War Communism

Question 1

When did the Bolsheviks nationalise Russia’s banks?

Answer 1

December 1917

Question 2

What group was set up in December 1917, which took responsibility for ‘the regulations of economic life’?

Answer 2

Veshenka

Question 3

Why was the Workers’ Control decree not effective?

Answer 3

People with expertise were sacked and workers could not effectively run the factories. Some workers stole goods/materials to sell.

Question 4

By early 1918, what was the daily bread ration?

Answer 4

50g per person per day

Question 5

How much of the food consumed in the cities came from the black market?

Answer 5

2/3s

Question 6

Who were sackmen?

Answer 6

People who came from the countryside into the towns to sell goods/food illegally.

Question 7

Between Jan 1917 and Jan 1919, Russia’s urban proletariat population fell from 3.6 million to what?

Answer 7

1.4 million

Question 8

Why did former members of the nobility and bourgeoisie fare worse than others?

Answer 8

They were not given ration cards and so struggled to survive.

Question 9

Which side of the civil war launched pogroms during the civil war?

Answer 9

The Whites (in particular the Cossacks)

Question 10

What were the aims of War Communism?

Answer 10

To feed and supply the Red Army to ensure victory in the Civil War.

Question 11

Who are kulaks?

Answer 11

Rich(er) peasants

Question 12

What were peasants supposed to receive in exchange for their grain?

Answer 12

A fixed price

Question 13

Why, in reality, did this not happen?

Answer 13

They were often given inadequate vouchers or their grain/cattle/equipment was just seized.

Question 14

What were the peasants’ response to grain requisitioning?

Answer 14

They hid supplies, grew less crops and murdered requisition squads.

Question 15

What happened to the ownership of industry within Russia during War Communism?

Answer 15

The State took control of all industry and transport.

Question 16

What happened to the freedoms enjoyed by workers under the Workers’ Control Decree of November 1917?

Answer 16

These were reversed and strict rules were enforced.

Question 17

What were introduced to stop workers from going back to the countryside?

Answer 17

Internal passports.

Question 18

Rationing was organised on a class basis. Which groups received the most?

Answer 18

The Red Army and urban proletariat.

Question 19

Fines were introduced in factories for what?

Answer 19

Fines were introduced for lateness, absenteeism and slackness.

Question 20

Who did the regime refer to as ‘former people’?

Answer 20

Former nobility, bourgeoisie and clergy.

Question 21

By 1921, compared to pre-war levels, total industrial output had fallen to what?

Answer 21

20%

Question 22

By how much did the populations of Moscow and Petrograd fall during the period between 1917 and 1920?

Answer 22

Petrograd – 57.5% / Moscow – 44.5%

Question 23

When was there an assassination attempt on Lenin?

Answer 23

August 1918

Question 24

Who attempted to kill Lenin and which Party did she belong to?

Answer 24

Fanya Kaplin – a Social Revolutionary

Question 25

What was the consequence of the failed assassination attempt on Lenin?

Answer 25

The launch of the Red Terror. The Cheka focused on political enemies.

Question 26

During the Civil War, what year was there a significant famine in Russia?

Answer 26

1921

Question 27

In what province was there a large peasant revolt, which began in August 1920?

Answer 27

Tambov

Question 28

How many Red Army troops had to be deployed to crush the revolt?

Answer 28

100,000

Question 29

Sailors from which naval base led an uprising due to Bolshevik War Communism policies in 1921?

Answer 29

Kronstadt Naval Base

Question 30

Who led the Red Army against the mutineers?

Answer 30

Marshall Tukhachevsky

Question 31

Which Bolsheviks led the ‘Workers’ Opposition’?

Answer 31

Aleksandra Kollontai & Alexander Shlyapknikov

Question 32

What was created in February 1921 to advise on a ‘New Economic Policy’?

Answer 32

GOSPLAN

Question 33

Which areas of industry did the State keep control of during the NEP?

Answer 33

Heavy industry such as oil, coal and steel

Question 34

What replaced grain requisitioning in the NEP?

Answer 34

Peasants were still required to give a quota of grain to the government and from 1923 this became a tax.

Question 35

What happened to private trade under the NEP?

Answer 35

It was legalised.

Question 36

Which recovered fastest and best: agriculture or industry?

Answer 36

Agriculture recovered quickest as peasants were quick to respond to their new freedom by planting crops.

Question 37

What was the Scissors Crisis of 1923?

Answer 37

Where agricultural prices fell whilst industrial prices rose.

Question 38

Who were NEPmen?

Answer 38

Private traders who took advantage of the NEP

Question 39

How much trade were NEPmen responsible for?

Answer 39

75%

Question 40

Why did Lenin describe the NEP as ‘one step backwards, two steps forward’?

Answer 40

The NEP was a temporary deviation from socialism as the economy needed time to recover after years of war.

Question 41

In order to avoid a repeat of the Workers’ Opposition, what did Lenin introduce at the 10th Party Congress in 1921?

Answer 41

Ban on factions.

Question 42

Who were given a show trial in 1921 and why?

Answer 42

Social Revolutionaries, partly in response to the assassination attempt on Lenin.

Question 43

From 1922, what was the Bolshevik policy towards the Church?

Answer 43

Union of Militant Godless set up in 1921. Churches were attacked, stripped of valuable possessions and thousands of priests were imprisoned.

Question 44

In 1923, Nomenklatura was introduced. What was this?

Answer 44

A system in which Party members were promoted due to their loyalty rather than their expertise.