Russia Masterdeck Flashcards
study this bitch
How did Alexander II enforce autocracy?
stuck to autocratic rule (esp. after assassination attempts), but realised that changes needed to be made from above before the peasants revolted. Widespread programme of reforms - Tsar Liberator.
How did Alexander III enforce autocracy?
intense autocratic rule. Much undoing of his father’s reforms. Believed that the Slavic people were too lazy and unintelligent to merit democracy or great change.
How did Nicholas II enforce autocracy?
continuity of severe autocratic rule like his father. However, October Manifesto 1905 & setting up of the Duma appeared to be a move towards democracy
(only after 1905 Revolution). Fundamental Laws 1906 cushioned the blow of democracy
- maintained his autocratic power.
When was Russia ruled by dictatorship?
October 1917 - 1991
What is the ‘Labour theory of Value?’
- used as justification for Lenin’s overthrowing of Tsarist rule
- outlines a struggle resulting from exploitation of the workers, eventually resulting in a government run entirely by the workers
How did Lenin implement Marxism-Leninism?
- Views passed on to the people through writing & pamphlets
- The Bolshevik Revolution of Oct’ 1917 - overthrowing the Prov Gov
- Civil War (1917-21) against the counter-revolutionaries
- War Communism (nationalising large companies, forced requisitioning of agricultural produce, State monopoly of goods & services) - implemented harshly using the Cheka
- NEP - implemented after the Civil War to ensure support of the moderate Bolsheviks (although actually caused a split in the party between the pragmatists and the hardliners)
Between what years was Totalitarianism enforced in Russia?
1928 (onwards until his death in 1953)
What was included in Stalins totalitarialism ideology?
2 parts
- A centralised economy would be based on central planning and collectivisation
- Personalisation of the system - Stalin would be in sole control of the economy,
society, and politics (achieved through propaganda, increased censorship, and widespread repression & Purges)
What was Stalin?
many things, but one begining with M
a megalomaniac - he did whatever was needed to gain and maintain absolute control - building a culture of fear
Why did Stalin believe Lenin wanted totalitarianism?
establishment of the Party Central Committee and the Cheka indicated Lenin’s desire to centralise his control
How did Stalin try to solve Russias problems?
the 5 Year Plans & Collectivisation were ‘successful’ b/c no-one was allowed to question whether they were appropriate
When was the Secret Speech and what did it contain?
- 1956
- Revealed that Lenin never wanted Stalin in power
- Stalin had not adequately prepared the USSR for WW2
- Stalin had committed crimes against the Russian people
- Possible allies, e.g. Hungary, had been alienated by Stalin
What did Destalinisation include?
Releasing political prisoners from the gulags; relaxing censorship; removing the Cult of Personality
How was gov first structured?
Tsarist Russia
- Tsar
- Council of ministers (lawmaking and admin)
- Imperial council of state (advised on legal & finantical matters)
- Committee of ministers
- Senate
How was communist russia gov structured?
- All-Russian congress of soviets (main lawmaking body)
- Central Executive committee
1. Politburo (eliete bolsheviks in charge of policy)
2. orgburo (organise party affaris)
3. ogburo (responsible for maintaining law and order) - Sovnarkom (Council of People’s comissars - ministers in charge of departments)
What changes did Nicholas II make to government?
central administration
October Manifesto (1905) led to the abolishment of the Committee of Ministers, promising greater
representation:
* Its duties were divided between:
* State Council (kept a check on the activity of the Duma)
* Duma (elected assembly of people representing a range of social groups)
* BUT!! Fundamental Laws (1906) ensured that this apparent move towards democracy was actually just supreme autocracy in disguise
What changes to government did Stalin make?
central administration
1936 Constitution introduced significant political changes & universal suffrage. New representative bodies
introduced:
* Supreme Soviet of the USSR (main lawmaking body)
* Soviet of the Union (contained representatives from the whole of the USSR)
* Soviet of Nationalities (represented particular regional groups)
* BUT!! Article 126 of Stalin’s Constitution ensured that the Supreme Soviet was really the Communist Party’s puppet
What changes to gov did Alexander II make?
central government
Emancipation of the Serfs (1861) meant that local politics was placed into the hands of local police constables & the elected zemstva/duma (had previously been the responsibility of the provincial nobles)
What changes to gov did the Bolsheviks make?
