The Government under Lenin Flashcards
The aims of Lenin’s government
- Establishment of a socialist state
- Nationalisation of industry
- Redistribution of wealth
- Promotion of education and literacy
- Internationalism
Establishment of a socialist state
Lenin aimed to establish a socialist state in Russia that would be based on the principles of Marxism
The socialist state would be a dictatorship of the proletariat, with workers and peasants in control of the government and the means of production
Nationalisation of industry
Lenin’s government aimed to nationalise all industries and land in Russia, so that they would be owned and controlled by the state
This was seen as a necessary step towards building a socialist economy that would benefit all the people, rather than just the wealthy elites
Redistribution of wealth
Lenin’s government aimed to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor, in order to reduce inequality and create a more equal society
This was achieved through policies such as progressive taxation and the nationalisation of industry and land
Promotion of education and literacy
Lenin believed that education was essential for building a socialist society, and his government invested heavily in education and literacy programs
This was seen as a way to empower the working classes and to ensure that they had the skills and knowledge necessary to participate fully in society
Internationalism
Lenin’s government aimed to spread the socialist revolution beyond Russia and to support other socialist and anti-colonial movements around the world
This was seen as a way to create a global socialist community that would eventually replace capitalism and imperialism
What was the Sovnarkom?
The Sovnarkom was the Council of People’s Commissars, the highest executive and administrative body of the Soviet government established after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917
Who headed the Sovnarkom?
Vladimir Lenin was the first chairman of the Sovnarkom, and he held the position until his death in 1924
What was the role of the Sovnarkom?
The Sovnarkom was responsible for implementing government policies and carrying out the day-to-day administration of the country
How was the Sovnarkom organized?
The Sovnarkom consisted of a group of people’s commissars, or ministers, who were appointed by the chairman
Each commissar was responsible for a particular area of government, such as industry, agriculture, or foreign affairs.
What was the relationship between the Sovnarkom and the Bolshevik Party?
The Bolshevik Party was the ruling party in Russia, and its members held key positions in the Sovnarkom
The party provided guidance and direction to the Sovnarkom, and its policies were implemented by the government
What was the impact of the Sovnarkom on Russia?
The Sovnarkom played a key role in implementing Lenin’s policies and establishing the Soviet Union
It helped to create a centralized government that controlled all aspects of life in Russia, and it laid the foundations for the socialist state that would dominate the country for the next 70 years
What popular decrees did Lenin and his government pass in the first instance?
- the Decree on Land (October 1917)
- the Decree of Peace
- Workers’ Decrees (November 1917)
- the Decree of Workers’ Control (April 1918)
the Decree on Land (October 1917)
It gave peasants the right to seize land from the nobility and the Church
the Decree of Peace (October 1917)
A law which committed the new government to withdrawing from the First World War and seeking peace
Workers’ Decrees
A law which established an eight-hour maximum working day and a minimum wage
the Decree of Workers’ Control
A law which allowed workers to elect committees to run factories
What was the Russian Civil War?
The Russian Civil War was a conflict that took place in Russia between 1918 and 1922, following the Bolshevik Revolution and the overthrow of the Russian Provisional Government
The war was fought between the Bolshevik Red Army and a loose coalition of anti-Bolshevik forces known as the White Army
What were the causes of the Russian Civil War?
The causes of the Russian Civil War were numerous and complex, but some of the main factors included political instability, economic crisis, social unrest, and foreign intervention
The war was also fuelled by ideological differences between the Bolsheviks, who were committed to building a socialist society, and their opponents, who wanted to preserve traditional social, economic, and political structures.
Who were the major factions in the Russian Civil War?
The major factions in the Russian Civil War were the Bolshevik Red Army, led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, and the anti-Bolshevik White Army, which was made up of a diverse array of political groups, including monarchists, liberals, social democrats, and nationalists
How did the Russian Civil War end?
The Russian Civil War ended in 1922, when the Bolsheviks emerged victorious and established the Soviet Union as a socialist state
The White Army was defeated and many of its leaders fled Russia, while others were executed or imprisoned
The war had a devastating impact on Russia, leading to the deaths of millions of people and causing widespread destruction
What were some of the major battles and campaigns of the Russian Civil War?
The Russian Civil War was characterized by a series of battles and campaigns that took place across the country
Some of the major battles included the Battle of Tsaritsyn, the Siege of Petrograd, and the Battle of Warsaw
The war also saw the emergence of guerrilla warfare and the use of terror tactics by both sides
What was the impact of the Russian Civil War?
The Civil War led to the creation of a “party-state” and, as a result of the Civil War, the state became increasingly authoritarian and centralised
Lenin’s prime method of ensuring victory in the Russian Civil War was to…
centralise power
How did Lenin centralise power during the Russian Civil War?
- He centralised control of the economy with the policy of War Communism
- He also relied on political centralisation, working through the loyal Party nomenklatura rather than the more democratic soviets, and using terror to suppress opposition
- Trotsky, leader of the Red Army, made the Red Army more authoritarian. He introduced conscription, harsh punishments and relied on former Tsarist generals to lead the army
What was the consequence of centralised power during the Russian Civil War?
Centralisation ensured that the government, the economy and the army were able to win the war. However, it also took power away from the workers, peasants and soldiers who the communists claimed to represent
What was an agent of the Cheka secret police called?
