Topic 1-Communist Government in the USSR 1917-85 Flashcards
Lenin, Stalin, De-Stalinization under Brezhnev (132 cards)
1
Q
What was the revolution that started everything?
A
The October Revolution saw the establishment of the worlds first communist state.
2
Q
When was The October Revolution?
A
1917
3
Q
Who are the Bolshevik Party? When were they first established?
A
Established in 1903 as one of several revolutionary groups that wished to bring about change in Russia.
4
Q
What regime that was outdated collapsed in 1917 after WW1?
A
The Tsarist Regime which was increasingly outdated and repressive.
5
Q
How did the Bolshevik Party manage to seize power in 1917?
A
The Bolsheviks saw the chaos in 1917 as an opportunity to seize power and put their aims in place
6
Q
What were the Bolsheviks Party’s aims?
A
To get rid of the upper and middle classes who exploited the workers and peasants under the capitalist system that had developed with the industrial revolution
7
Q
What did the Bolsheviks think that capitalism should be replaced with?
A
Believed Socialism should replace Capitalist system through which a gov rep resenting workers would improve living and working conditions
8
Q
What did Karl Marx believe?
A
He wrote about his socialist thoughts. He believed that Capitalism should be replaced with Socialism.
9
Q
What is a Proletariat?
A
A term used by Karl Marx to represent the industrial workers who were a new class that had emerged as a result of the industrial revolution
10
Q
Who are the bourgeoisie?
A
Owners of factories, industries and shops who own the means of production
11
Q
How did the Bolshevik Party want to lead?
A
They wanted to be a dictatorship for the Proletariat to promote socialism by government control over the economy in the interest of the workers.
12
Q
What was the government that was after the Tsar and got taken over by the Bolshevik Party?
A
The Provisional Government. At the time it was taken over it was a small party of 300,000 members
13
Q
What did the Bolshevik Party claim they would do? Did this work?
A
They claimed they would set up a democratic system that would rule on behalf of the people, for the people but by 1921 it was clear that in reality they had established a one-party state where all other political groups were banned.
14
Q
What difficulties did the Bolshevik Party face when trying to secure power?
A
-They were a relatively small group
-Although the Bolsheviks claimed to represent the Proletariat and peasants they didn’t have enough support to lead a popular revolution
15
Q
What were the groups that opposed the Bolsheviks?
A
-Other left-wing groups who were denied a share of power by the Bolsheviks such as the Socialist Revolutionaries (SR’s) and the Mensheviks who were fellow Marxists
-Groups on the right (Tsarist supporters) and liberal groups who often represented the interests of the middle class. They feared the Bolsheviks would take over and challenge the rich and privileged within Russia
-Nationalist Groups within the Russian empire such as Ukrainians, Poles and Finns who saw the collapse of the Tsarist Regime as a chance to assert their independence
16
Q
What did other left-wing groups like the Mensheviks and the SR’s believe would happen with the Government?
A
They hoped that they would be given a share in the new government. Lenin made it clear that there would be no sharing of power.
17
Q
What is the Constituent Assembly?
A
A parliament elected by the people of Russia. It was seen as the first step by many politicians as the first step in forming a democratically elected government.
18
Q
What happened when the SR’s and Mensheviks called the Constituent Assembly?
A
The assembly was to be democratically elected and this played to the strength of the SR’s who were able to mobilize their support among the peasantry.
19
Q
What were the Votes for the Assembly? Who’s favor were they in?
A
The results were not in the Bolsheviks favor. The gained 175 seats in the Assembly wither over 9 million votes but the SR’s emerged as the largest single party with 410 seats and 21 million votes
20
Q
Why did Lenin dissolve the Assembly after only one meeting?
A
To keep the assembly would clearly pose a threat to the Bolshevik Party.
21
Q
How was the destruction of other political parties taken out?
