(U2) Lenin’s Russia 1917-24 Flashcards
What was the initial political issue experienced by Lenin after taking power?
- The Bolsheviks were forced to allow the constituent assembly elections
- this created the possibility of the Bolshevik control being undermined - illegitimate leaders
When were the constituent assembly elections held?
What were the results (3 major parties)?
- November 1917
- Bolsheviks 9.8m votes
- Kadets - 1.8m votes
- SRs - 17.1m votes
Why was Lenin against the idea of sharing power (coalitions)?
He believed it would dilute communist policies, e.g. the idea of class consciousness would be undermined
When did the constitutional assembly meet?
Where?
What happened? (3)
- Jan 5th 1918
- Tauride palace
- armed Bolsheviks placed around the building
- Jan 6th - palace locked and surrounded by Red guards
- Lenin announced the assembly had been dissolved
How did Lenin justify shutting down the constitutional assembly?
- claimed the SRs and Kadets rigged the elections
- claimed the Bolsheviks were more legitimate and representative
When did Russia agree an armistice with Germany? (WWI)
Why did this infuriate the allies?
- December 1917
- obviously withdrawal left them vulnerable, but they were already suspicious of the new govt being communist
What policy did Trotsky use while negotiating the Brest-Litovsk agreement?
why?
How did the Germans respond?
- ‘neither war nor peace’ - essentially he tried to prolong the negotiations
- he believed communist revolutions would occur across Europe and the war would therefore end itself
- out of anger, resumed their offensive into Russian territory
What were the broad terms of Brest-Litovsk (for Russia) (6)
and
When was it signed
Signed March 3rd 1918:
- 32% of agricultural land lost
- large areas of European territory lost
- 75% coal and iron mines lost
- 33% factories lost
- 26% of rail network lost
- 60 million people lost territorially
Despite Brest-Litovsk being so harsh, why were the Bolshevik govt still confident?
Germany was losing the war, it would probably be overturned
What was State capitalism? (3)
- transition stage on the way to full economic communism
- Government assume ownership of most profit making organisations
- temporary fix to be replaced after Bolshevik consolidated their position
What were the policies of state capitalism? (4)
- Sovnarkom cancelled all foreign debt from former governments
- Dec 5th 1917 - Vesenkha established, oversaw nationalisation of banks and railways
- Land decree passed 26th October 1917 abolished right to privately hold large farms or estates
- Decree on worker’s control 14th Nov 1917 - increased power of workers councils
cumulatively stabilised the economy
Why was War Communism introduced (5)
- create new economy to curb increased food shortages and large movement from urban areas to rural ones
- helped to blame peasants for falling agricultural production
- provide armed forces basic supplies to fight civil war
- allowed Bolsheviks to take tighter grip on power
- harsh and unpopular but most Bolsheviks accepted as necessary for government to gain control of economy
What were the features of War Communism (10)
- made Russia have centralised planned economy
- Foreign trade brought under government control
- Any private business nationalised
- banned private business in principle
- strikes banned
- all major industries nationalised
- rationing Introduced
- railways under government control
- surplus food confiscated from peasants e.g. grain requisitioning - may 14th 1918
- seized by ‘special punishment’ squads left peasants with very little
How was the NEP passed and what happened within the Bolshevik party? (3)
- 10th congress of All Russian communist party proposed NEP March 1921
- Trotsky and other high ranking Bolsheviks wanted to intensify War Communism
- Lenin forced the matter passed a law banning factionalism in the party
Give statistics that demonstrate the growth of the Red army between 1919 and 1920 (2)
- 1919 - 3 million in red army
- 1920 - more than 5 million
How did Trotsky strengthen the Red army during the civil war? (4)
- originally organised with equality of role in the army which made it attractive to join
- created obedience through fear - special punitive brigades run by Cheka and the Red Guards
- recruited approx 50,000 former Tsarist officers in summer 1918, helping train and lead the army
- boosted morale by traveling to frontlines and by being brave and decisive
Why were the Reds so strong during the civil war? (9)
At least 6
- enemies to the regime had been virtually eradicated by early 1921 (Red Terror; Cheka and Red Guards under leadership of Stalin)
- only remote regions were not under full Bolshevik control: by mid 1918, controlled most populous and industrial cities
- strong unity in Bolshevik party, helped by Lenin’s leadership and the capability of the Red Army
- war communism fed troops (but did grow discontent with sailors and peasants)
- strong leadership of Trotsky as commander-in-chief (e.g. introduced conscription, 5 million soldiers by 1920, propaganda armoured train etc.)
