Tsar/Lenin Russia Plans Flashcards
1905 - Consequences
Tsars position - October manifesto, Army still loyal, Fundamental Law (had power over Dumas), black hundred
Economy - strikes increased, inflation up wages same, economic growth up to 4 billion roubles in 1914, St Pet & Mosc population growth, still 80% peasants
Dumas - First (demanded land reform, vote for men etc, no radicals (SRs or Bolsheviks), 72 days, Vyborg Appeal), Second ( Land reform with Stolypins help, argued, more radicals) Third ( 4 years, no peasant vote, mostly octobrists, land reform, insurance for factory workers) Fourth (octobrists dominated, lasted until WWI)
Stolypins Reforms - New courts (3000+ rev executed, less political violence NECK TIES). Derevolutionised the Peasantry (canceled redemption payments) Wager of the Strong (Land banks loans to peasants and fenced farming instead of strip) 50% of peasants owned land in 1915 from 20% in 1905, BUT little impact on cities, undermined Dumas power
1905 - Causes
Long term economic and social - backwards, peasantry 82%, Witte (overcrowding, poor living conditions, wages didn’t go up with inflation, no agricultural reform), Famines 1891-3, Land Hunger
Long term political - liberal frustration (wanted political power - Union of unions), revolutionaries (encouraged unrest, assassinations), autocracy fail to reform
Tsars mistakes - lack of reform, oppression, Russification, pogroms, okhrana and labour camps, Bloody Sunday, Potemkin Mutiny & Odessa Steps
Russo Japanese war - humiliating, port Arthur, battle of Tsushina (25/35 warships destroyed) undermined tsar in nobles eye –> Union of unions, highlighted economic problems
1905 - Why the Tsar won
October Manifesto - Split the opposition
Lack of Unity between Revolutionaries in aims (SRs wanted peasants land ownership, Men/Bol change in Eco & Pol system, Lib split) and organisation (spontaneous, no coordination, not organisation by groups)
Loyalty of Armed Forces - majority loyal (exception Potemkin) Revolutionaries executed, exiled to Siberia or fled
Black Hundred - Pro gov terrorist groups formed who hunted down reformers
Feb 1917 - Causes
Political - failure to reform, liberal frustration (failure/limitation of the Dumas) Revolutionary activity (minor - encouraged unrest and helped set up soviet)
Economic/Social - Long term problems which were increased by WWI, Short term events (Commemoration of Bloody Sunday, Worker protests, bread rationing introduced - international women’s day, Putilov engineering workers on strike)
Tsars Mistakes - Took direct command of army, left Alexandra in charge with Rasputin (dismissed minister on whim) , Failure to reform with Dumas as gave them no power, Rejected progressive bloc which called for more power for Dumas maybe he last chance for reform), didn’t return to Petrograd (ordered to fire on protestors and dismissed Dumas), previously has poorly chosen Stolypins replacement ministers.
WWI - Humiliating defeat (Battle of Tannenburg 30000 killed/wounded & 95000 captured), tsar directly blamed, 1.6 mill dead by Xmas 1916, Inflation, Food shortages (lack of farmers, trains), Lost army support (mutinies started, refused to put down protesters, Cossacks fired on police to protect protestors), highlighted economic problems (only 3 shells fired per day - shortages)
Feb 1917 - Consequences
End of Tsarist Russia/Romanov rule - Tsars train stopped and he abdicated
Provisional Government set up
Petrograd Soviet formed to represent soldiers, sailors and workers. Issued Order number 1 which demanded officials be elected by men - government rapidly list army control
Feb 1917 - Why the Tsar lost
Lost military support - Meant he was left vulnerable to attack
Couldn’t split his opposition like in 1905
Failure to reform- had carried out promises of reform of the Oct Manifest, Fundamental Law meant Dumas had no power and he dissolved them
Tsar blamed for War failure - took direct command of army
Oct 1917 - Causes
Prov Gov Structure - Shared power with Soviet (had to agree on military decisions), Only temporary until the constituent assembly, Gov divided between liberals and socialists
Prov Gov Policies - Continued the war, didn’t legitimised peasant land take-over so they refused to send food to cities, didn’t grant national minorities autonomy, didn’t stop economy deteriorating and this with the lack of social reform led to the wrokers radicalisation.
Kerensky - planned the June offensive (but the Bolsheviks blamed) Kornilov Affair armed the Bolsheviks and freed prisoners, who gain control of the soviet as seen as Petrograds saviours. Underestimated Bol attacked them which increased their popularity and they claimed power in the soviets name.