A
-The removal of the vote from the bourgeoise classes such as employees and priests which stripped the opposition parties of a possible reservoir of support
-Mensheviks + SR’s found it difficult to publish their newspapers due to the Bolshevik imposed restrictions
-Left-wing SR’s lost all influence when they walked out the government in march 1918 out of protests
-In march 1918 the Bolshevik party named itself the communist party by which all other parties were banned
-In April 1921 Lenin decided to arrest all Mensheviks and SR’s
22
Q
Who were the SR’s?
A
A group committed to democratic socialism who believed in the right for groups to govern themselves e.g. peasant organizations
23
Q
Who were the Mensheviks?
A
A communist group who were more modern than the Bolsheviks. They had split from the Bolsheviks in 1903 over differences of policy. Prepared to work with the bourgeois in order to bring about gradual reform. Had a larger membership than the Bolsheviks in 1917. They demanded a role in the government in the form of a coalition but Lenin refused
24
Q
When was the treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
A
1918
25
What was the treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
The treaty to Russia out of the war at a great cost. Russia lost control of the Baltic States which were Lithuania, Estonia and Latavia, Finland Ukraine and parts of the Caucasus Region. It was a humiliation and the only way to restore Russian Pride was to overthrow the Bolshevik Regime and reject the treaty.
26
What did the Treaty do for oppositions of the Bolshevik Party?
It gave the oppositions a necessary spur to fight against the Bolsheviks. They were known as the whites. It offered foreign help as the allies were willing to offer resources to keep the Bolshevik party to rejoin the fight.
27
Who were the Whites?
Those who opposed the Bolsheviks during the civil war of 1918-20. Largely conservative groups within Russia who didn't want the old social order to change. The leaders were generals and military leaders from the Tsar's armed forces
28
Why did Lenin pull out of the war and sign the treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
He was aware that something that brough about the collapse of the Tsarist Regime was the resources used in the war so he thought that if he wanted to focus on other things he needed to pull out to focus on the government.
29
What was the time period the Russian Civil war took place in?
1918-21
30
Who were the Reds?
The Reds were the Bolsheviks and their supporters. The Bolshevik forces were known as the Red Army . Bolshevik supporters was made up from the industrial workers and many peasants who saw the Bolsheviks as their best gain from the Revolution.
31
Who did the White opposition include?
The Tsarists, liberals, military leaders unhappy with Russia pulling out of WW1, national minorities seeking independence and members of the Mensheviks and SR's parties who had been denied an involvement in the government
32
Who emerged victorious from the Russian Civil War?
It was looking like the Whites would win as they were the better side but in the end the Reds were victorious.
33
How did the Reds win against the Reds?
This was largely due to the better organization of the Reds in military, economic and political terms.
34
Why was the Whites leadership bad?
This was because the Whites were and amalgam of different groups united by only their desire to get rid of the Bolsheviks which was the opposite to the Reds. These divisions were reflected in the military strategy of the Whites as cooperation was limited and didn't help when the Whites fought.
35
Who can a lot of the credit go to for the Reds winning the Russian Civil war?
A lot of the credit can go to Trotsky as he became a commissar for war in early 1918 and he turned the Red army into an effective fighting force
36
What did the Bolsheviks use an extensive amount against their oppositions?
An extensive use of terror against their political opponents.
37
What was the Tenth Party Congress?
The civil war was all but won when the Tenth Party Congress was held. The civil war had seen a huge growth in party membership from 300,000 at the end of 1917 to over 730,000 by 1921 in the Bolshevik party
38
When was the Tenth Party Congress?
It took place in 1921
39
Why did Lenin put forward a ban on the formation of factions within the party?
He did this in the attempt to attempt to impose the view of the leadership of the party
40
What did this measure of Lenin banning factions become called?
One Party Unity
41
What was the penalty for those breaking this rule?
Expulsion from the party
42
In 1921 what were the two Revolts the Bolshevik Party had faced?
