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What was Lenin planning to do regarding the constitutional assembly election?
Ignore it as he had no intention of surrendering power
Why did Lenin do regarding the elections and why ?
After the October Revolution Lenin tried to persuade his colleagues to postpone the Constituent Assembly election
Winning a majority would be very unlikely won less than ¼ of popular vote
What did Lenin say about the elected body?
Was unrepresentative and illegitimate
it didn't represent the true voter’s preference as no choice between 'pro-bolshevik Left SRS' and 'anti-Bolshevik Right SRs'
asserted that the Soviets were a higher type of democratic institution than CA and called it an 'organ of bourgeois democracy'
What were the conditions placed on the Constitutional Assembly by Sovnarkom?
*voters have the right to recall and replace awkward representatives
*members must be approved by Bolshevik-controlled selection committees
*could only meet if atleast half the members were present
When was the Constituent Assembly disbanded?
5 January 1918
What happened to the Constituent Assmebly?
50,000 Anti Bolshevik demonstrators gathered in Petrograd and were open fired upon killing 10 despite this it still went ahead but the Bolsheviks allowed it to remain for 1 day then was disbanded
Why did Lenin want to achieve peace?
*Absence of peace they were open to invasion
*Had promised war-weary workers peace
*Wanted to be free to concentrate on overcoming the Bolshevik’s internal enemies
When did Lenin's peace talks begin?
Peace talks between Russia and Germany began in 1917 but Lenin was very desperate for a quick settlement
What was the significance of the USA entering the war
Germany was very willing to talk to a Russia and the USA entry meant they may have to fight against 3 major powers
What were Germanys demands
*Loss of Finland Estonia Latvia Lithuania Poland Ukraine and parts of Armenia
Why didn't Russia want to give up Finland Estonia Latvia Lithuania Poland Ukraine and parts of Armenia to Germany
* Contained 26% of their population
*27% of arable land
*74% of iron ore and coal
What were Left Wing Bolshevik's attitude to Germanys proposals
called for the rejection of Germanys terms and launch a 'Revolutionary war' with Guerilla warfare
What was Trotsky reaction to Germanys terms
'war nor peace'
declaring the war was over but not signing peace treaty
What did Lenin do about Germanys peace terms
Urged to accept it and threaten to reisign from Sovnarkom if he wasn't listened to
What was the problems caused by the peace treaty (Brest-Litovsk)
*Left SRd we're very hostile as it lost much of their territory
*Army chiefs were appalled by what they saw as shameful surrender and their aim was to overthrow Bolshevism and re start the war against Germany
resulting in the civil war began in earnest
What is the Cheka an abbreviation for?
All Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter Revolution and Sabotage
By 1921 how many people were members of the Cheka
150,000
What types of roles were in the cheka?
Not all were secret policemen some were heavily armed military-style units (units of mass repression)
How did the Cheka operate?
Outside of the framework of the law with the power to arrest counter-revolutionaries
How were suspected anti revolutionaries treated?
Punished without trial, no right of appeal against decisions often simply executed on the spot
Who were the Cheka accountable to?
Sovnarkom
What was the Chekas reputation ?
Savage (for on-the-spot executions and torture)
Felix Dzerzhinksy, leader of them wanted to be seen as the ‘sword and shield of the revolution)
What happened to the Cheka?
In the revolution spoke of as a ‘regrettable necessity’ but became a permanent feature of communist rule in Russia
What was the decree of the press?
It shut down hostile newspapers as the Bolsheviks were intolerant of criticism and opposition
When did the Bolsheviks outlaw the Kadets?
November 1917
What happened to the Kadet leaders?
Arrested and imprisoned
What happened in 1918 to the previous Kadet voters?
The Federated Soviet Republic (RSFRS) denied them the right to vote in elections for Soviets
Who did the Bolsheviks turn their sights on after the Kadets?
Socialist rivals: Bolsheviks and SRs
How were the socialists repressed?
Expelled from the soviets at all levels
harassed into extinction and leaders deported or exiled also sent to labour camps in Siberia
What can Russia be seen as from 1918 onwards
One-party state
When was the Red Terror?
