Russia Bolsheviks In Power Flashcards
Bolshevik ideology
Dictatorship of proletariat workers rule, initially, small elite lead, fade into classless state
Sovnarkom
Council of Ministers, new govt Bol dom, few SR, Mens
CA
Nov 1917
Elections, B did not have overall majority
Met for 1 day, not a democratic body
Effect of Closing CA
Causes civil war, ends democracy+B govt threat
Bolshevik decrees
Land
540mn taken from landlords, give land to peasants, set up committees to share land
Bolshevik decrees
Peace
End the war
Bolshevik decrees
Work
8hour day, 40 hour week
Holiday entitlement
Bolshevik decrees
Political parties
CDP banned
Bolshevik decrees
General
Policies appeal to all except MC
Treaty of Brest Litovsk
Trotsky told to delay negotiations for as long as possible, revolution in EU, make DE negotiations fairer
Effects of the Treaty of Brest Litovsk
RU lost population of 50mn, 27% arable, 26% railways
Land from Baltic to Black Sea, Ukraine, war damages 3bn
Civil war
Why
B lack support, increase opposition from in+out of RU
Lenin needs to remove opposition
Opposition to ending of CA, T of BL, initial decrees, Bolsheviks leading govt
Who fought who
Reds, B+supporters
Whites, Ex Tsarist supporter, foreign powers until 1919, SR, Mens
Greens, minority groups who want independence (Georgia)
Why did Reds win
Leadership
L, WC provided essential supplies,
had equipment to win
T, travelled to battle zones in armoured train, increase morale to see troops, garage for 2 cars, printer for news of success, propaganda, theatre,
increase morale, unity in RA
Why did the Reds win
Geog location
Petrograd Moscow, parts of Trans Siberian Railway, easy to move around RA area, conc area, good soil for food production,
Gives strength to RA
Strengths of the Reds
Army
T, leader, 5mn well disciplined. Political commissars fought+found traitor. Ex Tsarists blackmailed to fight
Real strength behind R
Strengths of the Reds
Terror
Cheka+RA=>RT, force support
No opposition to R, strength, influence
Strength of the Reds
Unity
Common goal, continue rule
All work for common goal
Weakness of the whites
Leadership
Admiral Kolchak, General Denikin, Yudenich
Little coordination, poor leadership, led disparate group
Weakness of the Whites
Geog location
Dispersed
Hard to coordinate forces
Weakness of the Whites
Army
Poorly led, lacked discipline+morale, lack of unity
Lack strong army, not united
Weakness of the whites
Terror
Used to force compliance, WT too extreme, worse than RT
Many fled to Reds
Weakness of the Whites
UNity
Lack of unity, different group have different goals, 1919, foreign powers left, no need to continue war
No common goal after removal of Reds
Political control
Decrees to gain support, ban others Dismissal of CA=>dictatorship RT, Cheka+Army Control of propaganda Civil war 1918 Constitution, elections to Congress of Soviets did not happen
Economical control
War Communism
Why
State control essential under Communism
Provide vital resources for CW+ and food for people, central control of Ec
War Communism
What
Nationalise industry
More than 10 workers, state controlled factory
Banks, state control, all production under Lenin’s control
War Communism
What
Requisitioning
Grain taken from peasants with Chase die to reduced supply in war
War Communism
What
Rationing
Food for RA+workers, class based, MC received less than others
War Communism
What
End private trading
State control, peasants could not sell surplus, affect Kulaks
War Communism
What
Rapid inflation
20%increase/month
Wages 2% of 1913, money worthless, resort to bartering
Effects of WC
Food shortages
Peasants did not want to produce goods, subsistence farming, opposition, accused of hoarding grain
Famine, 7mn died
Help from US Relief Association, food for 10mn people
Effects of War Communism
Rebellions
V unpopular in rural (Tambov region, 50000 anti C against requisition, refused entry to govt)
Effects of War Communism
Kronstadt Mutiny
Desire of sailors, soldiers and workers for freedom of speech, assembly, trade unions, end RT, p prisoners to be released, end of C control
Effects of War Communism
Industrial output
Gas 80mn in 1913, 37mn in 1921
Coal 29 mn, 9mn
Iron 4.2 mn, 0.1mn
Significance of War Communism
Flash that lit up reality, Lenin had to change Ec for P reasons, Soldiers and sailors had been loyal to C and now revolt
