War Communism Flashcards
1
Q
What was one major event that caused Lenin to create the NEP?
A
- In February 1921 the Bolshevik policies sparked a mutiny at Kronstadt naval base
2
Q
Describe the Kronstadt rebellion
A
- Thousands of sailors protested at events in Russia and objected to the way that the Communist party was taking power away from the Soviets
- Lenin wanted no opposition and decided to stop the protest
- Trotsky used Red Army to put down rebellion and 20,000 men were killed or wounded in the fighting
- The surviving rebellions were either executed by the Cheka or put in a gulag
3
Q
Why was the Kronstadt rebellion significant?
A
- It was expected that the peasants would resist communism as most of them supported the SRs, but the sailors and naval had previously supported the Bolsheviks int he revolution
- Lenin realised that he had to change the policy. In March 1921 Lenin abandoned War Communism and introduced the NEP in its place
4
Q
What did the sailors want?
A
- New elections as Soviets no longer represent workers and peasants
- Freedom of speech, right of assembly and freedom for trade union and peasant associations
- Army and politics to be unrelated
- Free political prisoners of the Socialist parties
- Right to “due protest”
5
Q
What was War Communism?
A
- Measures that Lenin and the Communists took to keep the army supplied during the Civil War
- Lenin set up the Supreme Council of National Economy (Vesenkha) to create a planned economy and a fair society
6
Q
Describe the main features of War Communism
A
- Rationing of food in cities was to be strictly applied during food shortages
- Private trading as banned and peasants could no longer sell their surplus food for profit but had to give it to the government. Lenin order squads into the countryside to seize food and resistors were shot
- Factories with more than ten workers were nationalised
- Rapid inflation resulted which left money valueless and people had to barter
- Massive black market
7
Q
How did they justify War Communism?
A
- Necessary to make and equal society (ideology)
- The food went to the soldiers who are fighting
- If they loose the War the Tsar might come back to power which is not what many people wanted
- To put communist theories into practice by redistributing resources and wealth
- To ensure victory in the Civil War by keeping towns and the Red Army supplied
8
Q
What are the arguments for why War Communism was successful?
A
- The Reds won the Civil War
- They may have otherwise returned to Tsarist
- Communism would have been over
- This maintains an arguably communist system
9
Q
What are the arguments for why War Communism was unsuccessful?
A
- Increasing peasant opposition and peasant refused to cooperate in producing more food because the government simply took it away
- Therefore Agricultural production decreased
- This led to food shortages, along with the bad winters in 1920 and 1921 causing a terrible famine
- Some estimates suggest that 7 million (or 5 million) Russian people died in this famine and there were even reports of cannibalism
10
Q
Describe the New Economic Policy (NEP)
A
- In March 1921, at the Party Congress, Lenin announced the NEP, and the features included:
- Effectively brought back capitalism for parts of Russian society
- Peasants were allowed to sell their surplus grain for profit
- Peasants paid tax on what they produced
- Small factories were handed back into private ownership
- Private trading of small goods was allowed
11
Q
How did Lenin get the NEP through the Party?
A
- Lenin made it clear that the NEP was temporary and that the vital heavy industries (coal, oil, iron and steel) would remain in state hands
- Many Bolsheviks were horrified when the NEP was announced, seeing it as a betrayal of Communism (Trotsky was not a supporter of it)
- By 1925 there seemed to be strong evidence that it was working as food production in particular rose steeply