Kronstadt Mutiny and the Tambov Rising
43
What was the Kronstadt Mutiny of 1921?
A revolt by sailors previously loyal to the Bolsheviks. Mutiny (Rebellion group) of sailors stationed at Kronstadt naval base against the Bolshevik Government orders
44
What was the result of the Kronstadt of 1921?
It resulted in them being brutally crushed by the Red Army
45
What was the Tambov Uprising of 1921?
It was a major peasant uprising against the Bolsheviks. A peasant uprising in the Tambov area of central Russia that was sparked by the Bolshevik units requestioning grain for use in the cities and in the armies.
46
What was the result of the Tambov Uprising of 1921?
The peasants managed to build their strength by forming a Green army and establish control over an area. It took over 50,000 Bolshevik troops to put down the revolt.
47
What were both uprisings going against?
The Bolshevik leadership which meant they couldn't take their position for granted
48
Who were the Sovnarkom?
The Council of Peoples Commissars and took the role of a cabinet of top government ministers who were in theory responsible for making key decisions and giving government orders.
49
How many members in total were there in the Sovnarkom? Who were they elected by?
There were around 20 members in total and they were elected by the Central Executive Committee (Group Below). It was a small group that could make quick decisions
50
How often did the Sovnarkom meet in the Civil War to make quick decisions?
It met on a daily basis during the civil war
51
Who were the Central Executive Committee and what was their role?
Larger group elected by the Congress of Soviets (Group below). Their task was to oversee the work of the government and its administration
52
Who were the All-Russian Congress of Soviets?
Supreme law making body of the state. All laws issued by the Sovnarkom had to be approved by the congress. It was in theory a highly representative body made up of members elected by the local soviets.
53
What was this system of government supposed to be in theory?
This system in theory was supposed to be very democratic but in reality it was very different
54
What actually happened in this system of government that wasn't democratic at all?
The Bolshevik Party just used their control over positions in the Sovnarkom to issue orders that were merely rubber-stamped by the Congress of Soviets and therefore imposed on the country
55
What does rubber-stamped mean?
To approve something without thinking very much about it or without questioning it. Not letting the Congress of Soviets to look at it even though it was their job to approve those decisions
56
What was it clear that had happened to the power by the early 1920s?
It was clear that the real power had shifted from this apparatus of state towards the party itself (Bolshevik). The Party apparatus mirrored that of the state
57
Who were the Politburo?
The politburo was a group of 7-9 leading members of the Bolshevik Party who were chosen by the Party's Central Committee (Group below) to make the key decisions affecting policy.
58
How often did the Politburo meet?
They met daily under Lenin and became more important than the Sovnarkom
59
Who were the Central Committee? What was their role? How many people were in the CC?
Was a group of around 30-40 members chosen by the party congress (group below) to represent its members. The Central Committee was supposed to make key decisions on policy but after 1919 power was increasingly delegated to the Politburo
60
Who were the Party Congress? What was their role?
Body made up of representatives of local party branches (Group Below). Discussed the general programe of the party.
61
How often did the Party Congress meet?
It met yearly under Lenin from 1917 and this pattern continued until 1926
62
Who were the local Party branches?
Each local branch was headed by a Party Secretary. These Secretaries could be very powerful especially those who headed key cities or provinces.
63
What's Democratic Centralism?
The Bolsheviks claimed their government was based on Democratic Centralism. Soviets were used to represent the workers at local level. Their wishes could be expressed through a structure of representative organizations that would take their concerns to decision-making bodies at higher levels of government. Decisions could then be made in the interests of 'the people' and passed down to regional and local levels for implementation.
64
Why was Democratic Centralism used by the Bolsheviks?
It was used by the Bolsheviks as evidence of their highly democratic nature. The reality was different. The soviets had been undermined as soon as the Bolsheviks took power. Although the soviets continued to exist they were dominated by the Bolsheviks.
65
What were Lenin's Personal Powers?
