Soviet Union 1917-41 (Survey)

Question 1

Mensheviks and Bolsheviks key idea?

Answer 1

Menshevik - Mass membership, prepared for slow change.

Bolsheviks - Believed in a small party elite of marxists, a “vanguard party”.

Question 2

Nature of the revolution and characteristics of the revolution?

Answer 2

Three-way revolution by 1917.
1. Urban Revolution.
2. Peasant (rural revolution).
3. Revolution of nationalities.

Question 3

October Revolution and Bolshevik seizing of power saw what?

Answer 3

• Alexander Kerensky’s provisional government in clear decline due to three revolutions.
• Bolsheviks one of leading socialist revolutionary fronts, decision to organise October revolution with Trotsky’s organisational skills.
• Bolshevik support centralised in urban area, after the revolution bolsheviks consolidated ‘sovnarkom’.

Question 4

Early Sovnarkom-era USSR and its policies?

Answer 4

• work reforms
• Foreign policy change
• Establishment of military wing (cheka and red-army)
• Land reforms
• Economic reformations

Question 5

what is 1918, June - 1921?

Answer 5

Civil war beginning and ending.

Question 6

Russian civil war features?

Answer 6

1. Russian civil war features the war fought by the bolsheviks as well as other leading political parties, including involvement and opposition support by western powers.
2. War communism - Range of economic policies to cope with the conflict.

Question 7

NEP purpose?

Answer 7

• The New Economic Policy (1921-24) emerged post civil war.
• Policy brought in form of state monitored capitalism, with things such as grain requisitioning
• Sovnarkom allowed private businesses to operate (80% private).