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History > Theme 1: The nature of government > Flashcards

Theme 1: The nature of government Flashcards

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1
Q

IDEOLOGY

A
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2
Q

What ideology did the Tsar’s have?

A

-Autocracy
-Divine right to rule
-‘The little father’
-Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationality

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3
Q

How did Alexander II reinforce autocracy?

A

-Restrictions to his Emancipation Edict e.g. redemption payments, use of the mir= control the ‘dark masses’ i.e. the peasants

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4
Q

What is Alexander III’s rule referred to as?

A

‘The reaction’- use of repression to counteract his father’s ‘liberal’ policies
-Viewed minorities as undeserving of freedoms e.g. they were lazy

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5
Q

When did Alexander III introduce reforms?

A

-When they benefitted society as a whole

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6
Q

What change did Nicholas II create?

A

October Manifesto in response to 1905 revolution
-Creation of a Duma (elected assembly) for the first time

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7
Q

How did Nicholas II reinforce autocracy?

A

-Fundamental laws 1906
-Nicholas had the power as to who was on the Duma
-Could dissolve the Duma at any point

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8
Q

How did Lenin govern Russia?

A

Dictatorship

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9
Q

What two principles are Lenin-Marxism centred on?

A
  1. Superstructure of institutions to create an egalitarian society
  2. Marx’s Labour Theory of Value
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10
Q

What did the Labour Theory of Value suggest would happen?

A

-Workers would eventually overthrow Capitalists to create a dictatorship of the proletariat

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11
Q

How did War Communism promote his ideology?

A

-Ensure there was no drift from workers or peasants i.e. those would need to support Lenin-Marxism
-Implemented with a degree of ruthlessness e.g. use of the Cheka to prevent opposition

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12
Q

How did his New Economic Policy promote his ideology?

A

-Ensured the backing of moderate Bolsheviks, however it caused a split in the party

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13
Q

How did Stalin govern Russia?

A

Totalitarian= total control of all aspects of the people by one figure of authority

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14
Q

What did Stalin implement?

A

-A command economy= economy controlled by the state

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15
Q

What was collectivisation?

A

-Peasants shared resources to produce food that was then distributed to local communities, with surplus going to urban communities

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16
Q

What was the aim of Stalin’s 5 year plans?

A

-Developing heavy industry

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17
Q

What did Stalin use to take total control of the economy, society and politics?

A

-Cult of personality, increased censorship and repression

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18
Q

What did Khrushchev introduce?

A

-De-stalinisation- removal of Stalin’s cult of personality, removal of political prisoners from Gulags and relaxing censorship

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19
Q

What was the aim of the 7 year plan?

A

-Light industry

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20
Q

What evidence suggests Khrushchev’s policies did not entirely move away from autocracy?

A

-Hungarian uprising crushed by Khrushchev

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21
Q

SUMMARY

A

Tsars= main focus was to preserve autocracy
-Very minimal change in ideology- believed in their divine right to rule until the downfall of the Tsars
Communists= variations in ideology i.e. different beliefs in how Russia should be run e.g. differences between Stalin’s repressive rule and
-Leni

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22
Q

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

A
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23
Q

What is central government?

A

Political authority that governs all states within a country or nation

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24
Q

What did the Tsar’s want to preserve?

A

Autocracy

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25
Q

What major change appeared under Nicholas II?

A

-October Manifesto= creation of a duma
-Elected lower house meant to be representative of society

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26
Q

What was the Duma on paper?

A

Fundamental political change HOWEVER Fundamental Laws 1906 meant no law could go into power with Nicholas approval- preserve autocracy

27
Q

How many Duma’s were there between 1906-1917?

A

4 Dumas
1st Duma=ignored by government so had little effect
2nd Duma= more radical, criticised the handling of the land issue
3rd Duma= more conservative and tsar friendly, reforms passed to improve the army, navy and judicial system
4th Duma= Open and closed numerous times, pressured Nicholas to abdicate, members became part of the Provisional Government

28
Q

What was Lenin’s 1918 constitution?

A

-Russia= Republic of Soviets
-All power to the Soviets

29
Q

Where was there a concentration of power?

A

-In the hands of the men who controlled both the Communist party and the state

30
Q

What became the effective government of Russia?

A

Svonarkom
-Lenin=president
-Full executive power
-Full control of the economy

31
Q

What was the 1921 Ban on Factions?

A

-Issued by Lenin
-Once party policy had been agreed by the Central Committee it was expected to be accepted by everyone
-Factionalism= expulsion

32
Q

What became most powerful element of the Communist Party?

A

-Politburo= leading-decision making body
-Dictatorship of the Proletariat was established

33
Q

What did Stalin introduce?

A

1936 Constitution

34
Q

What were it’s key features?

A

-Universal suffrage
-Certain freedoms guaranteed e.g. freedom of speech
-Article 126 legitimised the One Party State

35
Q

Why was it criticised?

A

-Made the communist party the only legal political party allowed
-Despite guaranteed freedoms, many were purged, exiled or imprisoned
-Universally regarded as shameless propaganda
-Party policy became indistinguishable from government policy- supreme soviet= puppet of communist party

36
Q

What two major changes did Khrushchev make to the government structure?

