War Communism Flashcards
1918 - 1921
When was State Capitalism?
1917 - May 1918
When was War Communism?
May 1918 - March 1921
When was the New Economic Policy introduced?
March 1921
What was War Communism?
> Grain requisitioning
> Elimination of money economy
> Central control of industry and transport
Extreme bread shortages led to…
Petrograd citizens can only purchase 50g of bread each
When was the Decree of Food Supply announced?
13th May 1918
When was the Decree of Food Supply?
Grain would be requisitioned instead of sold to the cities:
> Satisfied urgent need for food
It promised to be more efficient at feeding cities
Consistent with goals of Communism
What was the effects of grain requisitioning?
> Led to passive and active resistance from the peasants
> They often confiscated fodder (needed to keep farm animals alive) and seed grain (needed to plant new crops)
> Peasants could not keep their animals or crops alive
When did Food Battalions begin?
20th August 1918
What were Food Battalions?
Groups of 75 men and at least 2 machine guns who seized grain from peasants by force.
What did Pipes suggest about the Food Battalions and grain requisitioning?
“the declaration of a ‘food monopoly’ was effectively a declaration of war on the village.”
How was money eliminated?
> Issue of ration cards which branded your class
> Highest entitlement: industrial workers
> Lowest entitlement: bourgeois ‘specialists’ (1/4 the food of industrial workers)
What was War Communism’s impact on food?
Decline in grain production.
> Plus: Widespread drought in summer of 1920
Result? Widespread famine during Winter 1920-1921.
What was War Communism’s impact on industry?
Population of cities shrinks.
> Plus: Increased difficulty feeding cities as a result of famine.
Result? Drop in industrial production.
What was the Russian peasant saying?
“Bad crops are from God, but hunger comes from men.”