Throughout 1918
What was the Red Terror?
When the scale and number of Cheka atrocities rose and terrorising the people of Russia into submission
Why did the Red Terror arise?
-Bolshevik prestige was dented by Brest-Litovsk and did poorly in the elections
-The civil war began in 1918 and the temptation to lash out on enemies and hold power was overwhelming
-Extreme Left SRs assassinated people: Germany’s ambassador to Russia,Head of Petrograd Cheka and attempt on Lenin which led to Cheka being fully let of the leash
What did the Bolshevik claim about the red terror?
Maintained it targeted Bourgeois ‘wreckers’ trying to prevennt socialism
What was the reality of the red terror?
They came from a variety of backgrounds
What happened to the Romanovs?
Victims of the Red terror, Nicholas II and family were murdered most likely on Lenins direct order
Examples of Cheka Violence
Being Scalped , Crucified and pushed into vats of boiling water
What was the estimation of how many people died at the hands of the Cheka in 1918?
Atleast 10,000
What was the estimation of how many people died at the hands of the Cheka in 1917-1923?
as many as 200,000
What were some of the Inherited Economic issues?
-A struggling economy: Inflation running out of control, rising unemployment,falling productivity
-Expectations that peasant issues would be adressed by the Bolsheviks in urgency as their support was crucial
-Instant transition to a fully socialist economy which would be destablising
What was lenins strategy to the economy?
Not dismiss peasant demands workers and left wing resulting in a lack of coherence
What was state capitalism?
Much of Russian industry remained under private ownership but activity was monitored the
What was the VSNK?
Supreme Council of Nation Economy
What was the VSNK for?
Supervise industry and manage the economy reporting to Sovnarkom?
What was decree on land?
To satisfy the peasants and drew heavily on land policy of SRs and intrumental in helping them join Lenins government
What was decree on Workers?
Aimed to please industrial workers by allowing them a say in how factories work and that their managers treated them properly but didn’t authorise them to seize control and run them
What was nationalisation?
Banking was taken over by the state
Factories (Putilov works) were nationalised also workers took control of enterprises and declared them state property ‘nationalisation from below’
Why did the Bolsheviks lose Ukraine?
The treaty of Brest Litvosk meant they no longer had access to it
What did the loss of Ukraine result in?
Industrial output slammed
Shortages of food and fuel
Prices soared (collapse in currency)
Peasantry refusing to sell goods for worthless money-food shortage in cities
Many people left the cities and reutrned to native villages leading to factories being short of labour
How many people left Petrograd in 1918-1920
three-quarters
What was the core aims of War Communism?
Feed the cities
Maximise industrial output
Ban private trade
Rationing
Nationalisation
‘One-man management’
What were the terms of War Communism?
Compulsory requisitioning- to solve grain hoarding
Food brigades from the cities to remove grain from the peasants by force assisted by Cheka mostly theft and unpayed despite claiming to pay
Why was private trade banned in War Communism?
It prevented peasants supplying to the middlemen who sold it for inflated prices (didnt suceed) ‘black market’ soon developed
How was food rationed?
Most went to the army and workers in heavy industry
Then to the civil servants and workers in light undustry
Bottom was ‘capitalists, landlords and parasites’
How were industrial enterprises controlled?
Large-Direct state control
Small-Later control
Operated under Vesenkha
What happened to workers control in industry?
It was ended and to replace it came ‘one man management’
Wanted to make the industrial workforce more disciplined and productive
Trotsky wanted to impose military discipline Lenin overruled him
How did the Bolsheviks attempt to halt the flight of industrial workers to the countryside?
Issuing internal passports
What was the response to Bolshevik policy of grain requisitioning?
prodrazverstka caused large resentment and peasant hostility
What happened in 1920 to peasants?
Poor harvest reduced to near starvation
What happened in 1921 regarding peasants?
Open revolt against Bolshevik rule
What happened in Tambov?
Fiercest fighting guerrilla campaign against red army
How many peasants were members of the force in Tambov?
