Russia 6 Flashcards
what did Lenin and the Bolsheviks believe was bound to happen to the state once communism had been acheived?
it would “wither away”
what was the name of the body tasked with reorganising the Russian state after the 1917 revolution? and what happened to it?
the constituent assembly and was dissolved in Jan 1918 by the Bolsheviks and their allies
how did Lenin deal with the threat of opposition with the soviets?
He was suspicious of them as they were multi-party organisations, not controlled by the Bolsheviks alone so wherever they could Bolsheviks set about organising new elections to ensure non- Bolshevik soviets were “Bolshevised”
what happened to the petrograd soviet after the rise of Lenin and the Bolsheviks?
it was side-lined
what did Lenin replace the petrograd soviet with?
Sovnarkom
why did the “commisars” in Sovnarkom initially struggle?
when they arrived at govt offices to issue instructions, govt employees who opposed the Bolsheviks refused to work with them. Many simply stayed at home until threatened with dismissal or replacement
what did the new constitution passed in 1918 do?
turned Russia into the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
who held all power in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic?
All-Russian congress of soviets
how was the all-russian congress of soviets appointed?
elected by Russia’s local soviets
who carried out the RSFSR’s decisions?
a central executive committee
how were elections to the Sovnarkom and the ruling system corrupted?
All-Russian congress of Soviets was supposed to elect Sovnarkom however it was actually chosen by the Communist Party Central Committee and the new system was closely controlled by the communists
how did Sovnarkom achieve a dominant position in ruling Russia?
Introduces a new constituitoon (RSFSR) where all power wwould be held by the All-Russian congress of Soviets
what was the Politburo?
new smaller body of the Communist party that took control of policy making from the central committee and even from Sovnarkom
what was the RSFSR replaced by and when?
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
what new position within the USSR was established?
general secretary
who became general secretary and what was their role?
Joseph Stalin, tasked with coordinating the party’s work and became the most powerful role in the govt
how did new communist party positions help control govt in the USSR?
new,smaller body- Politburo- took control of policy making and general secretary established and became most powerful role in govt
what system did the communist party introduce in 1923 in an attempt to increase their control?
the nomenklatura system
what was the nomenklatura?
a category of people in official govt positions who were appointed with the agreement of the Communist Party Central Committee and the idea was that only those trusted by the Communists could now hold positions of power in new state
what factor continued to limit the power of the communist party over the state?
couldnt rule without experienced members of the state like lawyers, administrators, food-supply specialists and military generals had to remain in place until a new generation of communist officials could be trained
what did the Bolsheviks split between?
Nikolai Bukharin had a group of “Left Communists” inside the Bolshevik party and Lenin at the other end whilst Trotsky was stuck in the middle
what did Nikolai Buhkarin and the “Left Communists” believe?
argued Germany and Austria were on the brink of revolution and Russia should fight a revolutionary war involving armed workers, peasants, and what was left of the Russian army until German govt was overthrown
what did Lenin believe about war in 1917?
realised that Russia couldnt fight on and urged Trotsky accept the Germans’ terms
what was Trotsky’s position on war and peace?
argued for “neither peace nor war”. He delayed making a decision for as long as possible until revolution finally broke out in Europe
when and how did the fighting between USSR and Germany stop?
on March 3rd 1918, Bolsheviks and Germans signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk accepting German terms in return for an end to fighting
what land and population did Russia lose after the war?
-In Ukraine and Baltic provinces, German troops arrived as an occupying force
-semi- independent govts set up in Ukraine, Georgia and Belarus
-Finland and Poland became their own independent countries
-Russia lost 1/6 of its population, 2 mill square km of land
-
what did Russia lose in terms of agriculture and economy post war?
the loss of 2 million square km of land also meant Russia therefore lost almost 1/3 of its agricultural output, 1/4 railways and 3/4 of its iron and coal supplies
during the civil war, what was the name of the army mobilised by the Bolsheviks and what did it consist of?
Red Army, made of armed workers from the “Red Guards” and some soldiers
what group on the political right opposed the Bolshevik “Reds”?
the “Whites”
which former military commanders were in the “Whites”?
Admiral Kolchak, General Yudenich and General Denikin
what were the “White’s main plans”?
to march on Moscow and Petrograd and take power
who supported the “Whites” for a time?
Britain, France, and the USA, who provided weapons and very limited no. of men to help
By Spring 1918, what anti-Bolshevik organisation was created and with who’s help?
“volunteer army” had been created with German help
where did the bolsheviks move their capital from and to due to the growing threat?
from Petrograd to Moscow
who (in Siberia) cooperated with the “Whites” and under which commander?
no. of socialists revolutionaries, liberal kadets and Siberian regionalists cooperated with Admiral Kolchak’s whites
what orgnisation was formed in Ukrain and opposed the Red army ?
the “black army” led by Nestor Makhno
what was the most important PoW group that the Reds had to contend with? and how many were a part of this group?
