenin’s Russia; Ideology and change)
- Before taking power, Lenin’s slogan was ‘All power to the Soviets’.
- Lenin formed Bols-only Sovnarkom, after Bols controlled PS, which had non-Bols socialists.
- This shows Lenin wanted all power without sharing it.
- Sovnarkom ruled by decree without seeking Soviet’s approval, and these Soviets would be bought into the Sovnarkom.
- Lenin allowed some left SRs in Sovnarkom (Nov 1917), however, he was so hostile about sharing power leading Kamenev + Zinoviev temporarily resigning.
- Contradicted with Marxist principle of power for all, but here, Lenin wants all power!
(PS = Provisional Government) + (Jan 1918) 12 protesters killed.
Ideology and the preservation of the Soviet state…
- (Dec 1917) Cheka est. confirmed Lenin’s ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’ outlined in his ‘State and Revolution’.
- (Aug 1918) ‘Red Terror’ + ‘War Communism’ unfolds.
- State control seen and with capitalistic practices unfolding, this meant Lenin was following pragmatism more than ideology.
- Krondstandt Rebellion may have been an example of a response to all this.
Ideology and the power struggle…
- ‘Left’ members (Zinoviev, Kamenev etc) were against NEP whilst ‘Right’ members e.g. Rykov, Bukharin etc favoured NEP.
- Soviet Union revolution never spread across nations, contradicting Marxist theory.
- (By 1924) Stalin’s pragmatic view was ‘socialism in one country’.
- Another ideological issue was how a single leader was not necessary by Marx, however, Civil War may have justified this.