He was Chairman of the Sovnarkom and was one of the members of the Politburo
66
Why from 1922 onwards did Lenin have limited power?
This was because from 1922 onward his power was limited as he was suffering from severe mental illness. He suffered a series of strokes and his health deteriorated. After his third stroke in March 1923 he lost the ability to speak and he remained incapacitated for the last year of his life.
67
What was the Bolshevik Party renamed in 1921?
They were renamed the Communist Party because it was much bigger than in 1917. There was an absence of other political forces.
68
What's the Nomenklatura System?
A system of appointing people to jobs from a list approved by the party leadership. Evidence of commitment to the Party was necessary in order to stay on the list.
69
What was the number of members in the Communist Party by 1924?
The membership of the Communist Party in 1924 was around one million .
70
When was the Soviet Constitution?
1924
71
What was the Soviet Constitution of 1924?
It established the Soviet Union as a union of socialist republics based on the dictatorship of the proletariat. It also paved the way for later Soviet policies like the five-year plans
72
What was the way Bolshevik Leaders kept hold over the Party?
Used lots of Terror to reinforce the hold on the party (control)
73
How was terror implemented by the Bolsheviks?
It was implemented by using the Cheka which was headed by Felix Dzerzhinsky
74
What was the Cheka? When was it formed?
It was a party committee formed in December 1917 to deal with counter-revolution, sabotage, speculation and it was soon operating outside of the law. It also dealt with enemies in the party.
75
Where were the Cheka based? What did they do in the place they were based?
The Cheka was based in the Lubyanka building in Moscow and that's where their prisoners were tortured. It also carried out executions of suspects without using official courts.
76
Between 1917 and 1923 how many people were executed by the Cheka?
200,000 people were executed by the Cheka in between the years 1917 and 1923.
77
Who were the Cheka replaced by in 1922 after the civil war?
The Cheka was replaced by the OGPU. Terror became more discreet. Attention was turned to groups within the Party and groups of large numbers were purged.
78
What was the purge Chistka (cleansing)? When were the two Chistka Purges?
It was in 1918 and another in the early 1920s. Usually applied to purges of Party Members that occurred periodically under Lenin. They were non-violent and those who were 'cleansed' had their Party Membership withdrawn.
79
Under Lenin how much of the Party was purged?
About 1/3 rd of Party Members were purged under Lenin
80
What were Intimidation and Purges needed to maintain?
Needed to maintain discipline and order in a rapidly expanding Party. The Bolsheviks were a minority group and so fear and intimidation were essential to maintain the hold on power.
81
What role did Stalin have at the end of Lenin's life that gave him power?
He was the General Secretary and so was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Party which gave him specific powers of influence.
82
What did Stalin's Role of General Secretary allow him to do?
-Coordinated work across all Party departments
-Access to over 26,000 personal files on party members-useful source for going against rivals.
-Agenda of Party Agenda
-Right to appoint people to Party positions
83
What happened to those who opposed Stalin?
Where removed from the Politburo and replaced with other people like Molotov who were Stalin's Cronies
84
Who were some of Stalin's Opponents? (4)
-Leon Trotsky: Considered to be the obvious successor. Arrogant and not a team player which didn't boad well with other Bolshevik Members.
-Gregory Zinoviev: Worked closely with Lenin and has strong power. Skilled Orientator but vain and ineffective in practical matters
-Nikolai Bukharin: Described by Lenin as 'the golden boy'. Young and highly intelligent but lacked political experience
-Alexei Rykov: Succeed Lenin as Sovnarkom chair. His outspoken approach upset fellow Bolsheviks. Had a serious drinking problem.
85
How did Stalin remove political opponents that were Left-Wing?
The Left-Wing opponents he faced were Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev. The way he got rid of them was accusing them of forming factions and so they were expelled and demoted from the Politburo. They were then expelled from the Party.
86
How did Stalin remove political opponents that were Right-Wing?
