Soviet Union and Modern Russia Midterm

Communal apartments:

In the cities middle and upper classes were forced to share their homes with poorer people until the 1950s. Are a practical measure to solve the housing crisis. Also an ideological check on the bourgeois (their politics would change for the better if they lived alongside peasants). Very unpopular amongst the elites

Lev Trotsky:

commissar of foreign affairs/international communism. Led the Red Army. Recruited officers from the tsarist army (by holding their families hostage) and wanted them because they had the experience and knowledge. Brought in a political commissary who educated them and motivated them to fight. Implemented harsh punishments like executions for failed campaigns. Trotsky and Stalin enter into a power struggle about who would succeed Lenin and the path of the party. Protested against the use of nominations rather than elections (was more democratic). Expelled from the party by Stalin and is executed in Mexico by Russian secret police.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk:

New Soviet states lost half their population including Ukraine, Latvia, etc. Only part of that territory they get back is Ukraine. The territories lost were the most industrialized with ¼ of the railrail and ⅓ of the manufacturing. Helped the Bolshivicks hold on to power because they were able to officially end the war and initially after the October Revolution they were sharing power with the SRs but they resigned from power after the treaty in protest. Demands were very harsh and bad for Russia but good for the bolsheviks.

Red army:

The reds (Bolsheviks). Led by Lev Trotsky. Consisted of members of the communist party and the working class and ethnic minorities (discriminated against under the tsarist empire), 80,000 women fought. Took grain from peasants using threats and violence to feed themselves.

White army:

Disparate coalition, land owners, liberals, non-bolshevik socialists, cossacks, and former army generals from the tsarist army. Their only goal was fighting against the Bolsheviks but disagreed on their political plan otherwise.

The Turkestan Autonomy:

In November 1917 local muslims declared their own government. Lasted 78 days before being shut down.

Alash Orda:

Kazakh party advocating for regional autonomy. Led by Bukeikhanov. Short-lived Kazakh government. Originally aligned with the white army but in 1919 when the tide of the war shifted they accepted an agreement to switch sides to gain amnesty and get their own independent state.

Ukrainian People's Republic of Soviets:

Was in a civil war with the Rada. Located in Kharkiv (in Eastern Ukraine). October rev creates split between central rada and Bolsheviks---> system of dual power (Rada in Kiev wants to defend Ukrainian self-rule. Bolshevik Peoples' Republic in Kharkov wants to spread Russian revolution to Ukraine).

General Pavlo Skoropadsky:

declared himself the new cossack ruler (the heckman–cossack term for leader) of the new government (made because Germany never really trusted the Rada as it was made of socialists and the germans did a coup and dissolved the rada).

The Directory:

New radical government in Ukraine. Chaired by volodymyr Vynnychecko (former head of the Rada)

Capitalist encirclement:

14 countries sending troops to aid the White army giving the Bolsheviks the “proof” they needed to think the whole world is against them.

War communism:

State of the Russian economy during the war. July 1918 the Bolshevik government nationalizes the economy. Partly ideological trying to bring Russia closer to socialism (where all means of production were owned by the state). Also pragmatic to help fuel the red army. Compulsionary labor was put in place. Former aristocrat has to clean apartments, Regular workers had to lay railroad track. In countryside the red army took grain from them to feed the red army (used threats and violence ensured when peasants refused). Not enough food to go around so introduced rationing that is based on class, proletariats got more food than former bourgeois members

Indigenization:

Soviet state meant to bolster national identity among minority groups or create this among groups if it didn’t exist. Promotion of minorities within the party (for the government of Uzbekistan to be run by ethnic uzbeks). This was successful. propelled ethnic minorities to higher positions in the party. Included the development of national literature (literature written in the native languages of the ethnic minorities)

Soviet Socialist Republic:

Nominally independent socialist states. Governed by "soviets" of workers/peasants. United under the USSR. Recognizing national identity within a larger socialist state. Each state = autonomous, but power = centralized under the Soviet Union's central authority.

Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics:

Created because of indigenization. Lower-level republics within the SSR. Created for ethnic minorities who didn't get their own SSR (Tatars within Russian SFSR). Limited autonomy. Own gov't and constitution, but subject to laws of SSR. Own language and culture, but Moscow & SSRs have more control.

Birobidzhan (Jewish Autonomous Region):

Government wanted Jews to have their own territory because in order for a group to become a nation they need their own territory. Was looking to stop zionism (not necessarily within russia but internationally) so wanted a different place for jews. Government hope it would achieve two jobs 1. Provide a space for jews 2. Transform jews into farmers (jews were allowed to farm in the pale of settlement, were only merchants–which is capitalist and therefore bad). Government has international propaganda for descendants of jews who had fled the war to come back (some do but many). Some jews moved but the project was not very successful. There was a max exodus of jews from the male of settlement (about 300,000) who moved to the cities and didn’t want to leave. Population was never more than 20% jewish

Hujum:

Effort at removing traditional islamic practices of gender inequality: the seclusion and veiling of women. Aimed to "liberate" women from paranjas & integrate them into the workforce. Public burnings of veils. Led to intense violence against women who veiled along with those who did not. Forced modernization/imperial control. Tears up Uzbek society (not just colonizer framework, also internal religious/generational clashes)

New Economic Policy (NEP):

People were able to open small businesses. State stops going around and collecting grain. State owns all land, but peasants were given individual plots and they are allowed to sell surplus at the market (had to give a certain amount to the government). Allows for private enterprises and private trade. Signed a trade agreement with Britain. When first launched (1921) there was a massive famine where 5 million people died. In order to stop their people from dying they asked for help from capitalist countries. Relatively successful lasted for 17 years and their economy returned to pre-WWI levels. Certain groups benefited more than others (Cities small businessmen made fortunes (new wealthy class of urbanites, out of character of Bolsheviks) were called NEP men and NEP girls in countryside some of the peasants became wealthy due to grain overproduction). Temporary stray from traditional bolshevik ideas.