central government
abolished the zemstva/duma after 1917 - local govt was then directed by the soviets
What changes to gov did the Soviets make?
central government
- First Soviet emerged after the October Manifesto (1905). Primarily concerned with co-ordinating strikes &
protecting factory workers - Soon became hugely influential - members of the SRs and SDs looked to gain influence over them, but they were dominated by Bolsheviks
- March-October 1917: Russia effectively run by the Bolshevik-dominated Soviet
- It dictated when, where & how strikes would occur; also had control over essential services
e.g. transport - PETROGRAD SOVIET ORDER NO. 1 - placed ultimate authority over the soldiers and workers in
the hands of the Soviet, they had more power than the government did
What changes to government did Alexander II make?
judicial changes
1864: introduction of a jury for criminal cases; created court hierarchy to deal with different cases; better pay for judges to lessen chance of corruption; trials opened to the public - fairer conduction of trials
1877: new department of the Senate set up to try political cases (post-assassination attempt on A2.) However, proven ineffective w/ the Vera Zasulich case & then A2’s death in 1881
What government changes did Alexander III make?
judicial changes
1881: movement away from ‘liberal’ law & order as approached by A2.
Police centralised under Ministry for the Interior; special courts introduced for political cases; Justices of the Peace replaced by Land Captains (landowners who oversaw the zemstva)
What government changes did the Communists make?
judicial changes
1917 ONWARDS: idea of ‘revolutionary justice’ - 1921 criminal code legalised use of terror to deter anti-revolutionary crime. (The whole judicial system rested on this principle)
What methods of repression did Alexander II employ?
Third Section of the Imperial Chancellory - used to exhile opponents
Okhrana - * Set up in 1880
* Less openly aggressive
* Targeted specific individuals and small groups
rather than large groups of opponents
* Arrested many, but arguably ineffective as A2 was
assassinated
What methods of repression did Alexander III/ Nicholas II employ?
Okhrana - Used especially against the SRs and SDs (political
opponents)
* Ended in Feb 1917 - the Prov Gov didn’t want to continue with an organisation so hated by the people
What methods of repression did Lenin employ?
Cheka - Dealt with those who opposed the Bolshevik
seizure of power in October 1917
* Integral to implementing War Communism & the
Red Terror
What methods of repression did Stalin employ?
OGPU - * Less brutal than the Cheka - implemented in 1924
after the Cheka had served its purpose
NKVD - * Introduced in 1934 when Stalin perceived
dissidence to his rule
* Similar to the Cheka - relentless in clamping down
on opposition
* Made use of show trials and purges
How was the army used by the Tsars?
repression
to mainly quell rebellion/strikes
Alex III: used troops to enforce Russification
Nich II: consistently used troops to control workers’ protests
How was the army used by the Bosheviks?
repression
BOLSHEVIKS: encouraged the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC - soldiers from Petrograd) to become the vanguard of the October Revolution
* MRC merged with Red Guard to form Trotsky’s Red Army - essential to winning the Civil War
* STALIN: used the Red Army to requisition grain & administer the purges
How was propaganda used by Nicholas II?
used portraits, pamphlets, photographs, and national events to increase his popularity (esp. post 1905)
How was propaganda used by the communists?
they were masters of propaganda - introduced slogans, developed Stalin’s Cult of Personality, published Party newspapers, promoted movements (e.g. Stakhanovism) - all to
bolster support
How was consorship used by Alexander II?
censorship relaxed for the first time during the Great Reforms, but then tightened again after assassination attempts
How was censorship used by Alexander III and Nicholas II?
stricter censorship (reactionary period!)
How was consorship used by the communists?
very rigid censorship, establishment of govt newspapers (Pravda), socialist realism in art, Agitprop (Association of Proletarian Writers)
Alexander II’s economic reforms?
promoted railway building; Emancipation promised greater entrepreneurialism
Alexander III’s economic reforms?
Witte’s “Great Spurt” - increased economic & industrial activity - also encouraged the railways
Alexander II’s political reforms?
introduction of the zemstva & duma
Nicholas II’s political reforms?
national Duma
(following Bloody Sunday & 1905 Revolution)
Alexander II’s agrucultural reforms?