A
  1. Decentralisation of control-transfer power from the soviet central government to the svnarkhozy- regional councils
  2. Democratisation of the Communist party- e.g. introduce more democratic elements like increasing pensions
37
Q

What policy did Khrushchev follow?

A

De-stalinisation i.e. Denunciation of Stalin’s policies

38
Q

What did Khrushchev ultimately become?

A

De facto leader of the Soviet Union

39
Q

SUMMARY

A

-Little change under the Tsars- preserve autocracy
-Perhaps biggest change= Duma under Nicholas II
-Communists wanted to centralise control to increase communist power

40
Q

REPRESSION

A
41
Q

What is repression?

A

Subduing someone or something by force

42
Q

What are the main methods of repression used by all of the rulers?

A
  1. Secret police
  2. Army
  3. Censorship
  4. Propaganda
43
Q

Secret police- how was it used by the Tsars?

A
  1. Alexander II
    -Replaced the Third section with the Okhrana
    -Counter the growth of political parties
  2. Alexander III
    -Okhrana= spy, arrest, exile political opponents
  3. Nicholas II
    -Okhrana= lower activity due to relative stability prior to 1917 revolution
44
Q

Secret police- how was it used by the Communists?

A
  1. Lenin
    -Cheka formally implemented ‘red terror’ e.g. grain requisitioning as a result of war communism
    -After civil war it was replaced with the OGPU- not as brutal but still left fear
  2. Stalin
    -NKVD
    -Permanent form of terror
    -Responsible for purges, show trials and sending 40 million people to Gulags
  3. Khrushchev
    -Re-organised Ministry of Internal affairs (MVD) into two departments- one dealt with ‘ordinary’ criminal acts, KGB focussed on external/internal USSR security as a result of the Cold War
45
Q

The army- how was it used by the Tsars?

A
  1. Alexander II
    -Introduced reforms in the army e.g. reduced conscription
  2. Alexander III
    -Used army to enforce Russification
  3. Nicholas II
    -Army used to control workers protests during 1905 revolution
46
Q

The army- how was it used by the Communists?

A
  1. Lenin
    -Lenin encouraged soldiers to create the Military Revolutionary Committee
    -Red army crucial to enable Bolsheviks to win the Civil War e.g. 5 million conscripts BUT Trotsky faced problems of desertion and rebellion e.g Kronstadt
  2. Stalin
    -Used by Stalin during second-world war- ‘fight to the last drop of blood’
    -Red army helped to enforce grain requisitioning as a part of collectivisation and administer ‘Great Terror’\
  3. Khrushchev
    -Threat of the Cuban Missile Crisis required a strong military presence
47
Q

Censorship- How was it used by the Tsars?

A
  1. Alexander II
    -Glasnost i.e. increase in circulation of newspapers, periodicals etc. relxation of censorship
  2. Alexander III
    -‘The Reaction’ i.e. clampdown on publications
  3. Nicholas II
    -Glasnost- number of periodicals in circulation increased threefold HOWEVER publishers could be fined for offensive material
48
Q

Censorship- How was it used by the Communists?

A
  1. Lenin
    -Agitprop- promote idealised image of Russian life e.g. schools, radio, cinema under surveillance
  2. Stalin
    -Increase in censorship
    -1932 all literary groups shut down
    -Promote ‘socialist realism’
    -Promote concept of the New Soviet Man
  3. Khrushchev
    -Relaxed censorship e.g. tenfold increase in the number of books, newspapers flourished, books highlighting horrors of Gulags published e.g. ‘Day in the life of Ivan Denosivich’
49
Q

Propaganda- How was it used by the Tsar’s?

A

-Portraits, pamphlets and posters promote the Romanovs
-Not utilised as much as Communists

50
Q

Propaganda- How was it used by the Communists?

A
  1. Lenin
    -Cult of personality e.g. Petrograd=Leningrad
    -Slogans like ‘Peace, Bread, Land’ and ‘All power to the Soviets’
  2. Stalin
    -Cult of personality e.g. ‘Stalin is the Lenin of today’
    -Stakhanovite movement
51
Q

OPPOSITION

A
52
Q

How effective was the opposition that the Tsar’s faced?

A
  1. Alexander II
    -Populists, People’s will, Land and Liberty= Populists ‘going to the people’ movement failed, People’s will did assassinate Tsar in 1881
    -Peasants riots against redemption payments occurred- did grant them the Zemstva however little significance as Tsar remained autocrat over them, and continued restrictions
  2. Alexander III
    -Emergence of Russian-Marxism however Alexander III still succesfull in Russification policy
    -Harsh use of the Cheka in terms of repression prevented significant opposition
  3. Nicholas II
    -Workers opposition= significant
    -Lena Goldfields Massacre in 1912-poor pay, poor conditions etc. BUT put down ruthlessly e.g. 200 killed
    -Putilov strike- Feb 1917= February revolution
    -Peasants= significant - Black Earth region revolts 1906-1907= successful wide scale action as forced land reforms
  4. Provisional Government
    -Peasants= peasant vigilantism during February revolution e.g. attacked land-owners
    -Bolsheviks= significant role in downfall- seen as hero’s
53
Q

How effective was the opposition that the Communists faced?

