More Y13 Russia content Flashcards
Some terms of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk…
(Signed on Mar 3rd 1918).
- Russia lose main food supply of Ukraine.
- Russia lose 74% iron ore + coal supplies.
- Russia lose 1/6 of its population, (62m people).
- Bessearabia given to Romania, (a German ally).
What was the Sovnarkom?
‘Soviet of the people’s Commissars
- They issued decrees.
- A one-party executive body.
- Lenin was Chairman, Stalin took charge of nationalities, Trotsky controlled foreign affairs, and Rykov for Internal Affairs.
- Kamenev edits Pravda.
- Zinoviev was party organiser.
Sovnarkom activities….
- Banks nationalised
- Religion dismantled
- Military decree removed from class-ranks
- Private land ownership outlawed
- Workers permitted to supervise bosses
- Wanted to end the war!
Rulings via decrees!
What was the Cheka?
(Dec 1917)
- Led by Dzerzhinsky
- (1918) 50k executions, and 200k exections (by 1924).
- Long-leather coats
- (By 1921) 143k agents.
Some of Oct 1917 Lenin issues:
- Internal divisions in Bols party.
- Lenin wanted to be sole ruler.
- Policies may need to be modified for population.
Points on Ideology to end WW1…
(Possible tradeoffs with Marxism?)
(Compromises in ideology)
- Split within Bols as relinquising land would mean effort sacrificed, however, not ending the war would squander chances of revolution.
- Marxist assumptions entail how Bols revolution would spread across Europe, e.g. Germany.
- (Dec 1917) Trotsky reluctantly starts peace talks with Germany, as he knows this would mean German victory! -> Causing land to be relinquished.
- (Mar 1918) Lenin signs Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, showcasing his pragmatic side.
Difference between Leninism and Marxism?
- Leninism entailed violence in order to seize power
- The Cheka est. meant that Lenin would need to hold back counter-revolutionaries.
David Evans’ take on Stalin’s rise:
- Stalin’s role of General Secretary gave him unlimited authority, and Evans was sceptical whether this usage of unlimited authority would be used effectively.
- Trotsky is described as having an outstanding personality, as well as being the most capable in Central Committee, with a high desire for administration roles.
- Stalin + Trotsky qualities had the potential for a Central Committee indirect split.
Role of ideology + change in Stalin’s rise:
- (Dec 1922) Lenin decided to dictate his eulogy, read to the Party Congress on his death.
- Lenin said Stalin’s ‘ruthlessness… lack of finesse’ didn’t make him eligible to succeed him.
- Central Committee suppress the former idea (playing into Stalin’s hands).
Some points on the leadership struggle after Lenin’s death…
- (Before the end of 1921) Leadership struggle began before Lenin’s death, as Stalin health began to decline.
- (May 1922) Lenin starts having strokes.
- (Mid 1922) It was clear that Lenin would NOT return to govt.
- After Lenin’s death, no successor.
Ideology + nature of leadership:
- Lenin was the mastermind of the revolution, and was respected by all senior members of the party.
- Politburo emerged as the most powerful institution within the govt.
Evidence of ideology being important…
(From after Civil War to leadership struggle after Lenin’s death).
- (From 1921) Communists divided over Lenin’s NEP, vital in Marxist theory, as some private enterprise was permitted, (Marx’s theory of primitive accumulation meant profit was frowned upon).
- Left-wing members favoured NEP, whilst right-wing members e.g. Rykov supported its continuation.
- Stalin’s support from left and right kept changing (until 1925).
- Soviet Union remained the only Communist state in the 1920s.
- Marx did not believe the idea of one leader being necessary in a socialist state.
Evidence of ideology being NOT important…
- Leniency of Lenin’s idea of permitting private ownership may have been temporary.
- Stalin’s switch back to a left-wing approach would have been due to the food shortages.
- Some argue that one leader was neccessary, as the Civil War meant changes had to be made.
Ideology v Practicality…
Ideology:
- Ability to influence others, being decisive, unapolegetic, pre-existing ideologies (Marxism), maode of opinion/speech etc.
Practicality:
- Morality, opposition, economic and social realities, (WW1) etc.
Some terms of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk…
(Signed on Mar 3rd 1918).
- Russia lose main food supply of Ukraine.
- Russia lose 74% iron ore + coal supplies.
- Russia lose 1/6 of its population, (62m people).
- Bessearabia given to Romania, (a German ally).
