War Communism

Question 1

Why was War Communism implemented?

Answer 1

As a response to the failures of State Capitalism

Question 2

Why was War Communism unlikely to have been planned?

Answer 2

There is no evidence to suggest Lenin planned to radicalise the economy quickly
Trotsky initially opposed War Communism, only accepting it after his mixed Socialist/Capitalist scheme was rejected in 1920

Question 3

What was War Communism’s main purpose?

Answer 3

To ensure the Red Army was supplied with munitions and food

Whether it was intended to create a socialist economy (as some Bolsheviks argued) is an area for debate

Question 4

Why did the Bolsheviks opt to treat the country as one giant enterprise?

Answer 4

They would not have to worry about individual concerns dictated by market forces
Reflected Bolshevik ideology of collectivism vs. individualism
They thought that it would mean issues of supply, demand and distribution could be disregarded

Question 5

What four main measures were implemented as part of War Communism?

Answer 5

Requisitioning, nationalisation, labour discipline and rationing

Question 6

Why did requisitioning occur?

Answer 6

The peasantry had reverted to subsistence farming, causing a food shortage

Question 7

Why did the peasantry revert to subsistence farming?

Answer 7

Rampant inflation meant that the money they would receive from selling surplus crops would quickly become worthless

Question 8

Why was requisitioning ineffective?

Answer 8

Cheka, soldiers, and workers often seized more than set quotas and did not pay in money, but vouchers (to be redeemed at a later date
The resultant lack of grain meant that there was less for the peasants to sow and subsist on
Acute food shortage by 1920
Widespread famine in 1921 when the harvest produced under 50% of that in 1913

Question 9

Which classes of peasants were worst affected?

Answer 9

The Kulaks
They were labelled ‘enemies of the people’ and sometimes their entire stocks were seized
Poorer peasants were often treated slightly better

Question 10

How widespread was resistance to requisitioning?

Answer 10

Many peasants resisted requisitioning
Hoarding grain was common
Viktor Serge said that Peasants near Dno slit open a Commissars stomach, filled it with grain and left him by the road as a message

Question 11

How did the government encourage informants of hoarding?

Answer 11

They promised to give half of any grain found to informants

Question 12

On which decree did nationalisation build on?

Answer 12

The Nationalisation decree of February 1918

Question 13

Which industry was the first to be nationalised, and when was it nationalised?

Answer 13

Sugar in May, 1918

Question 14

By what date was nationalisation extended to all factories and businesses?

Answer 14

November 1920

Question 15

What was banned as a result of nationalisation?

Answer 15

Private trade and manufacture

Question 16

How and when were the railways nationalised?

Answer 16

They were put under military style control after being nationalised from July 1918

Question 17

How did workers lose the control they had won in November 1918?

Answer 17

Workers’ Soviets were abolished

‘Managers’ were reappointed (often the same ‘specialists’ who had been previously dismissed)

Question 18

How did the workers react to losing control of the factories?

Answer 18

Some welcomed changed as it meant their factories were more likely to stay open

Question 19

How was strict labour discipline enforced for workers?

Answer 19

Strikes were forbidden
Working hours were extended (going back on the October, 1917, Workers’ decree)
Fines were imposed for slacking, lateness and absenteeism
Internal passports were introduced to prevent workers leaving cities

Question 20

How did the Reds utilise the non-working classes?

Answer 20

They demanded obligatory labour duty

Question 21

How was rationing controlled?

Answer 21

Ration-card workbooks were issued, replacing wages

Food, clothing and lodgings were controlled through centralised distribution and regulations

Question 22

How was rationing organised?

Answer 22

On a class basis
Factory workers and the Red Army received the highest rations
Smaller rations were given to white collar professionals
‘The former people’ were given limited or no rations

Question 23

What negative effect did the emphasis on heavy industry have?

Answer 23

It deprived other sectors of labour and resources

Question 24

What effect did the military-style control of the railways have?

Answer 24

Disruption of the transport system

Question 25

By what percentage did the population of Petrograd fall 1917-1920?

Answer 25

57.5%

Question 26

How was industrial production affected?

Answer 26

Industrial production fell to around 20% of the pre-war level
Management struggled to get factories working efficiently

Question 27

How did the Russian population change between 1913 and 1921?

Answer 27

1913: 171 million
1921: 131 million