Nepmen:

New class of small businessmen/urbanites (like flappers) during NEP. Seen as wealthy, anti-socialist, anti-soviet. Targeted & eliminated under stalin.

Industrialization:

Rapidly modernize. Why? Ideology: Marx said needed to be industrialized to reach full communism, but at this time and National security: was necessary to produce weaponry that the Soviet Union would need to defend itself (fears an attack from capitalist countries, but then from Nazi Germany and Japan with the rise of facism (fundamentally opposed to communism). How: 5 year plans for steel, railroads, etc. Focused on heavy industry making weapons and machinery, meant that during the 1930s there was a shortage of basic goods like shoes and silverware. Put a premium on large scale products like a railroad linking siberia to XX, moscow metro (very regal), and creating entire new cities (magnitogorsk, in southern siberia idea was for it to be a massive steel production) most of these were done by regular labor and prison/coerced labor. Resulted in a dramatic economic increase 15% increase gdp for XX straight years, moved to second place behind the US. Feats were achieved during western great depression in capitalist countries, many had people leave to go to Russia for work. Human costs of industrialization were incredibly high, little attention and resources were given to worker safety led to many injuries and death. Both workers and managers were accused of making things go wrong were imprisoned and potentially shot for sabotaging (scapegoats for making russia miss their big goals). Lowered the living standards of most citizens. Government implemented rationing (first for a country in peace time).

The First 5-Year Plan (1928-1932):

first one launched in 1928 but by next year the government wanted to fulfill the plan in 4 years and it was declared finished in 1932 (Stalism is rooted in ambition, everyone wants to pitch in for the public good and prove that Stalin is a person of power who has the means to get things done)

Collectivization:

Rapidly modernize. Parallel policy intending to restructure economic and social life in the country side. Why? Ideological: Marx saw the peasantry as backwards and communism was supposed to narrow the gap between urban and rural life but in the 1920s their lives were still the same so it provided a means for the party to bridge this gap. Colonization of rural communists by urban communists to spread their ideology. Engage in an assault against all peasants' way of life, especially religion by destroying places of worship. and Pragmatic: collectivization is integral to industrialization (need to feed the workers meaning grain needs to be extracted in mass). Also sold a lot of grain abroad to make money to fuel the industrialization effort. Creates a class war in peasant areas, the communists would come ask who are Koullacs (peasants who got rich) are and they are expelled from the villages and sent into internal exile (siberia or central asia) or outright shout 1930 60,000 kollacs were shot. Famines break out in different parts of the soviet union in southern russia, in the caucasus, in kazakhstan, the area most effected is Ukraine. Ukraine: was the most rapid here, they had to turn over ⅓ of their grian to the government but Stalin kept saying they weren’t giving enough and kept asking for more. Eventually upped it to 50% given to the government. Russian peasants engaged in uprising in 1930s and protests (Stalin responds by pulling back a little bit, but doesn't last long and re-ramps up pressure) Ukrainian peasants start resisting in more passive ways like destroying tools, working slowly, killing their farm animals. Responds by arresting peasants and launching a campaign against Ukrainian kollacs total 75,000 are arrested and sent into exile and many of them die along the way. Also accusing Ukrainian elites of masterminding this rebellion. Ukrainaing government rules the holodomor to be a genocide. Kazakhstan: also a massive collectivization famine here. Collectivization is focused on settling nomads and establishing collective farms, sees their nomadic lifestyle as backwards and economically unproductive and because of this there is a massive famine with 1.5 million deaths. Ultimately successful, after the 1930s this is how agriculture is set up all peasants live on collective farms

Collective farms:

Forced peasants to merge their individual plots into big farms. Farm animals and tools were also collectivized rather than belonging to each household. Generally carried out by having urban communists go to the countryside where they are appointed as chairman of the countryside. Attempt to modernize their techniques by bringing tractors and fertilizers.

Kulaks:

Rich peasants. Unredeemable, class enemies, the state thinks nothing can be done to rehabilitate them. Had their riches taken from them and redistributed to the peasants. Were often deported to different parts of Russia like Siberia and/or put into labor camps.

Holodomor:

Ukrainian famine as a result of Russia's grain collection from Ukrainian farmers. Ruled a genocide.

Socialist realism:

shows an ideal socialist world, represents soviet life in what it should be in an ideal world, shows what they are striving for to inspire and uplift the soviet people. Part of state censorship.

Purges:

December 1934 after the assasination of Sergei (a pretext for the launch of these programs) the height was 1936-1938 (the great terror) involved the arrests or assassinations of Bolshevik people. Hunting for enemies of the state and getting rid of them.

Show Trials:

Trials Stalin put on to show the Russian people what would happen if you went against the state. Was only to publicly humiliate and shame people, not to actually see if they were guilty. Were pre-determined. Also a public display of the government/Stalin's power.

The Great Terror:

Part of Stalin's 4 main tenants (state-sponsored terror). From 1936-1938 where people could essentially get anyone accused and arrested for going against the state.