Russia Topic 5 Flashcards
What was War communism
Everything was controlled by the state, to ensure that the Bolsheviks won the Civil war
Why was War communism introduced
- Industries were not producing enough, only 60%
- Lost 50% of industry and 28% of agriculture due to treaty of BL
- Mass food shortages as the whites controlled several farming areas
- peasants were only producing enough to feed themselves
- raw materials were not getting to factories
- Workers were leaving cities as their was no food
What did War communism introduce for crops
- Peasants were not allowed to sell their crops
- The state requisitioned crops and left a small amount for peasants needs
- this meant that peasants often ended up hiding grain
- Food rationing began in cities so the soldiers and workers got more food
What was the Supreme Economic council which war communism introduced
- It told factories what to produce and organised supplies of raw materials
What happened to factories and workers due to War communism
- Factories with more than 10 workers were nationalised and given production targets
- Workers were put under strict discipline
- Everyone older than 16 was conscripted
What negative effects did war communism have on Russia
- Peasants angry as they were often left with no grain
- Food shortages turned into famines
- Workers migrated to the countryside so factory production halved
- Black market increased and provided 70% of food eaten
Who were the Kronstadt sailors
‘reddest of the red’
- Strong supporters of revolution
- Took part in July days
- Helped overthrow provisional government
- Helped shut down Constituent assembly
How many sailors mutinied in the Kronstadt mutiny
more than 15,000
When was the Kronstadt mutiny
1921
Why did the Kronstadt mutiny happen
- Wanted re-elections by secret ballet
- Freedom of speech
- Freedom for political prisoners
- All workers to have equal rations
- Freedom for peasants to farm as they wish
How was the Kronstadt mutiny dealt with
- Trotsky used the red army to crush the rebellion
How many soldiers of the red army did Trotsky send in for the Kronstadt mutiny
50,000
How many casualties was there in the Kronstadt mutiny
20,000
What was the significance of the Kronstadt mutiny
- Clear the Bolsheviks were facing severe opposition from the people who should be supporting them
- Lenin realised war communism was risking his control over the country
Due to the Kronstadt mutiny what did Lenin abandon and introduce
He abandoned War communism
He introduced The New Economic Policy
Why did Lenin need to introduce the New economic policy
War communism was causing too many hardships:
- Food shortages and famine, the peasants needed incentives to produce more grain
- Industrial production was at a standstill
- Everyone hated the Bolsheviks
- The Civil war was over so such tight control wasn’t needed
- 3/4 of Petrograd were on strike
What did the NEP do
brought back capitalism for some sections of the economy so people could make PROFIT and keep it
What does PROFIT stand for, with the new economic policy
P - private trading of small goods, for profit was allowed, people who did this were called (NEPMEN)
R - rouble, a new coinage was introduced and workers were paid wages again
O - ownership of small factories, were allowed private companies so they could make a profit
F - fixed 10% grain to government, they could sell the rest for profit
I - industry run by experts, brought in from US and Canada to run more efficiently
T - trade was encouraged, with countries such as Britain
Why was the NEP a success
- Agricultural production went up
- Factory production went up
- life got better
How much had grain production risen by during the NEP
Doubled
Evidence that agricultural production had gone up during the NEP
- Peasants moved food to sell in cities and towns
- Peasants now enjoyed making money and unrest became a thing of the past
Evidence that factory production had gone up during the NEP
- 90% of cotton mills were working
- Production of electricity had massively increased
Evidence that life got better during the NEP
- New small businesses appeared in towns which helped the economy
- Rationing was abolished and people bought food with their own money so people were keen to make money
- Cafes, theatres, hotels had opened as life in cities and towns had recovered
What was the scissor crisis
- So much food was being produced that prices went down
- but because their was less industry, industrial prices stayed high
- this made peasants less eager to sell food
- but the government solved it by lowering industrial prices
criticisms of the NEP
- Some communisms saw it as a betrayal to communism as it introduced anti-communist aspects
- A new class had been created, middle class, (NEPMEN) as they could make profit
- NEP favoured the peasants and not the workers who were the original supporters of the Bolsheviks
When did Lenin die
1924
Who did he dictate his ‘last will and testament’ to
His wife
After he died, what arose
The cult of Lenin
What were some of Lenin’s achievements
- October revolution, mastermind of the revolution, Bolsheviks would of never have seized power
- War communism, although unpopular enabled Bolsheviks to win the civil war
- NEP, got the party to agree to a retreat from communism, allowed Bolsheviks to stay in power
- The April Thesis, clear aims got the Bolsheviks more support
