Russia Topic 5 - War Communism + NEP

Question 1

War communism (or why introduced, or effects of)

Answer 1

keep red army + factory workers supplied with food, strictly rationed, peasants had to hand over surplus grain, 1918 1 mil tonnes of food, 1920 6 mil tonnes
Bolsheviks believed in complete state control of all production, war communsim meant rapid movement towards communism economy
state control of banks and payment with goods rather than money

Question 2

Kronstadt Naval Mutiny

Answer 2

Kronstadt sailors were Bolsheviks strongest supporters, however didnt like hardships of war communism and increasing violence to control peasants
feb 1921 they mutinied 15k sailors mutinied and demanded new elections, freedom of speech and trade unions (and other things) trotsky ordered 50k red army troops to attack
800 sailors escaped to Finland, rest killed

Question 3

Why NEP introduced?

Answer 3

economic - famine in the volga region affected 20 mil - 5 mil died of starvation
NEP introduced to encourage economic recovery, allowed private ownership and incentive for small businesses to increase industrial production
political - increased unrest, like Kronstadt naval mutiny - Lenin described it as the “the flash that lit up reality” lenin realised he had to end war communism

Question 4

NEP

Answer 4

Free market agriculture - requisition squads withdrawn and peasants allowed to keep some surplus grain and sell it
Free market industry - workers paid piece rates rather than flat wage, foreign experts brought in from USA and Canada (20k) to advise on running of factories

Question 5

Effects of NEP

Answer 5

peasants sell surplus grain for profit - improved attitude and economy, grain prod inc from 50 mil 1922 to 72 mil 1925
by 1923 so much food prod that prices went down
in industry/towns - increased prod - steel 0.2 mil 1922 to 5 mil 1925
exports increase like coal as well
leisure in cities revived to lift mood - restaurants, theatres

Question 6

Opposition to NEP

Answer 6

Old bolsheviks like Kamanev saaw NEP as betrayal of communism, lenin introduced a ban on factions to silence them
NEPMEN and Kulaks - didn’t like NEP as anti-communists - peasants could charge more for grain which effected working class - went against communism

Question 7

Achievements of Lenin

Answer 7

Pos - April theses - slogans - positivity
persuasion and persistance in convincing revolution oct 1917
introd war communism to win war and then NEP to keep control
Neg - ruthless methods of terror with cheka executing thousands every year, made some angry
millions died due to war communism
religion banned - decrease popularity