How will they govern? Flashcards
(20 cards)
What does the way the Bolsheviks governed between Oct 1917 and Jan 1918 indicate?
It indicates how they would govern the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1953.
What does it mean that the Bolsheviks were ‘pragmatic’?
They did whatever was necessary to stay in power.
What does it mean that the Bolsheviks were ‘ideological’?
They aimed to create a completely new society by tearing down the old one.
How did the Bolsheviks use the concept of a ‘class enemy’?
They identified enemies of the proletariat or revolution, like the Burzhis (bourgeoisie).
Who were the ‘Burzhis’ according to the Bolsheviks?
The bourgeoisie, labeled as enemies of the revolution.
How did the Bolsheviks use media and propaganda?
They controlled all information and eliminated competing sources.
What role did terror play in Bolshevik governance?
They used terror by imprisoning or executing political opponents.
What was the Soviet of People’s Commissars (Sovnarkom)?
It was the main governing body of the Soviet government formed by the Bolsheviks in 1917.
Who was the chairman of Sovnarkom?
Vladimir Lenin.
Who was the Foreign Minister in Sovnarkom?
Leon Trotsky.
By late 1917, where had the Bolsheviks established control?
In major cities and towns, especially Petrograd and Moscow.
What area remained largely outside Bolshevik control in 1917?
The countryside.
What major region declared independence from Russia in 1917?
Ukraine.
What is the first major action the Bolsheviks take after seizing power?
They launch a massive propaganda campaign.
Who is the target of the Bolsheviks’ early propaganda?
The Burzhis (bourgeoisie).
What happens to non-Bolshevik newspapers after the revolution?
They are all shut down.
What secret police organization do the Bolsheviks create?
The Cheka (Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage).
Who helps the Bolsheviks set up the Cheka?
Former members of the Okrana, the Tsarist secret police.
What does the Cheka do to political opponents?
Arrests, beats, and intimidates them.
Which political groups are targeted by the Cheka?
The Socialist Revolutionaries (SRs), Burzhis, and Mensheviks.