40,000
How did the Government respond to Tambovs uprising?
Brutally and Extreme
Poison gas
Wives and Children taken hostage
Food shortage as railway disruption
Lenin had to think of concessions
Why were there Strikes?
Food shortages and allegations of widespread corruption in Bolshevik ranks
What happened to Moscow in February 1921?
Paralysis by strikes
Crowds of demonstrators took to the streets
Cheka open fired on a crowd of strikes
Similar one in Petrograd and atleast 30 killed or wounded
What was the Krondstadt Mutiny?
They supported the strikes and published a manifesto condemning the Bolshevik abuses of power called for elections,rights for trade unions and end to special privileged for senior Bolsheviks
How many Kronstadt Mutinied?
10,000 sailors
How long did the Kronstadt Mutiny last?
A fortnight
How did the Kronstadt Mutiny end?
50,000 Red army troops staged an assult on the island
What did the Kronstadt Mutiny show?
Disillusionment with the Bolsheviks as were the largest supporters in 1917 but mutinied in 1921
What are the main Features of the New Economic Policy?
-’Tax in Kind’ replace compulsory requisitioning' peasants had to hand over fixed amount of grain and surplus could be sold
-Private trading and ownership of small scale business was legalised
-’Commanding heights’ of economy remained under state control
-Industries remained under state control after 1921-22 expected to trade as a profit
What was the NEP?
1921 Lenin announced compulsory grain requisitioning was over and completed by 1922 the aim was to make a mixed economy
What was the reintroduction of capitalism?
NEP meant restoration of capitalism Lenin insisted it was only a temporary one and implied it would be abandoned in favor of authentic socialist policy
Why was the NEP not as successful as it could be?
Introduced too late to prevent major famine - a drought in the Black Earth led to major crop failure and peasant had no food reserves
How many people were affected by the famine in the Black Earth region?
25 million
What happened in 1921 regarding the economy?
Recovered strongly and by Lenins death had risen sharply
What were the political results of NEP?
A danger of relaxation in the political sphere so Lenin called for the Bolsheviks to tighten their grip
What happened to the SRs and Mensheviks after the NEP?
They were suppressed
How many alleged counter-revolutionary Mensheviks were arrested in 1921?
5,000
What did the Cheka become in 1922?
GPU (state political administration)
What was the Bolshevik view on the Orthodox church?
negative
What did the Bolsheviks do to the Orthodox church 1917-18?
Stripped it of its priveleges
What did the Bolsheviks do to the Orthodox church 1921-22?
Stripped of precious items
What were nepmen?
a class that emerged during the NEP and were a class of get rich quick private businessmen
What was Lenin’s response to criticism within the Bolshevik ranks?
-To stifle it
-Establishment of factions to be punishable by expulsion from the party
-Existing ones to be dissolved
Who were the immediate targets of the ban of factions?
The democratic centralists
Workers Opposition
How many people were members of the Bolshevik on the eve of the NEP introduction?
730,000 party members
How many people were members of the Bolshevik party in early 1923?
500,000
Who were the Soviet Union rulers accountable to in 1924?
No one
Who was Sovnarkom answerable to?
Congress of Soviets
What did the Political Bureau or Politburo do in 1919?
the key decision making body (decisions could not be challenged due to removal of factions)
When did the civil war start in Russia?
October 1917
What did the treaty of Brest-Litbosk do?
Stripped Russia of territory and amounted to national humiliation
What was the result of the Russian Civil War?
Cost over 3 million people their lives
million died in the fighting
2 million died for disease
2 million died as political exiles
What did the SR do after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly?
They fled 500 miles east of Moscow and formed the ‘committee of members of the constituent assembly’
Where was the Provisional Siberian Government based?
Eastern Russia
Who was the Provisional Siberian Government backed by ?
Conservatives
Ex-Tsarist army officers
Kadets
Why did the Provisional All Russian Government not last?
Political in-fighting in 1918
How large was the Czech region?
50,000
Who did the Czech region consist of?
Soldiers from the Austrian army (taken prisoner in ww1 by russia)
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Flashcard (42)