Emancipation of the Serfs (1861)
Alexander III’s agricultural reforms?
1889 Land Captains to supervise peasant activity
Nicholas II’s agrucultural reforms?
Stolypin reform
* Unused/poorly utilised land made available to the Peasant Land Bank (est. 1883) - peasants could buy this land on favourable terms
* Peasants who were still strip farming (small plots of land spread over 2/3 fields) were given the right to consolidate their land into one unit
Communists economic reforms?
- Used policy to centralise life
- Nationalisation through the Supreme Economic Council, War Communism, NEP, Collectivisation & Five Year Plans
Communists political reforms?
- Prov Gov tried to introduce democracy via the Constituent Assembly
- Creation of a one-party State after the Bolshevik Revolution
Communists agrucultural reforms?
- Collectivisation - all farms were centralised under the government. 90% of production was taken to feed the cities, and 10% was left for the rural population
Consequences of the Stolypin reform?
- Good: led to an expansion of wealthy peasants who were more loyal to the Tsar (kulaks)
- Bad: they weren’t satisfied as they believed that the best land was withheld from
the peasants - 1914: ~2 million had left the village communes, leaving some regions short of rural labour (accelerated by WW1) - this added to the problem of getting food supplies of food going to the urban population
Impact of reform on peasants?
generally abused/neglected from 1855-1964,
although Emancipation meant that they had some
freedom. Peasants were always hardest hit by famines.
Impact of reform on workers?
exploited by all rulers (but highly valued by
the Bolsheviks). Improvement in working hours, workers’
insurance system & bonus scheme set up towards the
end of 1917. Overall, treated in a similar way to the
peasants though.
Who were the populists? (narodniks)
intelligentsia who attempted to challenge Tsarist policy by educating peasants & promoting socialism;
Who were the peoples will?
1879: a group which aimed to ignite revolution through terrorist action (i.e. assassination)
Who were the social democrats?
1898: Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party, Marxist revolutionary party ancestral to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
Who were the Octoborists?
1905: supporters of Nicholas II & his October Manifesto
Who were the influential leaders pre 1917?
- Influential opposition leaders include Plekhanov (SD); Lenin (SD/Bolshevik); Struve (Liberal); Milyukov (Kadet)
What strikes did the urban proletariat partake in after becoming more politically conscience?
Sympathy strikes after Bloody Sunday (1905) & Lena goldfields (1912). Putilov Works strike (Feb 1917 - marks the start of the February Revolution)
How successful were radicals pre 1917?
wanted an end to the Romanovs & implementation of a republic. People’s Will was successful in assassinating A2. Radical opposition from the Bolsheviks brought the dynasty to an end w/ abdication & murder of N2 in 1918
How successful were peasants pre 1917?
opposition
wanted greater freedoms, rights to their land & protection
against famines. Emancipation Edict, zemstva & Stolypin’s reforms appeared favourable. Gains balanced w/ losses - redemption tax, restrictions from the mir, poor distribution of land, Land Captains etc.
How successful were workers protests pre 1917?
achieved little pre-1914 - strikes put down w/ considerable
force. No factory inspectorate until 1881 to check working conditions, 10-hour working day not implemented until WW1
How successful were national minorities pre 1917?
opposition
some were successful in gaining greater degrees of
independence/representation - Finland granted full autonomy (1905), Polish National Democrats gained some seats in the 1st & 2nd Dumas
How effective were Bolsheviks post 1917?
strongest party after 1917, later transformed into the Communist Party in 1918.
Ban of Factions (1921) reinforced the one-party state (a ban on other parties who defied the will of Communist leadership)
How effective was the civil war post 1917?
Whites & Greens were the greatest opponents to Communism. The Poles also posed a threat
How effective was infighting post 1917?
post-Lenin’s death, a power struggle occurred between Stalin & the United Opposition (Trotsky, Kamenev, Zinoviev) - this marked the beginning of the Purges within the Party
How effective were peasants post 1917?
opposed War Communism & collectivisation; peasant revolts ruthlessly put down by the Communists; kulaks became a particular target
How effective were workers post 1917?
less prone to opposing Communism, but would still rebel if they felt they were unjustly treated (e.g. Novocherkassk protests 1962 against food shortages & rising prices)
