The emergence of Communist dictatorship, 1917-1941

After taking power, what qualms were there amongst the Bolsheviks?

Whether it aligned with Marxist belief, but the need to keep power was more pressing

What did Lenin and Trotsky believe about the revolution?

That it would spark others elsewhere, but chose to pursue peace with the German gov, despite conditions being ripe for German revolution

Armistice

November followed by peace agreement talks, where Germans demanded Russian territory- this split the Bolsheviks

What was the Bolshevik argument to pursue war?

It was necessary to defend socialism and Russia

What was Lenin’s argument to pull out of war?

He was pragmatic, prioritising the need for unity

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

March 1918, ratified by an emergency party but only after Lenin offered to resign twice

What had Lenin previously argued in ‘State and Revolution’ before the October revolution?

For democratic expansion, along with all power to the soviets

Did Lenin follow through on his theorising?

Yes, supported by early land and factory decrees, although he had no choice as these developments were already taking place

What did Lenin do with the PS?

It only contained non-Bolshevik socialists, so it was sidelined for sovnarkom

What did the sidelining demonstrate?

That Lenin had no intention of sharing power with other socialists

How did Sovnarkom rule?

Without soviet approval, undermining their power, twice a day

What was the effect of Lenin’s hostility to power sharing?

Kamenev and Zinoviev resigned temporarily

What was there a clash between?

Lenin’s desire to be the dominant voice and the Marxist principle of power coming from the people

What did the dispersal of the CA see?

Civilian demonstrations which were fired on, killing 12

How did Lenin defend his dispersal of the CA?

He claimed that he favoured a proletariat dictatorship, and that his coalition represented the people and a higher form of democracy

What eventually happened to the coalition?

It broke up when left-SRs left it over Brest-Litovsk

When did the Bolsheviks become the Communist Party?

From March 1918

Why did the one party state become a reality?

Because of Russia’s difficult position in 1918, and Lenin’s belief that he alone could make a utopian Marxist state

What did the establishment of the Cheka prove?

Lenin’s desire to protect the dictatorship by eradicating counter-revolutionaries

What happened between 1918-20?

The communist party became more associated with terror and repression during the civil war

Effects of civil war: Party

Demands for obedience increased

Effects of civil war: Economy

Central controls like war communism were introduced to deal with food shortages

Effects of civil war: Terror

Used to eradicate opposition and enforce new measures

What did the war ultimately reveal?

The weakness of the Bolshevik party, forcing more centralised government

Significance of central planning ideologically

Could be seen as the fulfilment of socialist principles, or a pragmatic reaction to crisis

What did Lenin’s ability to change course after 1921 suggest?

His allowance of capitalist practises suggested that pragmatism was more important than ideology

Other aspects of the change of heart: Errors

Lenin refused to admit any errors, so the party could not be wrong

Other aspects of the change of heart: Ban on Factions

In the circumstances, Lenin claimed party unity was paramount, although it had little impact until Stalin used it to defeat his enemies

Other aspects of the change of heart: National self determination

Support for national self determination was abandoned, as independence movements were declared counter revolutionary

In whose camp was Georgia in the civil war?

Mensheviks

What did Stalin assure Lenin as the Red Army marched towards Georgia?

That a Bolshevik uprising had occurred and the Mensheviks had already been overthrown

Was this the truth?

No- Georgians supported Mensheviks and independence, so Lenin was horrified they had overthrown an independent socialist regime by force

Between 1921-1924 (Lenin’s death), what occurred?

Key features of the Soviet state were established

1921-24: Attack on religion

As a rival owner source, attacks began on the church

1921-24: Censorship and police

Censorship became systematic and secret police powers were extended

1921-24: Political rivals

Mensheviks destroyed, SR’s outlawed for allegedly plotting to execute Lenin,

From 1922, what did Lenin become worried about?

The state of the party, the growing bureaucracy and future leadership

What had communists been split over since 1921?

Economic policy, as Lenin’s NEP conflicted with Marxist teachings

Who on the left favoured abandoning the NEP?

Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev

Who on the right supported the continuance of the NEP?

Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky

What was Stalin’s stance on the NEP?

Left leaning to 1925, then right leaning, then left leaning post 1928

What did Stalin’s fluctuating ideology suggest?

That he was an opportunist

Place of communism in the world in the 1920s

The USSR was the only communist state, provoking some party disagreement

Trotsky belief on communism in the world

Believed they should stir up revolution elsewhere, viewed by some as potentially causing turmoil

Stalin belief on communism in the world

Believed in socialism in one country and becoming a global example, a less orthodox belief but appealing in its stability

What did Marx teach about leadership?

A single leader in a socialist state was not necessary, and post civil war, many supported this, seeking collective leadership

Who perpetuated this?

Those who feared Trotsky, working to Stalin’s advantage

In the early months, how did the Bolsheviks survive?

