Russian AOS2 Flashcards
What were the initial challenges to the Sov gov?
-Lack of popular support/legitimacy in rule- Civil servants worked out on T (min of FA) + Bol X gain access 2 state bank $$ until 20/11 via force (KS)
-Lack of coop from other socialist groups- Union of R Railroad workers (men + SR led) threaten 2 cut off supplies 2 P is sov coalition gov x forthcoming + Zinoieviev + Kamenev resign from Central Committee in protest
-Lack of experience administrating gov- group of prof rev t/f lack experience in governance + marxist belief would spread int t/f ‘wait + see’ approach
-Break down of law + order- wine riots/beer pogroms x able to be supressed
-Expectations of pub- re end of ‘bourgeoise imperialist war’
Initial responses to initial challenges of Bol gov
-Supported social upheaval- condoned violence against Bour- ‘There is nothing immoral about the proletariat finishing off a dying class- that is its right’ Trotsky
-New Decrees (116 w/in 1st few weeks)- 27/10 Land decree (allowed legal seizure of land 4 peas), 27/10 Press decree (banned K n/paper), 14/11 Workers’ Control Decree, 24/11 creation of Ppl’s Court (‘rev justice’ administered by an elected judge who makes decn based upon rev consc), 29/10 Workers= 8hr work day, also nationalisation of banks, democratisation of army
-Decree on Peace- R will end involvement in war provided x ‘indemnities or retributions’
-State Capitalism- workers’ control decree + Vesenkha (2/12/17) = inc > sight of ind + inc gov control of industry, monopoly on trade+ financial policy
What were the outcomes of state capitalism
-Workers’ X know how to control factories –> forcibly nationalise factories (Nationalisation from bellow)- 4x no. of fact nationalised under Workers’ Control Decree (14/11/17)
-Exacerbated eco probs- Workers’ unsustainable wage rises + taking equipment (e.g. conveyer belt 4 shoes) t/f less production h/w inc $$$ in eco –> inc inflation + hoarding –> only 50g bread p/day in P
-Dems L’s pragmatic attempt b/c Bour still ult in control > factories
-Failure –> inc rigidity + central planning of gov = WC (from June 28th 1918)
How was the constituent assembly a challenge to Bol power initially?
CA open on 5th Jan- SRs = 370 seats (17.5mil votes) + kadets =17 seats (2nd largest urban party) + Bol only 9.8mil votes (175 seats) t/f X majority –> limits legitimacy of power + previous legislation
-Undermined the role of ‘vanguard of proletariat’ b/c a less pure form of dem then rev as ‘bourgeoisie parliamentarianism’ continued to provide a voice to Kadets (rep Bour)
-Men + SR’s X approv of Bol Declaration on the Rights of Toilers + Exploited ppl –> t/f threat to revoke the policies implemented by Bol
How did the Bol response to the challenge of Constituent assembly (5/1/1918)
-28/11 Decree on Pol parties- banned non-soc pol parties (dec infl of Kadets)
-7/12 Left-SR’s joined Sovnarkom- inc legit of bol
-5/1- Declared martial law in P + banned large gatherings/protests
-L threatened Men + SR that if x accept prev decrees the ‘‘The most energetic, rapid, firm and decisive measures on the soviet assembly’
-Use of mil pressence (RG + KS) to intimidate CA post 2am walk out of Bol + left SR’s (6/1) + 5pm Tauride Palace locked + guarded by RG + L declared dissolved
What is the sig of CA dissolution
-Legitimised the use of violence/threat of violence as a means of upholding reg - consolidated power by force x popular mandate
-dems similarity 2 autocratic leadership of TR- elections rhetorical to please ppl (like Duma’s)- x actually change balance of power
-Pop x react t/f suggests ambivalence towards politics = focus on the practical
Why can the Treaty of Brest-Litskov be considered a challenge to Bol early power
-Expectations of reg 2 end involvement in WW1- E.g. April Thesis (4th Ap 17)- ‘Turn the imperalist war into a civil war’ + Decree on Peace (26/10/17) called 4 immediate peace, inc in dip transparency + peace w/o indemnities or annexations
-Emphasised disagreement w/in party (e.g. Bukharin/left com called 4 war to be continued b/c rev would spread globally, Lenin immediate peace 2 prioritise consol of power + T ‘neither peace nor war’ aka delay neg until Ger lose)
