Russia Flashcards

1
Q

Key events before course start

A

1894 - Tsar (Nicholas II) comes to power
1903 - the social democratic party splits (Bolsheviks formed)
1905 - revolution showed the weakness of Tsar’s position but new laws recreated the Tsars power
1914 - Russia join ww1
1917 - February revolution (Tsar abdicates)
march - formation of the provisional goverment
april - Lenin returns
October - october revolution where Bolsheviks seize power
1918 - Russia withdraw from ww1 and Bolsheviks become the communist party
June - civil war (war communism) starts
1921 - January - civil war ends
March - red army crushes the Kronstadt rebellion and introduction of the NEP
July - Red army crushes the Tambov Rebellion
1922- December the creation of the USSR

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2
Q

The Soviet State Structure

A
Sovnarkom (Council of People commissars)
-
All- Russia congress of Soviets
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local soviets 
-
Russian people
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3
Q

The communist Party Structure

A
Politburo
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The central committee -- Secretariat
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Party congress 
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local Party
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Communist party members
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4
Q

Trotsky

A

Background -raised in a well off jewish family, joined revolutionary group at the turn of the century, exiled but escaped to London to join Lenin and other Marxists

Revolutionary record -leading figure in the st petersburg soviet (1905), won over the communists during october revolution by masterminding the seize of power. Leader of Red Army during civil war.

Relationship with Lenin - until 1917 sided with the Mensheviks but after they were both part of communism party and agreed on most issues, lenin proclaimed ‘there was no better communist’ but also noted his arrogence

Appeal within the party -heroism made him popular with younger party members also had the loyalty of the red army. However was seen as more western and some resented him because of his position even though he joined the party late

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5
Q

Stalin

A

Background

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6
Q

Bukharin

A

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7
Q

Zinoviev

A

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8
Q

Kamenev

A

-

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9
Q

Kirov

A

-

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10
Q

Collectivisation

A
  • Grain highest 1926 (77 m) but dropped next 3 years (72 73 72m)
  • ‘Kulak grain strike’ Kulaks kept grain inorder to drive up prices
  • Article 107 of criminal code made grain hoarding a crime, and land was given to those who snitched
  • Article 61 was revised in the middle of 1929 so the the police had the power to send Kulaks to labour camps (Gulags) for up to 2 years
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11
Q

Dekulakisation

A
  • Begn in december 1929
  • Marked the end of capitalism and independent farming in the countryside
    -sped up the progress of collectivisation, orignally proposed 30% would be by 1934 instead it was immediate
  • Majority it meant loss of independence and money
    -rebelled
    =10 million sheep and goats, 18 million horses destroyed between 1929 -33
    =grain and machinery destroyed
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12
Q

Collectivisation (first wave)

A
  • Grain highest 1926 (77 m) but dropped next 3 years (72 73 72m)
  • ‘Kulak grain strike’ Kulaks kept grain inorder to drive up prices
  • Article 107 of criminal code made grain hoarding a crime, and land was given to those who snitched
  • Article 61 was revised in the middle of 1929 so the the police had the power to send Kulaks to labour camps (Gulags) for up to 2 years
  • twenty-five thousanders sent to ‘offer technical help’ but really enforced dekulakisation
  • ended in March 1930 for economic and political reasons
  • 50% we collectivised in march, 25% by august
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13
Q

Dekulakisation

A
  • Begn in december 1929
  • Marked the end of capitalism and independent farming in the countryside
    -sped up the progress of collectivisation, orignally proposed 30% would be by 1934 instead it was immediate
  • Majority it meant loss of independence and money
    -rebelled
    =10 million sheep and goats, 18 million horses destroyed between 1929 -33
    =grain and machinery destroyed
  • Many died in Gulags from disease and hunger
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14
Q

Collectivisation (wave 2)

A

-started in 1931
-resulted in famine inwhich at least 10 million died
-government issued highly unrealistic targets
-punishement example - for failing to meet targets Military checkpoints to prevent foood entering Ukraine. Trains were ordered to have windows shut so no food fell out and foreign aid was denied because Stalin denied the problem.
-chaos meant grain was stuck in barns rotting
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15
Q

Consequences of collectivisation

A
  • between 9.5 and 10 million were exiled as a part of dekulakisation
  • 1929, 150,000 kulak families sent to Siberia
  • 1931 , 285,000 kulak families sent to Siberia
  • labour productivity in rural areas declined because little to gain
  • harvest of 1933 was 9m tonnes lower than 1926
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16
Q

Consequences of collectivisation

A
  • between 9.5 and 10 million were exiled as a part of dekulakisation
  • 1929, 150,000 kulak families sent to Siberia
  • 1931 , 285,000 kulak families sent to Siberia
  • labour productivity in rural areas declined because little to gain
  • harvest of 1933 was 9m tonnes lower than 1926
  • by 1941 all farms collectivised
17
Q

‘good’ results in collectivisation

A
  • state procured 11 million tonnes of grain in 1928
    -rose to 23m in 1933
  • ## grain export rose from 0.03 million in 1928, to 5 million on 1931
18
Q

‘good’ results in collectivisation

A
  • state procured 11 million tonnes of grain in 1928
  • rose to 23m in 1933
  • grain export rose from 0.03 million in 1928, to 5 million on 1931
  • working class rose from 18% in 1928 , to 50% by 1939
19
Q

Reasons for the five year plans

A
  • belief true communism could only work under a advanced industrialised state
  • inspired by the ‘successes’ of collectivisation
  • unable to defend themselves
  • Stalin wanted to separate himself from Lenin
  • NEP’s failure
20
Q

New Economic Policy

A

-

21
Q

first five year plan

A
  • 1928-32 (finished a year early)
  • targets drawn up by Gosplan and set unrealistic targets
  • focused on heavy industry
  • most workers were unskilled peasants who left the countryside during collectivisation
22
Q

successes of the first five- year plan

A
  • economy grew 14% a year
  • iron 3.3 in 1928, 6.2 1932
  • coal 35.4 in 1928, 64.3 in 1932
  • workers were encouraged to take classes in technical subjects
  • universities were made more accessible for those with little academic qualifications
23
Q

Failures of the first five year plan

A

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