Other - Failed to call Consistuent Assembly soon enough, Kadets became more right wing (supported war, blocked land deal, didn’t interfere with economy), moderates lost contact with workers and peasants.
Kerensky
Oct 1917 - Why the Bolsheviks won
Policies - Opposed the Prov Gov instead of trying to work with them, opposed WW1, promised land-distribution to the peasants, Slogons “peace, bread, land” & “all power to the Soviets”
Party - Lenins determined leadership inspired others, more organised, TROTSKY got Lenin to wait until Oct (claimed revolution in the name of the All-Russian congress of soviets), organised the take over due used the MRC and the Red Guard
Luck - Kerensky failed to stop uprising, military and economic collapse in sept/oct (desertion, railway breakdown, 568 factory closures and bad harvest - grain prices rose
Other - Support focused in power centres St Pet and Mosc, Soliders remained neutral didn’t oppose the Bolsheviks
Post Oct 1917 - How did Lenin consolidate power?
Immediate Pragmatic Policies - Decree on land (gave peasants right to take over land owned by gentry), decree on workers (factory workers control of production), treaty of Brest-Litovsk (ended war but had huge territorial losses)
Concentration on Political Power - held elections, closed constituent assembly, politburo over party, SOVNARKOM (new body of Bolsheviks) instead of soviet, one party state, censorship, USSR, ban on factions
Defeating opposition - split SRs by working first with the left wing, stopped the Kronstadt rebellion with force.
Economic polices - war communism, NEP, state capitalism.
Social policies - challenge the Russian Orthodox Church, Cheka, gulags, propaganda - increased as NEP came into effect.
Civil War - Why the Bolsheviks won
Trotsky - Used simple patriotic propaganda (bols = defenders of Russia against foreign intervention), harsh discipline (execution), reappointed experienced army officers kept their families hostage, compulsory service, Armoured train to get to the front
White weaknesses -ideologically divided (eg nationalist working with sr and Czech legion –> executions. Didn’t use propaganda, policies alienated peasant (give land back to nobles) and nationalists minorities (wanted to keep empire together), leaders old fashioned and poor quality, forces undisciplined and corrupt.
Geography - Bolsheviks had central area (had access to production, workers, communication and transport (Trans-Sib railway), larger population, white army was split into 3 so had coordination and communication issues.
Lenin - consolidated power to crush home front, gave Trotsky support over red army kept party unified, introduced war communism (soldiers got food), policies such as land decree gained them support
Economic Policies
Witte - trans-Siberian railway, low workers wages and peasants taxes, state investment in heavy industry
Stolypin - focus on agriculture, wager of the strong (peasants buy land and fenced farming), derevolutionised the peasantry (canceled redemption payments)
State Capitalism - decree on land (peasants get land not nobles) & workers (workers control factory production)
War Communism - nationalised industry, banned private trade, requisitioning grain
NEP - private trade (nepmen), peasants could sell surplus grain, but retained control of heavy industry, communication and transport.
NEP - why introduced, successes and failures
To stop famine and increase food production
To industrial and recover from war communism
To stop further rebellion (peasants or Kronstadt)
\+ Stopped food shortages and famines \+ Number of livestock increased \+ Coal and textile production doubled \+ More land cultivated by peasants \+ More goods available
- Further concentration of power (ban on factions, democratic centralism)
- Against communist ideology - private trade Nepmen and Kulaks many were unhappy about compromise
- Scissor crisis (prices of industrialised goods increased)
- Slow recovery
War Communism - why introduced, successes and failures
To control cities and countryside
To get grain to workers and soldiers
To introduce communism
To raise industrial production - ammunition and armaments for war
+ enabled Bolsheviks to win civil war as got food to workers and soldiers
- Black market bigger
- half urban population disappeared
- 1-2 million died in famine
- Production of grain decreased as no incentive
- Industrial production fell
- peasant and Kronstadt rebellions
State capitalism - why introduced, successes and failures
To appease workers and peasants and kept the Bolsheviks in power.
Couldn’t stop even if he wanted to
+ Kept peasants and workers on the Bolsheviks side
- Not communistas as allowed private ownership
- Industrial production dropped as workers control targets and working hours
- Production of grain still low
- Black market developed
Witte’s Reforms - why introduced, successes and failures
To industrialise country for defence or war (failed in Crimean war)
+ Transport system improved –> heavy industry improved
+ Population in cities grew
- Transport system couldn’t cope with RJ war or WWI
- Peasants heavily taxed
- Still behind other great powers
- Living and working conditions are worst
- Workers wages kept low so no consumer market