–> T (com 4 FA) lead Jan-Feb 18 peace talks + attempt 2 delay peace h/w –> Ger Feb ultimatium of accept peace or continue war –> T w/drew from war w/o signing peace treaty = unilateral to Lenin –> inc debate w/in party
-Ger op fist punch (18/2) –> 700k Ger troops into R+ 240km advance w/in 11days
What were the terms of the Treaty of Brest-Liskov
-34% of R pop (62mil) live under ger occupation
-32% of farm land (inc Uk aka bread basket of R) lost + 1/3 Euro territory
-54% of industrial enterprises + 25% of railway lost
-3bil roubles in indemnities= 2x R war spending
Response 2 TBL
-Divisive w/in Bol party- passed by 1 vote on 15th March @ 7th Party Congress = L win debate- focus on internal consol of power h/w T resign from com of FA + x sign + Bukharin/party’s left attacked
-Left SR left Sovnarkom on 19/3 b/c want inc conflict –> inc violent agitation 4 war e.g. July 18 assassinated Ger diplomat –> sig b/c inc Bol legit control > Sovnarkom
-Inc organised opposition from TR generals + Kadets
-Ult cemented Lenin as the ‘party’s wise + eminent leader’ b/c TBL revoked in 11/11/18 following Ger lose t/f Ger w/draw w/in 12 months + Bol able to focus on internal consol of power
Significance of initial decrees + state cap
-Represent attempt to dem true rev + deliver on promises 2 create new society + distinguish self from PG
-Sought 2 inc support from mil, peas + working class- e.g. Decree on Peace (26/10) by including them into rev (e.g. Decree on Land 27/10)
-Democratisation of mil ult weaken mil t/f inc vuln 2 attacks (e.g. Treaty of Riga)
-Failure of state cap- signified need to inc gov involvement in eco –> War communism June 28th 1918 = Nationalisation Decree
-Creation of CHEKA (7/12)- continual reliance on force + supression of opposition to maintain civil order (similarly Decree on Pol Parties banning Kadets ( 28/11)
-Failed to fix eco + WC
Why was the NEP introduced
+ When
-When- at the 10th Party Congress (8th of March 1921- day after start of KS revolt)
-Why- Need to ‘restore, consolidate and improve peas farming’ (Lenin) to address food crisis
-KS revolt dem that authoritarian policies and force failing to ensure social stability/loss of core supporters (‘the reddest of the red’)
-KS revolt emph failures of WC to create eco conditions
List key features of the NEP
-Grain req ended- replaced by tax in kind until 1924 (when currency stabilised) + peas exempt for 1st yr to recover from famine
-Legalised priv markets/businesses- some smaller businesses sold from state to priv owners + 1922 = trade deal w Br
-Cash reintro w gold standard (2 stop inflation) + wages paid in cash (inc incentive to produce) + state supplied services phased out
-Militarism of workplace abandoned (e.g. labour armies)
-Mixed eco- ‘gov still control commanding heights of eco’ e.g. HI + large factories, transport + banking
What were the economic impacts of the NEP
-HI still lag behind other industries (esp b/c lack of capital to expand industry)- Iron Ore 1/2 of pre-war levels + 1922 500k HI workers fired b/c x able to produce enough to cover labour costs
-Some industries h/w exceed pre-war levels- e.g. electricity 1913= 1945mil M/kwh vs 3508mil kWh in 1926
-Agricultural sector- grain levels return 2 09-13 levels + inc livestock (esp due to modernisation)
-Scissor crisis (1923) due to inc gap b/w ag prices + manufacturing prices –> in fear of peas hoarding to artificially inc prices- Ended by 1924- dems able to ‘put eco back on two feet’
What were the social/political impacts of the NEP
-Reduced political dissonance among peas + workers- e.g. dec strikes from 1922
-Inc :) from peas b/c were provided some resources to modernise farming (end strip farming, reduced gov intervention)+ inc prosperity- e.g. by mid ‘20’s ag production exceeded HI + back to ‘09-‘13 levels of grain prod + inc variety of crops (e.g. potatoes)
How was the scissor crisis addressed?
-Established scissor committee
-Est policies- E.g. inc grain exportation, forcible closure of businesses who sold goods @ inflated prices (closed 250k+ b/w 23-24) + state inc role in buying + selling goods @ reasonable price e.g. commissariat of food
-Outcome- by Aug ‘24 blades closed
