War communism

Question 1

What were the five elements of War Communism?

Answer 1

1. Grain requisitioning
2. Banning of private trade
3. Nationalisation on industry
4. Labour discipline
5. Rationing

Question 2

What was grain requisitioning?

Answer 2

Soldiers were sent to the countryside to source grain for the cities.
The grain was forcibly taken from the peasants, despite them resisting bitterly.

Question 3

What did the ban on private trade mean?

Answer 3

All private trade was banned.

A black market was developed, without which, most people would not have survived.

Question 4

What was the nationalisation of industry?

Answer 4

All industry was brought under state control.

Workers didn’t have a choice in this as they were desperate to keep their jobs.

Question 5

How did labour discipline change?

Answer 5

Fines for being late to work.
Passports were introduced to prevent people from escaping to the countryside.
There was bonuses for those who worked well.

Question 6

What did the rationing of supplies mean?

Answer 6

Red Army soldiers were given priority, along with the workforce.
The smallest rations were given to the middle classes.

Question 7

Summary of war communism

Answer 7

War communism was introduced to meet the demands of the army and to keep the Bolsheviks going during war. Terror was essential to defeat counter-revolutionaries, and the communists saw War Communism as the route to socialism. Most people found War Communism a time of terrible chaos.