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39 Cards in this Set
- Front
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Consolidating Bol powet |
Faced series of problems which threatened Bolshevik rule: Continuing war Limited support in countryside Major food shortages in cities Large proportion of workers were on strike |
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Threat of constituent assembly + closing the assembly |
SRs won largest no. of seats in nov elections- SRs would use election result to try establish rival gov Constituent assembly met 5 jan 1918 rejected Lenin’s demand CA should be subservient to sovnarkom- in response Lenin ordered red guards to close CA after a single day |
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Impact of CA closure + workers response |
Most hoped CA would begin to rebuild Russia, so while many radical workers supported the closure, Lenin’s actions were unpopular with vast majority Many workers accepted closure of CA believing new gov genuinely represented their interests because sovnarkom: Issued decree on workers control- gave workers rights to control all aspects of production Decreed maximum 8 hr day |
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Making peace at Brest - litovsk |
Believed ending war was essential to survival of new gov- hoping it would give economy chance to recover= ‘breathing space’ for new gov Believed civil war was inevitable- ending war allow his gov to recall troops to fight Bol opponents |
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Peace negotiations |
Appointed Trotsky to conduct peace negotiations with Germans- German demands were harsh: Baltic states (Latvia Lithuania and Estonia) Poland Ukraine- prosperous agricultural region Meaning Russia would loose: 32% of arable land 26% of railway system 33% of its factories 75% of its coal n iron ore mines |
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Decisions over peace + Lenin forces peace |
Many bols opposes peace agreement: Bukharin advocates fighting revolutionary war against capitalist n imperialist nations to spread revolution across Europe Trotsky advocates policy of ‘neither peace nor war’= true should continue without formal peace treaty Lenin threatened to resign unless senior Bols backed the policy- threats forced opponents to back fine March 3rd 1918 Trotsky signed treaty of Brest litovsk |
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Consequence of peace + break with left SRs |
Closure of CA + ending war turned public opinion from new government Treaty extremely unpopular as it resulted in massive loss of land - left SRs resigned from gov in protest at treaty |
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Development of Cheka |
Sovnarkom established Cheka (political police) in December 1917= embodied Lenin’s views on revolutionary-violence- Lenin believed emergency revolutionaries needed to defend gov with force |
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Role of Cheka |
Initially closed right wing papers- November 1917 kadets were outlawed December 1917 Lenin authorised arrest of leading members of right SRs, right wing Mensheviks like tsereteli April 1918 bol expelled SRs and Mensheviks from the soviets claiming they were counter revolutionaries Cheka did not enforce laws nor were they bound by them- dispelled ‘revolutionary justice’ = allowing them to act arbitrarily SRs n Mensheviks remained legal until 1923 however due to Cheka attacks parties were disintegrated- some joined Bol- around 2 million fled, or ended up in Cheka labour camps |
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Cheka methods |
Authorised by sovnarkom to shoot suspects without trial n use torture- victims sometimes: Scalped Allowed to freeze and turned into frozen statues Skinned Militated Torture designed in part to terrify Russians into obedience Leader known as ‘iron felix’ die to ruthlessness |
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Cheka + civil war 1918-21 |
During CW chekas role was to protect communist rule in areas held by communists/ red army responsible for defending + enlarging communist held territory 1918-21 Cheka: Helped red army requisition grain as part of war communism Closed down opposition newspapers+ imprisoned tortured + excecuted socialist opponents Ran concentration camps Supported red army’s attack on Kronstadt naval base= Cheka agents positioned behind red army soldiers with machine guns ordered to shoot any soldiers who retreated n refused to fight |
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Red terror |
Cheka unleaded wave of ‘red terror’ end of August 1918 in response to failed assassination attempt on Lenin In September around 15,000 were executed by Cheka- estimates of number killed by Cheka between 1918-22 vary from 50,000 to 3 million |
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Impact of terror |
As support for bols diminished- relied increasingly on fear- felix Dzerzhinsky boasted actions of Cheka underpinned all achievements of Lenin’s gov Cheka effectively ended: Press freedom Freedom of speech Opposition groups |
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Bol economic policies |
Lenin’s policy changed radically over time - reflecting Lenin’s changing objectives: Short term wanted to stabilise economy n stimulate growth- hoping for popularity From mid 1918 Lenin’s key objective was to win CW After 1921 needed to rebuild + stabilise regime This evolution also reflects Marxist ideology- clear in that communist society needed extremely advanced economy = Lenin committed to modernisation of economy |
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State capitalism |
Based on nationalisation of industry- ended capitalism by passing ownership of industry from capitalists to new state Lenin hopes it would lead to greater efficiency as gov could employ experts to run country = control of nationalised industries centralised by Vesenkha which would : Reestablish workers discipline by offering higher pay to productive workers Ensure factories were properly managed= under control of well paid specialists Coordinate economic production to meet needs of new society |
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Consequences of state capitalism |
Extremely unpopular as it ended workers control + kept wages low as Lenin wanted to target resources at economic growth Vesenkha tended to employ former factory owners to manage state controlled factories = life for workers much similar to before the revolution |
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War communism |
Emergency economic measures from mid 1918 designed to ensure communist victory |
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War communism- food dictatorship |
Abolished free market in food -grain requisitioning = Cheka authorised to seize grain + other forms of food from peasants without payment - rationing= supply commissariat rationed seized foods- largest rations went to workers n soldiers- smallest went to members of bourgeois |
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War communism- labour discipline |
1918 working day extended to 11 hours 1919 work made compulsory for all able bodied people 16-50 Harsh punishments to workers late or caught slacking |
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War communism- abolition of the market |
