★ War Communism & Society Flashcards
★ How did Lenin deal with economic failures in providing food?
★ Introduction of War Communism
★ How did Lenin attempt to create a more Socialist society?
★ Banned the Orthodox Church
★ Encouraged Science
★ Allowed abortion and tried to improve literacy
★ What were some problems facing the Bolsheviks after the Civil War?
★ War with Germany reduced morale
★ Treaty of Brest-Litovsk seen as unpopular
★ Food shortages in cities
★ Armed resistance to Bolsheviks
★ Economy was still market-based
★ Division in party over policies
★ Use of Cheka indicates lack of control
★ How did War Communism work?
★ Bolsheviks attempted to treat the economy as a single market enterprise that would make use of Russia’s productive capacity without worrying about market forces
★ What was requisitioning?
★ Grain taken away from peasants and given to the industry and workers & to sell abroad
★ Encouragement given to collective farms, but only a small minority cooperated
★ Officially, peasants were paid a fixed price, however officers would usually take more grain than necessary and offered inadequate vouchers
★ Worst hit were Kulaks, wealthy peasants
★ What was nationalisation?
★ Strict centralised management
★ First industry to be nationalised was sugar in 1918, followed by oil in June
★ Caused workers to lose the freedoms they previously enjoyed under the Decree of November 1917
★ Workers’ Soviets abolished and professional managers were instead employed
★ What was labour discipline and rationing?
★ Strikes forbidden, working hours were extended, ration-card workbooks
★ Fines imposed for slackness, lateness and absenteeism
★ Food, clothing and lodging were controlled through centralised distribution and regulations
★ Limits on freedom of movement
★ Rationing used as Class warfare where Red Army soldiers and factory workers were given the highest rations while doctors got lowest, limited or no rations given to bougeoise
★ What was labour discipline and rationing?
★ Strikes forbidden, working hours were extended, ration-card workbooks
★ Fines imposed for slackness, lateness and absenteeism
★ Food, clothing and lodging were controlled through centralised distribution and regulations
★ Limits on freedom of movement
★ Rationing used as Class warfare where Red Army soldiers and factory workers were given the highest rations while doctors got lowest, limited or no rations given to bourgeoise
★ What were the effects of War Communism?
★ By 1921, total industrial output fell to 20% lower than pre-war levels
★ Disease and Workers’ strikes
★ By end of 1920, population in Petrograd fell by 57.5% and in Moscow 44.5% from 1917 levels
★ Famine in countryside, 1/3 of land abandoned to grass and livestock had been slaughtered to feed hungry peasants
★ Harvest of 1921 produced only 48% of 1913 levels
★ Population fell to 130.9 million due to malnourishment and disease
★ What was the Cheka’s role in War Communism?
★ Spread of Red Terror after an assassination attempt in 1918
★ Shot political rivals such as Mensheviks, SRs & Anarchists
★ Concentration and Labour camps
★ Class warfare against bourgeoisie
★ What was the Tambov Rebellion?
★ Began in August 1920 and lasted until June 1921
★ 70,000 peasants
★ 100,000 Red Army troops had to be deployed
★ Used poison gas and brutally destroyed villages
★ What was the Kronstadt Revolt?
★ 1921
★ Kronstadt sailors important part of October Revolution
★ Described as “The flash which lit up reality”
★ 30,000 sailors
★ March 1921, sent a manifesto to Lenin calling an end to the One-party state
★ Ringleaders shot and 15,000 taken prisoner
★ Caused opposition in the party, with Alexandra Kollontai forming the Workers’ Opposition