- 50,000 former tsarist officers recruited - helped train army
- utilised transport for spread of supplies and propaganda
- killing of the Romanovs - removing figurehead for counter Revolution
- grain requisitioning and targeting kulaks - more food for military
Why were the Whites so weak during the civil war? (5)
With regard to geography and policy
- transport infrastructure they controlled was isolated; easily damaged & difficult to repair
- they were based in remote, inhospitable areas without supply routes
- poor co-ordination and a lack of unifying strategy
- politically divided, made up of monarchists, socialists, conservatives etc, making co-operation difficult
- hurt by allied blockade 1918
Why were the Whites so weak during the civil war? (8)
With regard to military
- outnumbered
- unreliable food supplies and limited munitions imports
- some units lacked discipline
- faced difficulty in enforcing conscription
- foreign intervention was inadequate
- communications and logistics were poor
- lack of support
- lack of central, strong leadership
What measures did Lenin take in the summer of 1918 to ensure victory in the civil war?
- leaders of political parties who weren’t in exile were arrested
- July 1918 the Tsar and his family were murdered, as Lenin feared the whites using them as legitimate leaders
- August 1918, many Kulaks murdered to scare them into adopting war communism
What events during the civil war demonstrated how the Reds had weaknesses? (3)
- August 30th 1918, assassination attempt on Lenin, Petrograd Cheka leader arrested; demonstrating internal conflict
- 6th December 1918, Finnish independence
- allies impose a naval Blockade, (however this backfired and hurt the Whites as Reds could provide for themselves)
When did Lenin pass a ban on factionalism?
1921
In what ways was State Capitalism (1917-1918):
- successful (4)
- unsuccessful(5)?
- Successes:
- profits put toward state development
- allowed the economy to recover after WWI and its effects - incl Brest-Litovsk
- Lenin argued capitalism was necessary for a strong economic foundation
- concessions to workers and peasants
- Failures:
- some viewed it as a betrayal of Marxism
- production levels fell e.g. grain 13 tonnes short of 1914
- without state approval workers seized control of factories from owners
- gross industrial output 2/3 of 1914
- overall proved ineffective by 1918
In what ways was War Communism (1918-1921):
- successful (4)
- unsuccessful(7)?
- Successes:
- led to victory in the civil war
- short term achieved Lenin’s aims of state control increasing
- all aspects of life subordinated to the civil war
- Cheka/red terror activity grew, which helped consolidate control
- Failures:
- peasants hoarding grain caused a fall in food production
- at least 5 million died in famines caused by the policy
- 70,000 rebelled in Tambov rebellion against Bolsheviks
- Kronstadt rebellion 1921 calling for end to War Communism - Trotsky retaliated with attack with high causalities on both sides
- oil and coal production significantly down, electrical production down 75%
- superinflation caused the rouble to fall to 1% of its 1917 value in 1920 - brink of collapse
- industrial output down 70%
In what ways was the New Economic Policy (1921-1924):
- successful (5)
- unsuccessful(4)?
- Successes:
- grain harvests rose significantly - 36m to 51.5m tonnes
- electrical production trebled
- average working wage rose by 10.6 roubles
- soviet economy recovering after both wars
- successfully balanced private and public owned industry
- Failures:
- scissors crisis 1923 - price imbalance. Low for agricultural goods (which were plentiful), shortage & slow production of industrial goods made them expensive
- divisions within the party over compatibility with Marxism
- high urban unemployment
- formed a new socioeconomic class known as NEPmen who made profits rather than giving produce to the state during the war