A
  1. Lenin
    -CIVIL WAR: Green (peasant supported) and white armies were strong opposition, however Red Bolshevik army were eventually successful- as seen through consolidation of one-party state by Lenin
    -1921 ban on factions- virtually eliminate in-party opposition
    -WAR COMMUNISM: Hated by peasants i.e. forced grain requisitioning which left them with no surplus, BUT peasant revolts put down ruthlessly so little threat and continuation of policy
    -URBAN WORKERS- Bolsheviks were on their side
    2.Stalin
    -OPPOSITION FROM PARTY: United Opposition BUT dealt with them by negotiating
    -COLLECTIVISATION= Very little opposition allowed as ruthless treatment e.g. purges, ‘Red Terror’, show trials, de-kulakisation
  2. KHRUSHCHEV
    -DE-STALINISATION= Greater tolerance of opposition e.g. 8 million removed from gulags BUT this established more opposition
    -WORKERS= generally less opposition BUT Novocherkassk protests 1962 against food shortages etc. showed dicontent
  3. Foreign opposition e.g. USA
54
Q

JUDGEMENT: When was opposition the most successful?

A

-Tsars= Little change as didn’t impact Tsar’s autocracy and they remained repressed HOWEVER compared to Communists extremely harsh rule, particularly Stalin, it can be seen to have been more effective e.g. did lead to some change like 1905 revolution led Nicholas to make concessions

55
Q

EXTENT AND IMPACT OF REFORM

A
56
Q

What can be used to judge the extent of reform?

A
  1. Ideology
  2. Structure of central government- changes
  3. Repression used
57
Q

What evidence suggests that Tsar’s were more willing to reform?

A
  1. IDEOLOGY
    -Alexander II Emancipation Edict issued some changes HOWEVER redemption payments suggests that he was not willing to reform
    -Nicholas II October manifesto and the creation of a Duma allowed a step towards democracy HOWEVER limited by Fundamental Laws issued in 1906
    -Preserve autocracy, nationality, orthodoxy
  2. CHANGES TO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
    -Introduction of a Duma appeared on paper to be a fundamental change to structure of government
    -Focus on railway to increase production
    -HOWEVER, overall very few changes made to structure of central government as autocracy was preserved
  3. REPRESSION
    -Methods of repression were significantly less used under Tsars compared to Communists HOWEVER methods of repression were used e.g.
    -Alexander II used the Third Section to control opposing groups
    -Alexander III used the cheka to enforce russification
    -Nicholas II used the army to deal with workers strikes
58
Q

What evidence suggests that the Communists were more willing to reform?

A

1.IDEOLOGY
-Communists were willing to have ideological reform e.g. Lenin-Marixsm dictatorship of the Proletariat, Stalin= collectivisation, Khrushchev= destalinisaton HOWEVER all had one party control and little to no variation in terms of who had power e.g. one person
2. CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
-Lenin 1918 Constitution- Russia was a Republic of Soviets , power given to the Politburo HOWEVER 1921 Ban on Factions prevented any political factions which limited any change allowed
-Stalin 1936 Constitution= freedom of speech, universal suffrage HOWEVER consolidated one-party control
-Khrushchev- democratisation and decentralisation of control HOWEVER remained de facto leader
3. REPRESSION
-Used significantly more repressive methods to control population- less reform
-Lenin- red army used to enforce war communism and grain requisitioning
-Stalin- NKVD 40 million sent to Gulags, De-kulakisation where 10,00,000 sent to labour camps or exiled
HOWEVER Khrushchev was less repressive- released 8 million political prisoners

59
Q

JUDGEMENT: Who were more willing to reform?

A

-Communists- variations in their ideology with improvements made by Khrushchev however use of repression severely hindered the ability to which they introduced reform

60
Q

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

A
61
Q

How did local government change over the Tsar’s reign?

A
  1. Emancipation Edict 1861 Alexander II
    -Creation of the Zemstva= elected membership, regional councils dominated by wealthy landowners and the professional classes
  2. Changes to the Judicial system
    -introduction of a jury, increased judges pay to prevent bribery, created a three-tiered system of courts
  3. Land Captains Alexander III
    -Controlled the Peasants
    -Reduced power of the Zemstva
  4. Third Element Nicholas II
    -Liberal voice
    -Councils in some provinces demanded that central government should be re-modelled on the Zemstva and Duma
62
Q

How did the Soviets rule Russia?

A

-First soviet= St Petersburg at the time of the October Revolution
-1917= Petrograd Soviet of Workers Deputies
-Order number 1- dictated when strikes would run, controlled essential services e.g. transport, ensured the soldier’s loyalty

63
Q

What was the period of Communist rule dominated by?

A

Revolutionary justice
-Criminal code 1921 = legalised the use of terror

History (5 decks)

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