dealing with crisis - NEP

Question 1

causes

Answer 1

• lenin realised that concessions to peasants & some measures of economic liberalisation essential for regime to survive
• was clear that the gov couldn’t continue with its policy of war communism despite desire of many bolsheviks to do so

Question 2

key details of NEP

Answer 2

• NEP brought in & key element was abolition of grain requisitioning
• once peasants had given fixed proportion of their grain to state were able to sell any surplus on open market
• small business, private trading & money economy back
• many party members considered this betrayal & against bolshevik ideology
• lifting of ban on private trade particularly resented
• had to push it through 10th party congress
• knronstadt revolt persuaded doubters as realised split in party could result in losing power altogether
• wanted it to be temp

Question 3

grain requisitioning abolished

Answer 3

• replaced by a tax in kind
• peasants had to give fixed proportion of their grain to state but amount was much less that amounts taken for requisitioning
• could sell surplus on open market

Question 4

state control of commanding heights of economy

Answer 4

• state kept control of large scale heavy industries like coal, steel & oil
• retained control of transport/banks
• industry organised into trusts to pay workers from own budgets
• if failed to manage budgets efficiently they couldn’t expect state to bail them out

Question 5

small business re-opened

Answer 5

• small-scale businesses under private ownership allowed to open to make profit
• included businesses like small workshops/factories that made goods likes shows/clothes
• lenin realised peasants wouldn’t sell produce unless were goods they wanted on sale

Question 6

ban on private trade removed

Answer 6

• meant food/good could flow more easilty between the countryside and towns
• privately owned shops re-opened
• rationing abolished & people to buy food/goods from own income
• money economy back

Question 7

bolshevik & peasantry

Answer 7

• bolsheviks weren’t peasants & peasants weren’t bolsheviks
• bolsheviks wanted to build socialism & peasants wanted to farm own land successfully hopefully leading to them becoming kulaks
• ovseenko admitted few kulaks existed and that soviet policies deeply unpopular but didn’t stop him advocating ruthless action
• tambov region swamped by red army troops & villages burnt & poison used
• 240k may have died in course of this rebellion