A mixture of concession and ruthless action

Ways of survival, 1917-18: Strikes and Sovnarkom

Overcame strikes by city workers, bypassed the Soviet to form Sovnarkom

Ways of survival, 1917-18: Power sharing, CA

Prevented power sharing and dissolved the CA

Ways of survival, 1917-18: Decrees, Brest-Litovsk

Issued decrees to win support, used Brest-Litovsk to focus on fighting the whites

1918 Constitution

Declared that supreme power would lie in the All-Russian Congress of Soviets (RSFSR)

All-Russian Congress of Soviets

Made up of elected deputies from local Soviets, CC would act like a president, Congress would elect Sovnarkom

On paper, the constitution looked democratic, but…

There were certain loopholes within it

Downsides of 1918 Constitution: Vote

Vote reserved for the ‘toiling masses’- those of former ‘exploiting classes’ couldn’t vote

Downsides of 1918 Constitution: Congress elections

Worker votes to Congress were weighted 5 to 1 against those of peasants

Downsides of 1918 Constitution: Sovnarkom

Officially selected by the Congress, it was really chosen by the CC

Downsides of 1918 Constitution: Meeting timings

The Congress only met at intervals, so Sovnarkom held executive authority

Downsides of 1918 Constitution: Structure

Structure was centralised, so the party held the most power

Who were the opposing forces in the Russian civil war?

Red and white armies

Red Army

Bolsheviks and left SRs

White Army

Reactionaries, monarchists, landowners- anyone who wasn’t a Bolshevik

Groups opposed to the bolsheviks: Social

Social groups dispossessed by the bolsheviks

Groups opposed to the bolsheviks: CA victims

SRs and Mensheviks after the CA was shut down

Groups opposed to the bolsheviks: Cossacks

Cossacks who wanted to preserve their privileges

Groups opposed to the bolsheviks: Allies

Allied powers wanting allies against Germany

Groups opposed to the bolsheviks: Army

Former army officers

Groups opposed to the bolsheviks: National

National groups seeking independence, e.g. poles

What made the civil war inevitable?

The dissolution of the constituent assembly

What was surrendered in the Treaty?

40% of agricultural land and 50% of mining and industrial capacity

Significance of treaty terms

Tougher conditions than that of the Treaty of Versailles

What did Lenin believe about the treaty?

Once strengthened, Russia could reclaim the land by expanding the revolution, but it was necessary to fight the whites

Why were the SRs majorly against the treaty?

It betrayed the revolution by handing over revolutionaries to the enemy

What did the SRs attempt to do in September 1918?

Assassinate Lenin and lead an uprising in Petrograd

What was the significance of Russia pulling out of the war?

They were no longer fighting the war on two fronts, thus why the allies sent weapons to the whites

For what other reasons did the allies want Russia back in the war?

Ideology, as they were capitalist and opposed communism, and to defend their interests as Russia refused to pay back money borrowed under Tsarism

Reasons for the Bolshevik victory in the civil war: Lack of unity

The whites were heavily divided on aims, contrasting from the united Bolsheviks

Examples of opposing white forces: SRs

SRs vs ex tsarist army officers

Why did war begin?

Due to an outburst from the Czech legion

Czech legion

Formed by Czech nationalists, with 45,000 by 1918

How did the Bolsheviks treat the Czech legion?

Allowed them to travel to fight their enemies on the western front, so in May they travelled along the Trans-Siberian railway

What did the Bolsheviks do to them on the railway?

Arrested them, causing fighting and Czech seizure of the line through Western Siberia to European Russia

What was the Czech legion’s next move?

They abandoned plans to join anti-Bolsheviks and advance towards Moscow

By 1920, what was happening in the war?

Bolshevik advantages saw most of the former empire in communist hands, despite 10m deaths from hunger, disease and military action

By 1921, what was happening in the war?

It was more of a nationalistic struggle against polish armies invading Ukraine- they were defeated but rose again to defeat the Red Army

Treaty of Riga

1921, granted Poland, Galicia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania independence

How did Civil War impact the gov and party?

It brought greater centralisation and party control

How were party structure and policies decided?

Structure by the annual congresses, policy by the Central Committee

Politburo

1919, created to manage policy

Who were OG politburo members?

Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin, so the gov became responsible for carrying out Politburo policies

How did Sovnarkom act in this time?

They met less frequently in the 20s

What change occurred in local Soviets?

It was decreed that they should be made up of party members, not workers and peasants

Effect of Ban on Factions

CC decisions had to be accepted without complaints

How did the party structure change in this time?

It became more complex, so a General Secretary was appointed in 1922 to appoint and coordinate its workings

General Secretary

Stalin, who was also a member of the Politburo, Orgburo and Secretariat

Nomenklatura

Category of people holding key administrative positions across the USSR- had to be approved by the party

When and why was the Nomenklatura created?

In 1923, to ensure people in power were trustworthy

Effect of the Nomenklatura

A new loyal party elite was created, who were rewarded with special privileges

Although Lenin spoke of democratic centralism…

During the civil war, the hold of the one party state was tightened

Impact of civil war on National Minorities

The communist government abandoned its support for national self determination