Czechoslovak region, 45,000 PoWs
what were the Whites weaknesses?
-they were disunited and their commanders struggles to work together
-struggled to rectruit peasants to their armies as they were associated with the hated Tsarist regime
-allies only half-hearted in their support for the whites
what were the Red’s strengths?
-united fighting force
-managed to recruit a huge no. of workers and peasants
-From 1918, Trotsky commanded the Red Army brutally and efficiently
-Reds held important lines of communication
what did Lenin argued was required as an intermediate stage before socialism could be acheived?
“state capitalism”
what was “state capitalism”
where the govt controlled some industry but private trade still played a key role
what new organisation was set up to supervise the economy?
Vesenkha
which organisations helped to nationalise some of the economy under “state capitalism”?
Venenkha, factory committees, peasant communes
what problems did factories face in maintaining production during “state capitalism”?
-inexperiences in managerial tasks
-difficult to find raw materials and fuel needed
-loss of agricultural areas and food shortages became increasingly severe
how did the Bolsheviks attempt to control peasant agriculture during the civil war?
-food requisitioning -> seizing grain from peasants to feed cities and Red Army
-Encouraged peasants to collectivise their farms
-armed detachments took grain by force
how did communists try to ignite class war in villages and why did it fail?
the “poor” and ‘‘middling’’ peasants were encouraged to unite in “Committees of the poor” against the wealthy Kulaks and it was hoped that the poor and middling peasants would support the communist govt and help deliver grain but it turned out that peasants were far more united in villages than divided by class
in what ways did the Civil war impact on trade and industry?
Communists abandoned “state capitalism” + began nationalising industries. By 1920 almost all factories + businesses taken over by the state. workers’ factory committees lost all power + experiences managers returned.
what was the civil war’s impact on workers/ people in particular?
working hours extended and workers given ration books receiving payment in kind for their work. private trade forbidden and money useless
what did class war policies involve?
workers had the best rations and former ‘‘exploiting classes’’ the worst. the houses of the wealthy were requisitioned and turned into communal apartments for workers
how did rampant inflation and food shortages during “war communism” change life in Russia’s towns and cities?
-internal passports to stop people moving to countryside
-population of Petrograd and Moscow decreased
-total industrial output decreased
-disease spread
-cannibalism
who was assassinated in July 1918 and by who?
Count Mirbach assassinated by men on the orders of the left socialist revolutionary committee
what did left SRs believe?
it is vital to continue fighting rather than make peace with German imperialists
what did the Bolsheviks do in 1922 to supress SR opposition?
number of socialist revolutionaries put on show trial, accused of plotting to assassinate Lenin. 34 will be condemned, 11 shot and PSR outlawed for good
what opposition arised from within the communist party?
radical communist faction: the workers’ opposition led by Alexandra Kollontai and Alexander Shliapnikov
how did Lenin oppose the formation of the workers’ opposition?
banned all party factions so the communist leadership could have more control over party leadership
when was Tsar Nicholas II and his family killed?
July 1918
when was the “Red Terror” during the civil war and how many people died due to who?
1921, 80,000 suspected counter revolutionaries killed by Cheka agents
how do people fight back against grain requisitioning? most significant event?
no. of peasant revolts and the most serious takes place in the province of Tambov in August 1920 lasting until June 1921
how many Red Army soldiers are required to end the peasant revolts?
100,000
what opposition starts to occur in the cities by 1921?
continuing food crisis, and increasingly small rations prompt workers strikes
what happens when Red Army soldiers are called to crush the strikes and protests?
many refuse
where was the sailor uprising in March 1921? and how many?
30,000 sailors in the Kronstadt naval base. previously known for supporting Bolsheviks
what do the Kronstadt sailors demand in their manifesto?
a real socialist democracy of all socialist parties
what was the most violent manifestation of ‘Red antisemitism’ in 1918?
the Hlukhiv massacre
how were the Red Guards able to seize control of Hlukhiv?
after being forced by the Ukrainian Bolshevik regiment, they regrouped on the outskirts and joined forces with the Roslavl’skie Red Partisans
who did the Red Guards associate Jews with in Hlukhiv?
the bourgeoisie
what reasons did the Red Guards and their allies give for targeting Jews?
They had been given orders from above to kill all the Jews and they associated and wanted to destroy the bourgeoisie and Jews
what did Gosplan do and what year was it created?
1921 and took over the task of planning for large industries that were still nationalised
How did local Bolshevik leaders encourage violence against Jews?
