HSC Modern History- Russia and the Soviet Union

1917 november 7

bolshevik revolution

triumvirate

stalin, kamenev, zinoviev

treaty

bukharin

the great power

yezhovchina

communism

system of social organisation where all property is owned by the community and the state is governed by a single political party

communist manifesto

Karl marx and friedrich engels

provisional gov

led by pm kerensky

reasons for success of revolution

-lack of support for provisional gov

-disorganised provisional gov

-exhaustion of russian army

-lenins brillance as bolshevik leader

social and political reforms

-based on leninist ideas

-oppression of political opposition

-imposition of censorship

-bolsheviks declared themselves only political party

-confiscation of church property

-legalisation of abortion

-commitment to womens rights

-worker committees in factories

-social security system

-sovnarkom- soviet of people's commissars- lenin chairperson

-cheka

state capitalism

-economic policy

-1917

-retain capitalist ideas like money, trade, small business and bourgeoise would still retain wealth and roles

-state would control major sectors of economy including heavy industry, mining and banking

-purpose was to repair economy before moving to socialism

war communism

-1918

-economic policy to deliberately install communist ideas in russia

-ban on private manufacturing

-nationalisation of industry

-ban on private trade

-seizure of peasant surplus- grain requisitioning

-elimination of money

-policy failed

new economic policy

-1921

-capitalist and pragmatic

-abandoned grain requisitioning

-allowed people to open small businesses

-allowed peasants to sell excess produce for profit

-working hours shortened

-money reintroduced

-people paid in money instead of goods

-government kept tight reign over transport, banking, foreign trade, heavy industry

-lenin criticised for taking "socialism back to capitalism"

treaty of brest- litvosk--

-armistice signed with central powers in dec 1917

-negotiations began dec 22 1917

-treaty signed march 3rd 1918

-russia lost poland, lativa, stionia, lithuania and the ukraine, a third of its population, agricultural land and most of its coal mines

-allowed russia to focus on internal problems

-much land was gained back when germany lost the war

civil war --

-

death and idolisation of lenin

-Lenin died jan 1924 after three strokes in previous years

-stalin led preparations of funeral and was a pall bearer

-maintained high profile in regards to funeral

-gave trotsky the wrong date for funeral so he missed it

-stalin built lenin to divine status

-made sure his photo was everywhere and quoted his words often

-used lenin to support anything he did

-stalin gave himself the appearance of a loyal disciple and follower of lenin and his ideas

survival of lenin's will

-wrote by lenin in 1922

-lenins testament detailed his opinion about party members and the future of the party

-condemned stalin "i propose to the comrades to find a way to remove stalin from the position"

-read out the central committee in may 1924

-zinoviev defended stalin

-later became one of the members of the triumvirate along with kamenev and stalin

his control of communist party

-1910's and 1920's stalins power and position in the party improved

-commissar for nationalities in 1917

-commissar of state control in 1919

-member of the politburo and general secretary in 1922

-allowed him to manage people and aspects of party to suit his needs

skill at politics

-used his positions, circumstances and people around him to benefit himself

-position as general secretary allowed him to appoint people to positions within the party

-triumvirate with kamenev and zinoviev

-alliance with bukharin

trotskys personality flaws and underestimation of stalin

-most people believed trotsky would be next party leader

-trotsky was not well like due to his arrogance

-his arrogance led him to underestimate stalin and not see him as a threat

-called stalin 'a grey blur'

-people including trotsky did not realise stalins power until it was too late and he had control

stalins power

-by end of 1920's

-dictator

-battle for power between himself and trotsky