The Right-Wing opponents he faced were Bukharin, Tomsky and Rykov. The way he got rid of them was when they preferred to stick to Lenin's Policy he used their differences to manipulate them. He stressed that Bukharin had had disagreements with Lenin during the early 1920s.
87
What characteristic made it possible for Stalin to get rid of all of his opponents?
He was skilled and a manipulative Politician.
88
What did Stalin do on top of the removal of his rivals to his enemies?
He conducted lots of Purges which meant enemies of Stalin were disposed of in a brutal and bloody manner using the apparatus of terror established under Lenin.
89
What was the name of the Cheka now in 1934?
NKVD
90
Who were the two types of people that were key instruments of Stalin's Terror?
-The Party Secretariat: Collected info on Party members that could be used to condemn them as enemies of the people
-The Secret Police: Surveillance, arrests and executions. Also ran Labour camps where many victims of the purges were imprisoned.
91
What were Labour Camps called?
Called Gulags where many victims of the purges were imprisoned.
92
What was the Chistika?
It was a purge which meant cleanlilness and it was designed to be a purge of Party membership.
93
When did another Chistika taken place?
1932-35
94
Why was this Chistika put in place?
It was because of the reponses in the Party to the First-Five year plan and the Collectivisation of agriculture. The speed at which these policies were being put into place caused concern and so this Chistika was designed to remove those unhappy with this so that these policies could be implemented quicker.
95
What happened to people who were unhappy with this?
They were removed from their posts in a non-violent process which essentially showed that opposition to Stalin's Policies was mounted
96
When were the Show Trials?
The shows trials took place in 1935 and 1936
97
What were the Show Trials?
Unpublicized trials held in the Soviet Union during the late 1930s, in which many prominent Old Bolsheviks were found guilty of treason and executed or imprisoned. Former leading figures in the Party were accused of anti-Soviet activities.
98
What was the Trial of the Sixteen?
It involved the leaders of the left such as Kamenev and Zinoviev and they were dragged out of prison and accused of working as agents of Trotsky to undermine the state. Under severe pressure from the NKVD they confessed to their crimes they couldn't have possibly carried out. In 1936
99
What was the Trial of the Seventeen?
In 1937 when there was a purge of Party officials such as Karl Radek and Georgy Pyatakov. They were accused of working for Trotsky and foreign governments to undermine the soviet economy. Their real crime was probably criticizing the Five-Year Plan
100
What was the Trial of the Twenty-one?
In 1938 was a purge of the right. Tomsky had committed suicide before he could be brought to trial but Bukharin and Rykov were accused of forming a "Trotskyite-Rightist Bloc" a crime to which they both confessed. There was however no hard evidence of these links with Trotsky. It was just because Bukharin was a threat to Stalin and so had to go.
101
What was the aim of the trials?
The show Trials were staged and they were with great care to ensure that other Party members were intimidated by the power of the state.
102
What other Purges did Stalin do?
He did Further Purges in the Red Army and then further in the Secret police and they served the purpose of removing Stalin's Political Opponents and any other threats to Stalin's power.
103
In 1924 The politburo members consisted of Bukahrin, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Rykov, Tomsky, Trotsky and Stalin. When was Stalin the only one of these left?
1930 as they others had been removed during the disputes over economic policies in the late 1920s.
104
Who replaced all these leaders?
Stalin's Cronies which included Molotov, Voroshilov, Kalinin and Lazar Kaganovich. This meant Stalin could ensure the Politburo was in agreement with his policies.
105
How often were the Politburo Meeting in the mid-1930s compared to the 1920s?
1920s: Weekly
Mid-1930s: 9 Times a year
106
What did the Soviet Constitution of 1936 appear to be but wasn't actually?
Seemed to be highly democratic but in reality it wasn't. The Constitution was a fraud as it listed restrictions on the rights of citizens and it was clear nothing could threaten the dominance of the Communist Party.