Red Guards that had fallen in the struggle for power in Hlukhiv were fiven official burials in the town centre under a red banner bearing “long live the international”
how did the positions of workers and peasants change under NEP? (5)
-workers strikes and peasants revolts ended and 1920s period of calm
-requisitioning of grain ended + had to give a certain proportion of their produce to the state as “tax in kind” but could sell surplus
-peasants began to sell grain causing food prices to plummet but industrial production much slower so industrial prices shot up (called by Trotsky the “scissors crisis”)
-consumerism flourished in towns and cities with markets set up for peasants to sell goods
- in villages many peasants began to prosper + kulaks returned as a force
what economic changes occurred after the introduction of NEP?
-large sections of soviet economy denationalised + private trade allowed in multiple areas + cooperatives + small businesses able to set up
-commercial advertising began again. famous artists like Rodchenko hired to produce innovative designs
-new class of professional traders- Nepmen- emerged + class inequalities increases rapidly
what was the name of the large scale shopping centre created after the formation of NEP?
GUM
what were communist attitudes to NEP?
-some rank and file communists were horrifies by the changes they saw (betrayal of revolution)
what were the communists party’s two focuses in terms of culture?
-to uproot and destroy “old” and “anti-revolutionary existing culture
-to instil a new, “revolutionary” culture
how did the communists reduce the influence of the orthodox church?
-from 1917 onwards, sustained assault on the church.
-Jan 1918- they disestablished the church and clergy made second class citizens
-church lost all power over education and marriage
-1922- patriarch of the Orthodox church, Tikhon, imprisoned and massive propaganda campaign attacking the church
which groups carried out anti-religious propaganda?
-the Communist youth league (Komsornol)
-the All-union League of the Godless
how did the Communists try to control “everyday” life?
poster campaigns oencouraged people to abstain from alcohol, improve their language, and keep themselves clean and healthy. workers encouraged to join the communist party during the “Lenin Enrolment” of 1925-26. during this time, an extra 638,000 people joined the communist party, 440,000 of them workers
what were the results of Communists attempts to control “Everyday” life?
results disappointing. Heavy drinking and swearing remained + many new communist members held a card but did little or nothing in the way of activism. worker’s clubs established to inculcate new everyday culture into workers’ lives, but often failed. Komsomol supposed to be dedicated youth group but in reaility many interested in socialising over politics and numerous scandals due to heavy drinking, fighting and sexual assault
how did art develop during the communist rule?
1917-1920s, immense artistic creativity. Experimental art like cubism. the Left Art Front (LEF) established led by artists like the poet Mayakovsky
how did cinema change during communist rule?
film makers Eisenstein whose films included Strike and Battleship Potemkin
how did communists react to the changes in art?
some communists were dissatisfied with the results and argued that abstract and experimental artforms could not be related to by ordinary people
what were the problems with USSR cinema?
soviet films struggled to compete with Hollywood
how did Communist’s nationalist opinions change after the civil war?
some communists now argued that nationalism was a real force that had to be accepted as a step towards socialism.
what did Lenin argue about nationalism?
he argued that there was a “good” nationalism where oppressed nations could liberate themselves and he felt it could prevent countries trying to break away. By end of 1920s “nation-building” beginning, encouraging people to build a new, national consciousness
how were social inequalities in the 1920s?
increased rapidly. The NEP led to a new class of private traders- NEPmen. By 1925, NEPmen widespread hated group and a leading communist Bukharin encouraged peasants to “enrich yourselves” and kulaks reemerged
how were ethnic inequalities in after the civil war?
still existed as “republics” had little freedom to choose own policies. religious restrictions targeted Jews as much as orthodox christians and still antisemitism
how did gender change after the civil war?
communists wanted to loberate women. leading communists such as Kollontai argued for equality. within communists, women’s rights promoted by Women’s sections (Zhenotdel)
communist policies affecting gender post civil war
-marriage removed from church’s authority and civil affair
-divorce made easy in 1920s
-“postcard divorces”
-1920- abortion legalised
what was the reality of the changed in gender after the civil war?
-“dual burden” (work and childcare)
-image of a good communist was male
- women and girls excluded from and threatened by organisations such as the Komsomol
what communist policies were associated with sexuality?
1918- old criminal code abolished and with it redstrictions on sexuality
1922-26- new criminal codes passed in USSR
how did communists react to the increased freedom of sexuality?
some like Kollontai approved and argued for “free love”. However many like Lenin were conservative in their attitudes towards sexuality and felt it was a distraction
why did the Russian civil war break out?
after WW1 was officially over, civil war flared up as an array of different anti-Bolshevik groups emerged raising armies against Lenin’s new govt
