Section 3: The Emergence of the Communist Dictatorship 1917-1941 Flashcards
(31 cards)
Lenin’s ‘State and Revolution’
- Outlined that the transition to Socialism would be achieved but opposition, labour discipline, the economy had to be dealt with first before imposing Marxism
- Act first, justify later
Debates Over Ending the War
- 3 way split over the war between Lenin (end the War), Trotsky (negotiate with the Germans - Treaty of Brest Litovsk) and Bukharin (transform in into a revolutionary war)
Treaty of Brest Litovsk
- March 1918
It was signed to stop further invasion of Russia by the Germans.
However, as a result, Russia lost half its industrial, agricultural and human resources and 1/6 of its population
It was seen as a ‘shameful peace’ which encouraged patriotic Russians to join anti-Bolshevik forces making Civil War more likely
Lenin’s One-Party State
Lenin showed no intention of sharing power with other Socialists. He dismissed the Constituent Assembly, killing 12 people who protested and other groupings were considered ‘enemies of the people’
Lenin’s Centralized State
The Politburo created, forming an inner ruling group at the top of the party. The passing of the ‘Ban of Factions’ meant that once Party Policy was set, challenging it could lead to expulsion. Additionally, the Nomenklatura system was imposed which appointed Bolshevik or pro Bolshevik workers into the 5000 party and government posts
Russian Civil War
1918-1921
The war broke following the Treaty of Brest Litovsk and revolt by Czech Prisoners. It was against the Reds who wanted a Socialist State (Bolsheviks) VS the Whites and Greens who supported Monarchy.
Significance of the Civil War
Shaped Bolshevik approach and political habits such as the cult of sacrifice, need to struggle permanently against the enemy, militarisation of labour.
Reds
The Reds held central areas including Moscow, Petrograd and Railway hub which contained main armament factories and had high conscription due to heavy population, had a single, unified command structure, Trotsky organised the Red Army into effective fighting force, Trotsky’s war train covered 65,000 miles providing support to where it was needed, War Communism and additionally, propaganda presented the Reds as the ‘Defenders of the Russian Soil’
White’s
The white’s were separated by large distances and no telephone links, were made up of different groups which couldn’t agree what they were fighting for, had high levels of indiscipline and corruption in the Armies and had half hearted weaponry
War Communism
It was implemented as the state needed enough food and munitions for the Red Army to win the war. Private trade banned, grain requisitioning was introduced where surplus grain was seized off the peasants and those caught holding withholding grain was shot with many not producing as much grain as they would because they knew it would be taken away, there was labour discipline. As a result, this allowed the Reds to win the Civil War but at great human and social costs.
Impact of War Communism
Over half the urban population disappeared due to death and famine and the economy suffered with the rouble collapsing and wages in 1919 being 2% of the 1913 levels. It was ‘As if hurricane had swept over it’
New Economic Policy
The NEP was a ‘Tactical retreat’ and only temporary. Grain requisitioning abolished = replaced by a fixed tax where peasants had to hand a fixed proportion of grain to state, small businesses under private ownership was reopened, ban on private trade removed which encouraged the peasant-worker relationship, the money economy was back and there was state control of heavy industry
Impact of the New Economic Policy
There was more food in cities so prices began to drop, however, grain not reaching the market as agriculture was still backwards as over 5 million ploughs were still in use, the NEP saw a tightening of political control with the ‘Ban on Factions’ passed and a penalty of expulsion from the party, there was a cleansing of the Party with 222,000 members purged, there were show trials of SRs, peasant revolts were crushed in the Tambov region and censorship increased, with Russian writers deported to convince intelligentsia to not criticise the govt
Terror
Cheka’s Red Terror dealt with opposition; SRs, Mensheviks, workers, peasants and bourgeoisie, the Tsar and family assassinated, an estimated 300,000 people were executed for being enemies of the people, forcing counter-revolutionaries into submission. Lenin famous saying was ‘How can you make a revolution without a firing squad?’
Situation in 1921
The Soviet economy was in ruins. The transport system on the brink of collapse, grain production fell to pre-war levels, money had become worthless and people were not willing to endure the hardships of War Communism. Additionally, the main opposition was the Peasantry due to grain requisitioning leading to a series of revolts and in the cities people were angered by a severe winter and food shortages with demonstrations having to broken up by the Cheka. The Krondstadt Naval based mutinied.
Krondstadt Naval Mutiny
- March 1921
The Krondstadt naval base mutinied against the terror, grain requisitioning and one-party rule and demanded an end to War Communism. This led to an open revolt against Lenin’s rule which was intervened by 50,000 troops and the rebellion was put down in 3 weeks and those who weren’t killed were sent to the gulag
Social Change
Old ruling class had been abolished, there was a change to women’s position; divorce made easier, abortion on demand available, aimed to eliminate traditional family (however, most women did an 8 hour work day and then went home to look after the children) and youth groups set up to instil communist values and promote loyalty to Proletariat (Pioneers and Komsomol)
Art and Film
Focus moved from ‘high art’ towards popular culture directed at the masses to educate Soviet citizens in basic Marxist messages. Cinema used as propaganda with 300 million cinema tickets being sold
Religion
Decree on freedom separated church from state, 8000 killed in anti church action and stripped church of its privileges and religious education banned in schools
Stalin’s Ascent to Power
He had controlled party appointments and held key positions under Lenin, making it easier than Lenin’s revolutionary struggle to get to power
Collectivisation
Was considered the ‘Great Turn’, and was established as the NEP failed to produce desired economic growth and to increase USSRs military strength and self sufficiency. It involved setting up collective farms for all agricultural workers
Collectivisation Specifics
From 1929-1930, there was an attempt to annihilate the Kulak Class with the help of the Red Army and Cheka, the Mir was abolished, however, there was mass opposition with 13,754 outbreaks of mass unrest. From 1930-1941, internal passports brought in to stop peasants leaving the Collectives, although peasants were supposed to receive a share of the profit which they never did, people considered it the ‘Second Serfdom’ and as a result, peasants had no incentive to work and private trade was happening which couldn’t be stopped
Impact of Collectivisation
Ultimately, the State achieved their goal: cities were being fed and grain exports increased, however, economic socialism had been succeeded at human cost, with peasants fleeing and dekulakisation was brutal
Industrialisation
The Five Year Plan was intended to modernise Russia in order to defeat enemies of war. It focused on heavy industry and targets were established to be met short term and long term and failure to meet them would be treated as a criminal offence. As a result, huge new industrial centres were constructed such as the Magnitogorsk