Conditions of war led to breakdown of existing market- bukharin n other radicals saw this as victory= revolution destroyed capitalist market -abolition of money= short term gov caused hyperinflation by just printing more money- money became worthless, workers paid through rations n public services like transport provided freely - abolition of trade= private trade made illegal - complete nationalisation |
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Consequences of war communism |
Destroyed incentives to work= economic catastrophe- by 1920 famine in countryside + workers fled cities in search for food In total industrial workforce declined 2.6 million workers in 1917 to 1.2 in early 1921 |
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Crisis of 1921- Tambov rising |
Autumn 1920 peasants in Tambov began rebellion against communist requisitioning n Cheka brutality By jan 1921 alekandr Antonov (leader) had a force of 50,000 anti communist fighters Spread throughout spring of 1921 |
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Crisis of 1921- Kronstadt mutiny |
Sailors in Kronstadt naval base rebelled against communist brutality- demanded series of reforms: -immediate free n fair elections of new soviets -release of all anarchist Mensheviks n SRs political prisoners - restoration of free speech n press - abolition of Cheka - end to war communism |
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Lenin’s response to Tambov n Kronstadt |
Scale of rebellion scared senior communists. Lenin: - mid March red army crushed Kronstadt uprising. Tukhachevski (former White general) attacked naval base with 60,000 troops with several thousand armed Cheka - tukhachevski also dispatched to Tambov to end rebellion= May deported 100,000 to labour camps + attacking peasant villages with poison gas |
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War communism- abolition of the market |
Conditions of war led to breakdown of existing market- bukharin n other radicals saw this as victory= revolution destroyed capitalist market -abolition of money= short term gov caused hyperinflation by just printing more money- money became worthless, workers paid through rations n public services like transport provided freely - abolition of trade= private trade made illegal - complete nationalisation |
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Consequences of war communism |
Destroyed incentives to work= economic catastrophe- by 1920 famine in countryside + workers fled cities in search for food In total industrial workforce declined 2.6 million workers in 1917 to 1.2 in early 1921 |
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Crisis of 1921- Tambov rising |
Autumn 1920 peasants in Tambov began rebellion against communist requisitioning n Cheka brutality By jan 1921 alekandr Antonov (leader) had a force of 50,000 anti communist fighters Spread throughout spring of 1921 |
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Crisis of 1921- Kronstadt mutiny |
Sailors in Kronstadt naval base rebelled against communist brutality- demanded series of reforms: -immediate free n fair elections of new soviets -release of all anarchist Mensheviks n SRs political prisoners - restoration of free speech n press - abolition of Cheka - end to war communism |
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Lenin’s response to Tambov n Kronstadt |
Scale of rebellion scared senior communists. Lenin: - mid March red army crushed Kronstadt uprising. Tukhachevski (former White general) attacked naval base with 60,000 troops with several thousand armed Cheka - tukhachevski also dispatched to Tambov to end rebellion= May deported 100,000 to labour camps + attacking peasant villages with poison gas |
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War communism- abolition of the market |
Conditions of war led to breakdown of existing market- bukharin n other radicals saw this as victory= revolution destroyed capitalist market -abolition of money= short term gov caused hyperinflation by just printing more money- money became worthless, workers paid through rations n public services like transport provided freely - abolition of trade= private trade made illegal - complete nationalisation |
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Consequences of war communism |
Destroyed incentives to work= economic catastrophe- by 1920 famine in countryside + workers fled cities in search for food In total industrial workforce declined 2.6 million workers in 1917 to 1.2 in early 1921 |
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Crisis of 1921- Tambov rising |
Autumn 1920 peasants in Tambov began rebellion against communist requisitioning n Cheka brutality By jan 1921 alekandr Antonov (leader) had a force of 50,000 anti communist fighters Spread throughout spring of 1921 |
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Crisis of 1921- Kronstadt mutiny |
Sailors in Kronstadt naval base rebelled against communist brutality- demanded series of reforms: -immediate free n fair elections of new soviets -release of all anarchist Mensheviks n SRs political prisoners - restoration of free speech n press - abolition of Cheka - end to war communism |
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Lenin’s response to Tambov n Kronstadt |
Scale of rebellion scared senior communists. Lenin: - mid March red army crushed Kronstadt uprising. Tukhachevski (former White general) attacked naval base with 60,000 troops with several thousand armed Cheka - tukhachevski also dispatched to Tambov to end rebellion= May deported 100,000 to labour camps + attacking peasant villages with poison gas |
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Civil war |
Rebellion of Czech legions on 25 May 1918 signalled start- during summer of 1918 anti communist armies established in Siberia Estonia n Ukraine |
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Red whites n greens |
Whites= liberals tsarists or military dictatorship Greens= associated with left SRs or anarchist groups fighting for autonomy of local groups of peasants |
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Red strengths |
Strong geographical position Controlled cities- around 70 million = recruit soldiers n workers Most industrial areas= produce weapons n equipment Controlled main rail lines Opposition- whites controlled : only around 20 million people, few factories, regions in far north east n south = divided forces - difficult to coordinate Green position- forces controlled small area of Ukraine= resources were limited both in terms of population n ability to produce weapons |
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Trotsky n red army |
March 1918 Lenin reformed army: Democratic control abolished Trotsky as head of army put tsarists back in charge of army Each battalion under dual command- former tsarists forced to work with political commissars to command new army These reforms outraged idealists accusing Lenin n Trotsky of betraying principles of revolution |
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Trotskys role in red victory |
Loyal to Lenin- agreeing on fundamental principles on winning the war Effective leader of red army= sent reinforcements to Petrograd preventing general yudenich form seizing control of Petrograd Used armoured train to visit n support areas under threat Skilful tactics- formed with Nestor makhnos green revolutionary insurgent army of Ukraine in order to beat white forces |
