War Communism and the New Economic Policy Flashcards
Explain why Lenin introduced War Communism.
Lenin needed to win the Civil War. In order to do that, he needed to ensure that he could feed the Red Army and produce enough military equipment. This meant that the economy had to be geared towards winning the war. Lenin therefore introduced War Communism, which meant the nationalisation of the economy, the use of terror and the control of the peasants.
Describe the features of War Communism.
- Factories with more than ten workers were taken over by the state.
- A Supreme Council of the National Economy decided what each factory should produce.
- Military discipline was introduced into the factories. Strikes were made illegal. Strikers could be shot.
- Peasants were forced to give up all their surplus produce to the government. They were no longer allowed to sell it for profit.
- Food was rationed in the cities.
- To meet its expenses, the government printed masses of paper money. This caused inflation. The government allowed money to lose its value. Many money payments were abolished. In place of money people were told to barter goods.
Outline the results of War Communism and why people hated it.
- The government managed to feed and equip the army.
- Peasants stopped producing surplus food since they couldn’t sell it, causing the Cheka and Red Army Units to seize grain from the peasants forcefully. By 1919-20 there were food shortages. The following year there was a severe famine, killing several million. The famine was made worse by poor weather and disease.
• Hunger, low wages and discontent among workers led to a drastic fall in industrial output. Production slowed down significantly. In 1913 Russia produced eighty-one million tonnes of grain, in 1921 it only produced thirty-seven.
Explain the opposition to the Bolsheviks in 1921.
- In 1921 massive discontent caused by War Communism led to the Kronstadt Mutiny. In March 1921 the government faced a mutiny at Kronstadt naval base. The sailors were fierce supporters of the October Revolution but they were now unhappy with government politics and policies, and felt that the new government hadn’t kept its promise. By 1921 production of most goods was only just more than half of its pre-WW1 levels. Trotsky was sent with sixty thousand soldiers to deal with the mutiny.
- The Tambov Rebellion occurred in the countryside in early 1921, where the Red Army was also deployed. It was a large and well-organised peasant rebellion that occurred in the Tambov Oblast, which is only 470 kilometres from Moscow. It occurred due to grain procurement.
It is estimated that around 100,000 people were arrested and around 15,000 killed during the suppression of the uprising. The Red Army used chemical weapons to fight the peasants.
Explain why Lenin turned from War Communism to the New Economic Policy.
Lenin introduced NEP in 1921 in an attempt to reduce discontent in the towns and countryside and to increase production in industry and agriculture. He argued that War Communism was a temporary measure, introduced to win the Civil War.
What were the features of NEP?
- Food requisitioning was ended. Peasants could sell their surplus. A ten percent tax was introduced on any profits. It had to be paid in foodstuffs.
- The government kept control of the large industries but factories with fewer than twenty workers were returned to private ownership and could be run for profit. Private enterprise was allowed in the retail trade. The government encouraged people to use money again.
- NEP was a temporary measure, and once the economy was revived it would be abandoned.
NEP included the electrification of Russia as Lenin was convinced that electrical power was the key to economic growth. Networks of power stations was established in the years after 1921.
NEP was supported by the peasants as they still gave a fixed amount of grain to the government, but could sell their surplus for profit again.
Outline the results of NEP.
- By 1925, food production had returned to pre-war levels and industrial production had risen greatly.
- Private businesses were allowed to get industry and trade moving which led to a new class being created. They were called Nepmen.
- NEP divided the party and caused a ban on factions.
Explain how NEP revived industrial and agricultural production.
Farmers could sell their surplus for profit which meant increased production and factories with fewer than twenty workers were given back to their owners and were allowed to make things for profit. By 1926 most of the production levels had almost reached 1913 levels.
Describe how Lenin was viewed after his death in 1924.
Lenin statues, plaques and posters were everywhere. He had an almost god-like status. In the 1940s, a biography of Lenin, written in Russia, called him ‘the greatest genius of all times and of all nations, master of all the treasures of human knowledge.’
Explain why the Reds won the Civil War. (Weaknesses of the Whites and Strengths of the Reds)
The Whites were cruel to the people in their territory. They were especially unpleasant when they came to villages or towns with Bolsheviks/Bolshevik sympathisers in them. This meant that they lost the support of the local population, furthermore, they were attempting to reinstate an old order. The working class has suffered under the Czars. The Whites were also unorganised and the commanders of certain White groups refused to work and coordinate with other commanders; It’s also rumoured that they took drugs and were a bad influence on their soldiers. Though, even if they did wish to coordinate, it’d be very difficult as most of the time the armies were isolated from each other in even more desolate areas - moving men or guns would be extremely difficult.
The Reds had a strong leadership and controlled the most populated areas of the old Russian Empire. The Bolsheviks benefitted from the centralised and unified leadership of Lenin and Trotsky. Trotsky effectively organised and led the Red Army and was seen as an inspiration to his men, and was able to rally them together to fight. The Bolsheviks occupied the central Russian-speaking area of the country, which meant it was easier to control and ensured that they had to travel shorter distances. Furthermore, they had a huge population in the central areas which meant more available manpower for industry, agriculture and the armed forces. Furthermore, in 1918 Lenin introduced War Communism, which was vital in keeping the army well fed and the factories able to run. Though peasants revolted and agriculture suffered as a result (1913: 81 million tonnes of grain, 1921: 37) and factories suffered from decreased output, War Communism achieved its goals.
