USSR: Government under Lenin Flashcards
Why did the Bolsheviks face difficulties in maintaining power?
Because they remained a relatively small group.
They had seized power by force and although they claimed to represent the people, they did not have enough support to launch a popular revolution.
Which groups did the Bolsheviks have to overcome to establish a one-party state?
- Other left-wing groups who denied a share of power by the Bolsheviks such as the Socialist Revolutionaries or the Mensheviks, who were fellow Marxists.
- Right-wing groups such as Tsarist supporters and liberal groups who often represented the ideals of the middle classes and who now feared the Bolsheviks would take away their businesses and political power. They were worried as the old social system appeared to be under attack.
- Nationalist groups with the USSR such as the Ukrainians, the Poles or the Finns, who saw the collapse of the Tsarist regime as an opportunity to assert their independence.
Did the Bolsheviks share power with other left-wing groups?
No. The Socialist Revolutionaries and the Mensheviks hoped that due to their shared beliefs, the Bolsheviks would be willing to share some political power but Lenin clearly stated their would be no such sharing; he rejected calls from the two groups for a socialist coalition.
What was the Constituent Assembly?
A parliament elected by the people of Russia.
It was seen by many politicians as the first step in forming a democratically elected government.
Kerensky, the leader of the Provisional Government, had delayed its opening and was heavily criticized.
After the October Revolution, Lenin announced that elections would be held for the Assembly in November 1917.
Why did Lenin dissolve the Constituent Assembly after only one meeting?
Because the elections did not go in the Bolsheviks favor and Lenin realized that to use the Assembly as a national parliament would be a continuous threat to maintaining Bolshevik rule.
The Bolsheviks gained 175 seats with 9 million votes but the SRs emerged as the largest party, with 410 seats and 21 million votes.
What did Lenin use in place of the Constituent Assembly?
The All-Russian congress of Soviets where the Bolsheviks had a much greater influence. Not only did Lenin ignore calls for a Socialist coalition, but he also eliminated other political parties, ensuring there would be no ground for viable opponents.
How did Lenin destroy other political parties? (4)
- The removal of the vote from “bourgeois classes” such as priests and employers, stripped opposition parties of a possible reservoir of support
- The Mensheviks and the SRs found it increasingly hard to publish their newspapers due to restrictions imposed by the Bolsheviks.
- The left-wing SRs, who had been given a role within the Bolshevik government in 1917 and 1918, lost all influence when they walked out in protest over withdrawal from WWI in march 1918.
- In March 1918, the Bolsheviks renamed themselves the Communist Party, and by 1921, all other parties had been effectively banned.
What did Lenin declare in April 1921?
That all Mensheviks and SRs belonged in prison. This led to increased purges of the parties in 1921 and 1922 even though they barely existed as organised parties by this time. 5,000 Mensheviks were arrested within the first three months of 1921.
Who were the SRs?
A group committed to democratic socialism who believed groups had the rights to govern themselves, such as peasant organisations. They gained support from the peasantry and often stirred up peasant discontent. They continued populism and were by far the largest Russian social group at the time. They won elections to the Constituent Assembly but were divided by left-wing right-wing divisions within the party. They were involved in an assassination attempt on Lenin by Fanya Kaplan on the 30th of August 1918 and this led to mass arrests of SR members.
Who were the Mensheviks?
A Communist group, more moderate than the Bolsheviks, who had split from the Bolsheviks in 1903 over differences of policy. The Mensheviks were willing to collaborate with the bourgeoisie in order to generate gradual reform. They had a larger membership than the Bolsheviks in 1917, but had been weakened by their collaboration with the Provisional Government. They demanded a role in the Bolshevik government but Lenin refused. They were severely weakened by divisions between their leaders.
What did the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk mean for Russia and the Bolsheviks?
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918) meant taking Russia out of WWI at a large cost. The Russians lost control of the Baltic States of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, Finland, Ukraine and parts of the Caucasus region.
This was extremely humiliating for Russia and its people, the conservatives and the military officers among them who had served in the Tsar’s army. For them, this humiliation could not be tolerated and the only way to restore Russia’s pride and the army’s reputation was to overthrow the Bolsheviks and reject the Treaty.
Who were the Whites and why were they encouraged by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
- The Whites were mainly conservatives and old Tsarist generals who opposed the Bolshevik government as they did not want the old social order changed.
- They were spurred on by the Treaty as it meant their cause was to be helped by foreign aid. The Allies were keen to keep Russia involved in WWI and so offered financial and military aid to those who were to ensure Russia rejoined the fight.
Despite opposition, why did Lenin sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
Because it sapped the energy and resources of the government, with little chance of military success. He knew that if he wanted to maintain Bolshevik power and remove internal enemies, he needed to remove distractions and focus on the job at hand.
What were the three key results of the Civil War?
-The Bolshevik state had become highly centralized due to the demands of the war. Fighting a war required quick decision making and the direction of resources by the government. Power was now firmly in the hands of the government (Sovnarkom) and the party leadership (Politburo) in Moscow.
-The civil war had resulted in the Bolsheviks using extensive terror against their political opponents which set the tone for the development of the party after the war.
-The supporters of the Bolsheviks had been through a formative experience that seemed to reinforce militaristic values among the population. Those who fought in the war were part of a generation that did not buckle under pressure and were open to the use of violence and terror.
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What was the perceived threat to party stability at the Tenth Party Congress in March 1921?
Party membership had grown considerably over the civil war period, from 300,000 in 1917 to 730,000 in 1921. This threatened party stability and as a result the party clamped down on dissent
Arguably, what was the key result of the Tenth Party Congress?
The ban on factions. This measure, known as “On Party Unity”, was an attempt to impose the view of the leadership on the Party. The penalty for those breaking this rule was expulsion from the Party.
Despite winning the civil war, why could the Bolsheviks not take their position for granted?
In 1921, faced both the Kronstadt Mutiny and the Tambov Rising.
- Kronstadt Mutiny: The mutiny of previously loyal sailors, who had been keen supporters of the revolution, at Kronstadt against the imposition of orders on the local Soviet by the Bolsheviks. The mutiny was crushed by the Red Army but shocked the regime.
- Tambov Rising: A peasant rising in the central area of Russia that was sparked by the arrival of Bolsheviks units to requisition grain to feed the army and the cities. The rising was initially spontaneous but it grew, and the peasants were able to form a Green Army and establish control over a large area. It took 50,000 Bolshevik troops to shut it down.
What happened to organisations that genuinely represented the proletariat?
They were bought under Bolshevik control and then sidelined.
These included Soviets, trade unions, and factory committees (a small group that represented workers within a particular factory often containing workers of different trades but who were based in the same workplace).
What was the Sovnarkom?
The Council of People’s Commissars. It took the role of a cabinet of top government ministers who were, in theory, responsible for making key decisions and giving government orders.
Its members, about 20 in total, were elected by the Central Committee.
It was a small group that could make quick decisions and met daily during the civil war.