107
What were some limitations of Stalin's Power?
-Couldn't read about everything-just impossible
-Crownies couldn't do much as they were pretty dull and just said yes to Stalin
-Stalin's ambitious targets for the Five-Year Plans made people doubt him
-Some members of the Politburo expressed concern about his use of brutality
108
When was High Stalinism?
1945-53
109
What was High Stalinism?
High Stalinism was the period of Soviet history from 1945 to 1953, when Stalin’s authority and cult of personality reached their peak. It was also a time of terror and totalitarian rule
110
When did Stalin die?
1953
111
What happened to the members of the Politburo when Stalin died?
They formed a collective leadership
112
What was the Politburo renamed to in 1952?
Presidium
113
An amnesty was issued on 27th March 1953 which did what?
It released a million prisoners mainly criminals on short sentences from labour camps.
114
When was Khrushchev's 'Secret Speech'?
1956 at the Twentieth Party Congress. Party Members were shocked to hear Khrushchev criticize Stalin and accuse him.
115
What did Khrushchev believe needed to be improved about the soviet system?
He believed that instead of Stalin's approach the soviet system needed to go down more of the Lenin route so he put in place De-Stalinization
116
What were some Key Features of De-Stalinization?
-Regular meetings of the Presidium
-Decentralize decision-making so giving more power to regional level people
-Party and government officials no loner faced prison for failing to meet targets
-The Secret Police were brought firmly under Party Control
-The Secret Police lost control over labour camps
-2 million Political prisoners released from the camps between 1953 and 1960
117
Was De-Stalinization welcomed?
It was welcolmed by the population but fear didnt dissapear completely.
118
What was the crisis of 1957?
This was an attempt to remove Khrushchev from power by Malenkov and Molotov who led a 'Anti-Party Group'. They tried to persuade the Presidium to ask for Khrushchev's resignation and then asked the Central Committee if they could dismiss him
119
When was the downfall of Khrushchev?
1964
120
Why did Khrushchev get removed from power?
There were many reasons for the growing unpopularity of Khrushchev which were: economic mistakes, humiliating back down in Cuban Missile Crisis and his erratic and unpredictable behavior
121
Who was it that removed Khrushchev from power?
The Party removed him from office and in 1964 the CC decided to remove him from his posts. The aim was in removing him they could preserve their power.
122
Who replaced Khrushchev in power?
Leonid Brezhnev who was seen as a safe pair of hands
123
What was Brezhnev cautious to avoid?
Making the same mistakes as Khrushchev of loosing the trust of his colleagues
124
What made Brezhnev a good leader?
He had charm so was very persuasive and allowed him to get away with things without conflict.
125
What did Brezhnev reverse that Khrushchev put in place?
He quickly reversed De-Stalinization that had upset the Party
126
What did Brezhnev award himself a lot of? Why?
He awarded himself a lot of medals because he liked the trappings of power
127
What did Party Leadership look like under Brezhnev?
The Party Leadership had turned into an Oligarchy which was a small elite group who govern in their own interests. Allowed corruption to go unnoticed e.g. 'The Cotton Affair' was only revealed later under Gorbachev and it resulted in millions of rubles being claimed for non-existent cotton.
128
What was the Soviet Leadership becoming?
A 'gerontocracy' as rule was placed in the hands of an increasingly aged group of geriatrics
129
What were Brezhnev's final years like?
Marked by an increase loss of control that was symbolized by his lack of control over his family.
130
Who was he replaced with?
Andropov who only lasted a year or so due to his kidney failure. His main concern was corruption within the Party and if he had more time he might've been able to follow through with his ideas of promoting a younger generation of leadership.
131
Who did Andropov recommend as his successor?
He recommended a young Gorbachev to the Politburo but instead they elected Chernenko a Party Bureaucrat
132
What was the problem of electing Chernenko?
He was in his mid-70s when he was elected and was dying of emphysema. He died in a year.
