Russian Revolution and Soviet State Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes about the Russian Revolution and Soviet State.

Decree on Land (Oct 1917) (LENIN)

Allowed peasants to seize land from landowners and the church.

Workers Decree (Nov 1917) (LENIN)

Established an 8-hour maximum working day and minimum wages.

Decree of Workers' Control (April 1918) (LENIN)

Allowed workers to elect committees to run factories.

April Thesis (LENIN)

1917 Decrees for peace, land, and workers

Sovnarkom (SVK) (LENIN)

Focused on creating USSR as a cabinet of a communist government —> had little power in first months (disorganised)

Red Terror (Lenin)

Campaign in which the Cheka killed 200,000 people.

Nomenklatura (1923)(LENIN)

System where loyalty to the Bolsheviks was rewarded with promotions.

In 1924 15,000 key positions created

One Party State (LENIN)

Ban on factions at 10th party congress

Closure of Constituent assembly (LENIN)

jan 1918 - after one day (elected body organised by the Provisional govt for the purpose of establishing a democratic govt after the collapse of the tsarists)

When was the Sovnarkom created? (LENIN)

Nov 1917, and made up of 13 people’s commissars

Democratic Centralism (LENIN)

Elections for representative bodies.

Politburo (LENIN)

Initially formed in Oct 1917 for uprising, re-established as permanent body in March 1919 with 7-9 members.

War Communism 1918 (LENIN)

Grain taken from peasants to feed the Red Army

OGPU

Replaced CHEKA in 1922 (DURING LENIN’s RULE)

During the Red terror, in 1921 campaign how many arrested/ show trials (LENIN)

1921, (3 months) 5,000 Mensh arrested

1921 show trials, 34 SR forced. To admit crimes/ denounce others

Kronstadt Mutiny (1921)

16,000 sailors protested at a naval base due to grain requisitioning.

Tambov Uprising (1920-1921)

Peasants revolted against grain requisitioning, captured railway, and killed 100 Bolsheviks.

Lenin enrolment 1924 (DONE BY S)

Was a recruitment campaign

Allowed 128,000 people to join the communist Party (W.C → shifts its makeup and strengthening Stalin’s support base)

One Party State (Continued with Stalin), but aimed differed

S used OPS to purge opposition, E.g show trials 1937-17

Central Control Commission and Rabkrin (STALIN)

Had the power to investigate and sack Party members.

EVL POINT: (STALIN ERA)

Politburo STILL had power

They refused to execute Sputnik in 1932 ( he criticised collectivisation) —> sent to labour camp for 10 yrs instead

Comparing Politburo in L era and S era:

S : met 9 times a year 1930s

L: 1 time per week in 1920s

CONSTITUTION 1936 (Stalin)

Proclaimed USSR a federation of 11 Soviet republics to replace former 7

How did S aim to decrease Politburo power:

Remaining it presidium and increasing its members 10-36

Stalin only surviving member Politburo from 1924

Stalin seen as legitimate

General Secretary (S)

Allowed Stalin to give well-paid jobs to lower-ranking Party members.

Liquidation of the Kulaks as a Class (1929-32) (S era)

1.5 million people sent to gulags as a propaganda tool to justify repression and achieve collectivization.

THE GREAT TERROR (S era)

Purged 3,000 officials in frisk 3 months of 1929

Responsible for around 10M (nearly 10% pop)

CHITSKA PURGES 1932-35 (S era)

22% of the party removed by 1955

Show Trials in (S era)

1936, trial 16 Zinoviev and Kamenev

1937 trial 17 Trotsky

1938 trial 21 Bukhara (criticised the economy)

Zdhanovschina (1945-48) (STALIN)

2.5 million in gulags, 90% senior Party officials 30-45, 3/5 Marshall killed

STALIN’S “APPROVED LIST” 1923

Rather than having a free choice, local parties were encourages to send delegates to the Party Congress from the approved list. —> 1923 approx 1/3 of delegated came from the list

De-Stalinisation (DURING K ERA)

Process of removing Stalin's influence and legacy.

Sovnarkhozes (KHRUSCHEV)

105 Regional economic councils established during the process of decentralisation in the economy.

1953-56 % of regional secretaries and central committee replaced by k?

Half of regional secretaries and 44% of Central Committee replaced —> decentralisation

Proportion of industry controlled via government (KRUSCHEV)

Decreased from 68% to 44%

As a way to democratise the Party Cadres were given (K era)

3 year fixed terms to rejuvenate the bureaucracy

By 1964 % of members that were WC peasants (K)

60% - process of democratisation

Members of the Party (K) - process of democratisation

Grew from 7M to 11M by 1964

How many regionals secretaries and presidium members replaced between 1957-61? (K)

2/3 of regional secretaries —> Process of decentralisation

The 'Agricultural Expert'

Khrushchev's self-proclaimed title after his tour of Iowa farms in the US.

Hungarian Uprising 1956 (Eg of K using terror)

200,000 troops and

2,500 killed

2,500 tanks

During KRUSCHEV gulag population fell from?

2.4M to 1.6M 1953-56

Novocherkassk Massacre 1962 (K)

Workers protest wage cuts and rising food prices

(KGB and military killed 26 people)

Social Contract

Brezhnev's formula to promote social stability

Constitution 1977 (B)

Ment that wages grew 50%

By 1970s wages of rural workers were only 10% less that urban workers

Made Party superior to state (B) (BY CENTRALISING CONTROL, diff to K)

In Article 6 of the new 1977 Soviet constitution

Declared the party as the “leading and guiding force”, meaning that all state institutions (govt,M military, education = subordinated to the communist party)

How many Central ministers reestablished under B

30 central ministers that were taken under k (difference between B/K)

Gerontocracy

Rule of old people which was a characteristic of Brezhnev's era —> by 1982 average age politburo = 75

Corruption under (B)

Diamonds smuggles Galina Brezhnev

Sackings were rare = Corruption (mainly black market)

How many people promotes in the politburo between 1964-71 (B)

Only 2 people - gerontocracy

Members in government increase (B)

govt grew exceeding 15 million by 1974

1974 Bulldozer Exhibition (BREZHNEV)

Where artists’ work was destroyed/ journalist physically attacked

Warsaw Pact 1986 (BREZHNEV)

Invasion of Czech, that resulted in 140 deaths

Helsinki agreement 1975 (B)

To protect human rights