Points on Ideology to end WW1…
(Possible tradeoffs with Marxism?)
(Compromises in ideology)
- Split within Bols as relinquising land would mean effort sacrificed, however, not ending the war would squander chances of revolution.
- Marxist assumptions entail how Bols revolution would spread across Europe, e.g. Germany.
- (Dec 1917) Trotsky reluctantly starts peace talks with Germany, as he knows this would mean German victory! -> Causing land to be relinquished.
- (Mar 1918) Lenin signs Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, showcasing his pragmatic side.
What is Bolshevik democracy?
To rule in the interests of the people.
Social impacts of the Civil War (1918-1920)
Reds v Whites and Greens participate.
- 10m died, and 1.7m in WW1.
- Factories + bakeries closed and shops boarded up…
- (Jan 1920) Ukrainian city Nikolaev lose all its central boulevards.
- People burned their belongings in winter to keep warm.
- Diseases such as cholera killed thousands yearly, e.g. cholera, influenza etc.
- Avg worker consumed under 2k kcal, under half the recommended intake.
- 7m children homeless.
- Poor sanitary conditions.
Impact of the Civil War (1918-1920) on government + party…
- Power shifts from annual congresses to the Politburo (Soviet to Communist)
- Govt. have to make choices suited to Politburo.
- Local soviets only had Party members.
- (1921) Lenin bans factions and any Central Committee decision had to be agreed on by whole party.
- Lenin’s NEP helped to consolidate the party.
- (1922) ‘General Secretary’ role made to control its workings.
- Stalin made General Secretary, (least respected party member).
(You had to belong to a Communist Party!) + Party’s the Politburo.
What was the Nomenklatura?
- (1922) Nomenklatura est. and this was the bureaucracy.
- 5.5k key party posts made to appear more reputable.
- This was a new party elite!
Impacts of the Civil War on national minorities + 1922 constitution
Civil War (1918-1920)
- Govt. allowed self-determination across their empire, as they don’t have resources to stamp down authority…
- Empire nations permitted national culture/native languages.
When was the USSR formed?
(Plus additional info)
- (Dec 1922) USSR formed, forming a new constitution.
- Lenin’s compromise was a federation of states under strict control, not direct control!
- Republics of govt. seen as regional Sovnarkom branches, open to manipulation.
Difference between Leninism and Marxism?
- Leninism entailed violence in order to seize power
- The Cheka est. meant that Lenin would need to hold back counter-revolutionaries.
What were gulags?
- Used during tsarist regime.
- For criminals and political opponents.
- (Summer 1918) Tsar dies and Bols. experiment with labour camps.
- (By 1923) 200 prisoners on Solovski Islands.
Some causes of the Civil War (1918-1920):
- Lenin assassination attempt (summer 1918)
- Capitalists feared communism.
- (May 1918) Bols attempt to arrest Czech Legion members as they passed through the Trans-Siberian railway + (1918) Czech Legion members have 45k soldiers.
Some of reasons for Red’s Civil War victory:
- Bols have better communication than Whites.
- Cheka + Trotsky heavily supervised Red Army.
- (Oct 1918) Bols have 430k men, 61 rifle divisions and 12 cavalry divisions.
- War Communism meant Central Committee heavily centralise all sectors.
- Whites’ leaders Kolchak and Denikan lacked experience to lead. + They had to deal with Greens, who opposed all authority and were anarchists.
- Bols had high centralisation + organisation + (By 1920) 5.4m in govt. bureaucracy.
Civil War impacts (1918-1920)
- Reds lose 632k men + 531k from disease.
- Lenin’ NEP (1921) allowed private ownership, small-scale manufacturing and ended grain requisitioning.
- Later, Politburo, Nomenklatura etc.
Stalin in Georgia…
- Stalin crushed the Georgians want for independence by the force of arms (1922)
Some Politburo members…
Kamenev, Zinoviev, Bukharin, Trotsky and Stalin.
- Central Committee elected by Politburo.
Factors that enabled Bols to est. a dictatorship
(By 1922-1923)
- Est. of Politburo and Nomenklatura
- USSR formation
- Social impacts Civil War
- Gulags
- Reds’ performance in Civil War
What was a trade-off between Lenin’s idea and Marxism regarding a communist one-party state?
(By 1921-22)
- Lenin wanted to consolidate a one-party state in Russia, where the means were not really there, and Marxism stated that a country had to initally be a capitalist country.
