Theme 2a

Question 1

progression of Lenin’s economic policies

Answer 1

state capitalism -> war communism -> NEP

Question 2

problems at start of Lenin’s rule, with economy (3)

Answer 2

what does a communist economy mean? (Marx never specified)
economic issues, country was backward, unindustrialised
economy shattered in WW1

Question 3

Lenin’s initial economic actions

Answer 3

“state capitalism”
nationalisation of industry
land reform - to stimulate agriculture and gain support

Question 4

who was nationalised industry run by

Answer 4

Supreme soviet of the National economy or Versenkha (economic experts)

Question 5

how and when did Lenin implement Land reform

Answer 5

1917 decree on land - large estates belonging to church or aristocrats broken up, peasants given land they worked to own (popular)

Question 6

when was War communism the economic policy of USSR

Answer 6

June 1918 - 1921

Question 7

when was state capitalism the economic policy of the USSR

Answer 7

March-June 1918

Question 8

what was war communism and what did it ensure

Answer 8

emergency economic measures
ensured: high levels of war production, efficiency, food production for workers and soldiers and civilians

Question 9

what were the 3 measures under War communism

Answer 9

1) Food dictatorship
2) Labour discipline
3) Abolition of market

Question 10

what did Food dictatorship mean under war communism

Answer 10

grain requisitioning - Cheka squads seizing grain from peasants
rationing - supply commissariat rationed seized foods (workers + soldiers got most)

Question 11

what did Labour discipline mean under war communism

Answer 11

1918 - Extension of working day to 11 hours
1919 - Work compulsory for all able between 16 - 50
Harsh punishments to those caught lacking

Question 12

what did Abolition of the market mean under war communism (4)

Answer 12

conscription - workers assigned to factories or army
abolition of trade - private trade illegal
abolition of money - govt. printed money which led to hyperinflation and devaluation of the currency (Soviet rouble). So workers paid in rations
complete nationalisation

Question 13

result of war communism (2)

Answer 13

economic collapse and failure to abolish market
success in supplying army, step away from capitalism by abolishing money

Question 14

how did the USSR economically collapse under War communism (8)

Answer 14

-grain requisitioning lowered grain production as no incentives to work
-industrial production decreased as no incentives to work hard
-workers left cities for farms where there was food
-gross output of all industry decreased
-shortages of goods
-unemployment rose
-harvests decreased resulting in famine in 1920-21 (killed 6 mil)
-late 1920 workshops in cities closing due to lack of fuel

Question 15

how many workers left cities for farms 1917-22 and what % of the industrial workforce was this

Answer 15

1.8 million decrease in industrial workforce 1917-22 - >50% decrease

Question 16

how much did the gross output of all industry decrease by 1913-20

Answer 16

70%

Question 17

what did govt. do in Petrograd to deal with fuel shortage

Answer 17

govt. destroyed wooden buildings in Petrograd to use as fuel

Question 18

what happened with Black market under war communism

Answer 18

60% of food in cities during civil war came from black market
workers stole govt. resources to barter for food (e.g. metal workers stole metal and fuel to make lighters to trade)

Question 19

why was there a political crisis under war communism. examples.

Answer 19

• mass starvation + economic crisis not a good look
• Tambov peasants rebellion
• Kronstadt sailors mutiny 1921

Question 20

when was Tambov peasants rebellion

Answer 20

aug 1920-21

Question 21

what did the Kronstadt sailors demand

Answer 21

free trade
multi party elections to the soviets

Question 22

outcome of war communism (3)

Answer 22

military victory but economic ruin
ideological victory in abolition of market and money
political crisis and rebellion, so change needed despite this ideological victory and Lenin + Bukharin’s belief that war communism was foundation on which to build

Question 23

why was the NEP necessary (3)

Answer 23

to retain power/ stop political defeat
revive economy - stimulate grain production + end famine
build socialism - without foreign aid (interconnected countries supporting each other vision)

Question 24

when was NEP introduced

Answer 24

march 1921

Question 25

what were the measures of the NEP

Answer 25

agriculture left to free market
grain requisitioning ended, replaced by tax in kind
small workshops denationalised
money reintroduced
expectation of govt. run industries to make profit

Question 26

what was the tax in kind

Answer 26

govt. took a payment of a proportion of what farmers made

Question 27

why did Lenin support the NEP

Answer 27

he argued for using capitalism to achieve socialist goals

Question 28

result of NEP (6)

Answer 28

NEP stabilised economy
replaced an unpopular policy, ending rebellion
slow industrial growth
return of inequality
unbalanced economy (scissor crisis)
unpopular with some in party

Question 29

how did NEP lead to political and economic stability

Answer 29

ending of requisitioning was popular with peasants
more incentives to farm
famine ended, food became more available
grain production increased

Question 30

how much did grain production increase under NEP (1921-26)

Answer 30

30 million tons (around 2x)

Question 31

economic growth and progress under the NEP (5)

Answer 31

market stimulated production
govt. invested in reopening of factories
electrification campaign
by 1926 industrial production had mostly recovered to 1913 levels
1926-28 industrial economy plateaued (taxing peasants didn’t provide enough money to build new, large factories)

Question 32

who were Nepmen in the NEP

Answer 32

traders who transported desirable goods around, didn’t produce anything

Question 33

what was the scissor crisis

Answer 33

agriculture recovered quickly - decrease in food prices
industry recovered slowly, so industrial prices, which were low in the famine grew steadily
this meant that in 1923 the gap between farmers income and industrial prices meant farmers couldn’t afford industrial goods (lower incentive to work)

Question 34

how did govt. try to solve scissor crisis and what did this do

Answer 34

they subsidised industrial goods
meant less money to grow economy

Question 35

what were the sides in the debate over NEP/ correct way to industrialise

Answer 35

Left - dictatorship of industry
right - pragmatic
centre - socialism with capitalist hands

Question 36

left - dictatorship of industry

Answer 36

trotsky
forced collectivisation
merging farms under state control so state collects profit
this ends private property and capitalist market

Question 37

centre - pragmatists

Answer 37

stalin
until 1927 supported the right and NEP
as growth rates declined stalin shifted left

Question 38

right - socialism with capitalist hands

Answer 38

bukharin
NEP best way to industrialise
it allows USSR to remain harmonious
would lead to slow growth, which was necessary