Chekist
During the Civil War Chekists were responsible for…
raiding anarchist organisations, closing down opposition newspapers and expelling Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries from the soviets
The Cheka was willing to imprison, torture or kill anyone who the communists viewed as a threat - provide examples
In Kremenchug in the Ukraine, Church leaders were impaled on spikes
In the city of Oryol victims were frozen and put on display as ice statues
Women captured by the Cheka were routinely raped
Lenin argued hat during a revolution, civil war and terror were necessary to…
protect the new government from its enemies
In order to fight and win the Civil War, Lenin reformed the army. Following the February Revolution, the Russian army had been…
democratised: soldiers’ committees were empowered to elect senior officers
What did Lenin abolish during the Civil War?
Following the February Revolution, the Russian army had been democratised. Lenin abolished this system and Trotsky put Tsarist generals back in charge of the army
Trotsky put Tsarist generals back in charge of the army - what did this create?
This created outrage among idealists in the Party, who accused Lenin and Trotsky of betraying the principles of the revolution
Abolishing democracy and putting highly trained experts in charge of the army…
paid off, and the Red Army became a disciplines and successful fighting force
The communists had won the Civil War due to their ability to control the whole Russian economy and their willingness to dominate the government. However, this made the government…
extremely unpopular
By early 1921, the communists had won the Civil War. However, the Civil War had ruined…
Russia’s economy
Droughts in 1920 and 1921 made the situation worse, threatening famine
When did the Tambov Rebellion take place?
The Tambov Rebellion took place from 1920 to 1921
In what region of Russia did the Tambov Rebellion occur?
The Tambov Rebellion occurred in the Tambov region of Russia
What were the main causes of the Tambov Rebellion?
The main causes of the rebellion were peasant discontent, war communism policies, requisitioning of grain, and harsh living conditions
Who was the leader of the Tambov Rebellion?
Alexander Antonov was the leader of the Tambov Rebellion
Volga River protest
In March 1921 there were peasant attacks on government grain stores all along the Volga River
In the major cities there were strikes against communist policies in early 1921. In Petrograd the Red Army responded by…
opening fire on unarmed workers
The Kronstadt Rebellion
The Kronstadt rebellion was a 1921 insurrection of Soviet sailors and civilians against the Bolshevik government in the Russian port city of Kronstadt
The Kronstadt sailors demanded a series of reforms, including:
- the immediate free and fair election of new soviets
- release of all anarchist, Menshevik and SR political prisoners
- a restoration of freedom of speech and the press
- the abolition of the Cheka
- An end to War Communism
In essence, the Kronstadt sailors wanted a return to…
Soviet democracy
In essence, the Kronstadt sailors wanted a return to soviet democracy. This demand was summed up in their slogan…
“Soviets without Communists”
How did Lenin respond to the popular unrest in Kronstadt?
By mid-March the Red Army had crushed the Kronstadt uprising
The Red Army was equally ruthless in Tambov - how did they suppress the rebellion?
They suppressed the rebellion by deporting 100,000 people to labour camps and attacking peasant villages with poisoned gas
From February 1921 Lenin authorised the Cheka to…
destroy opposition political parties
At the end of February 1921, all Mensheviks in Petrograd and Moscow were…
arrested and sent to the Butyrka Prison
Alexander Antonov death
On 24 June 1922, Alexander Antonov was eventually tracked down and killed in a gunfight with Red Army and Cheka units near the Vorona River, along with his brother, Dmitriy
Between 1921 and 1922, the communists’ dominance of Russia was consolidated by…
crushing opposition political parties
When did the 1921 Party Congress take place?
The 1921 Party Congress took place from March 8 to March 16, 1921
Where did the 1921 Party Congress occur?
The 1921 Party Congress was held in Moscow, Russia
What was the significance of the 1921 Party Congress?
The 1921 Party Congress marked a critical moment in the history of the Soviet Union as it addressed several important issues faced by the Bolshevik Party and the young Soviet state
Which key policy was discussed during the 1921 Party Congress?
The main focus of the congress was the debate over the New Economic Policy (NEP), which advocated for a temporary retreat from full-scale socialism and the reintroduction of limited market mechanisms to revive the economy
Who were the main proponents of the NEP during the congress?
Lenin and his allies, including Leon Trotsky and Nikolai Bukharin, were the main advocates of the NEP at the congress
What were the key features of the NEP?
The NEP allowed for a certain degree of private enterprise, foreign trade, and individual farming
It aimed to stimulate agricultural and industrial production by providing incentives for small-scale private initiative while maintaining state control over key industries
Were there any opposing views to the NEP at the congress?
Yes, there were factions within the party who opposed the NEP and advocated for a more rapid transition to full socialism
Notable critics included the Workers’ Opposition, led by Alexandra Kollontai and Alexander Shlyapnikov.
What was the outcome of the 1921 Party Congress regarding the NEP?
The congress ultimately endorsed Lenin’s position and adopted the NEP as a temporary policy
It represented a compromise between different factions and provided a pragmatic approach to the economic challenges faced by the Soviet Union at the time
Apart from the NEP, were there any other significant decisions made at the congress?
Yes, the congress also addressed issues such as party membership, organizational matters, and foreign policy
It established the ban on factionalism within the party, emphasizing the need for unity and discipline
What did Lenin introduce at the 1921 Party Congress
Lenin introduced a resolution, entitled “On Party Unity”, which banned factions inside the Party
Lenin conclusion
Lenin created a system in which individuals had no rights as the Cheka were free to persecute anyone that the government perceived as a threat. Indeed, Lenin established the principle that violence was justified in order to protect the revolution
