Keeping and Consolidating Power,18-24

Question 1

What were the main problems that Lenin faced immediately after the Bolsheviks had taken power?

Answer 1

• the continuing war with Germany
• Peasants continued to seize land across Russia
• economy was in chaos
• Bolshevik support limited in countryside
• Bolsheviks faced strikes by civil servants who refused to co-operate with new government
• State Bank refused to provide Bolsheviks with financial support
• Lenin knew the Bolsheviks would not do as well as the SR’s in the elections to the Constituent Assembly

Question 2

What was the Constituent Assembly?

Answer 2

elected body from which a new government would be formed

Question 3

What decrees did Lenin pass through the All-Russia Soviet?

Answer 3

• The Decree on Land - redistributed land to all peasants
• The Peace Decree - emphasised that the Bolsheviks wanted an immediate end to WW1
• the decree that established a new government organisation

Question 4

Who was at the top of the new government?

Answer 4

the Sovnarkom: the most powerful body within the Bolshevik government, a Council of People’s Commissars

Question 5

What were Commissars?

Answer 5

people responsible for political education within a communist country - often used to promote communism and ensure that people do not criticise communism

Question 6

What was below the Sovnarkom?

Answer 6

• All-Russia Congress of Soviets, Bolsheviks dominated it

- below that: representatives from cities, villages, local soviets

Question 7

What was the purpose of the Sovnarkom?

Answer 7

designed to allow the Bolsheviks to extend their power and control across Russia. Lenin and leading Bolsheviks would decide who was included in the Sovnarkom and therefore what important decisions would be made

Question 8

What was the outcome of the elections to the Constituent Assembly?

Answer 8

• Bolsheviks 24%

- SR’s 40.4%

Question 9

What were the Bolsheviks advantages?

Answer 9

• had considerable support on the northern and western military fronts
• had support in military districts in Petrograd & Moscow
• Baltic Fleet, Kronstadt Sailors supported Bolsheviks
• 10m people voted for them
• opposition parties e.g. Mensheviks, SR’s were divided - failed to effectively oppose Bolsheviks
• Lenin formed coalition with left-wing SR’s

Question 10

What happened on the 5 Jan in the Constituent Assembly?

Answer 10

• Lenin demanded that the Constituent Assembly should be subservient to the Sovnarkom and Soviet
• members of CA rejected demand
• Lenin used the Red Guards to close down the CA
• democracy effectively ended