Why did have to Lenin ditch War Communism?

Reason

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Impact

Economic Collapse

  • industrial production plummeted

  • agricultural output disastrously low

By 1921:

  • hyperinflation

  • poverty

Widespread Famine + food shortages

  • bad harvests in 1920 left low reserves

  • continued grain requisitioning

  • rations cut in cities

Weakened Bolshevik control:

  • discontent

  • uprisings

  • suffering

Urban discontent

  • severe food shortages

  • militarised factories

  • hijacked unions- no longer in the interests of workers

Winter 1920-21

  • repeated strikes

  • food demonstrations- that had to be stopped by Cheka

Peasant rebellion

  • continuations of wartime policy

  • remnants of the Green army

  • large areas of countryside revolting

  • Tambov Rebellion- major uprising (1920-21)

  • main threats to Bolsheviks

Kronstadt Mutiny- March 1921

  • mutinied- demanding

    • multi-party democracy

    • civil rights

  • ringleaders shot without trials

  • thousands sent to labour camps

  • shock since they were the heroes of the 1917 revolution

  • serious challenge to Lenin’s authority

  • highlighted disillusionment

  • ‘flash that lit up reality’- Lenin

Need for reconstruction

  • It was evident that the economy needed rebuilding

  • lack of international trade options

  • placate the dissenters

  • policy clearly did not work in peacetime

  • economy is stagnant and needs new policies to stabilise

  • Lenin had to change policies to protect Bolshevik power.