Stalin wanted ‘war’ against his capitalist enemies, outstripping them in the production of coal, oil, iron and steel, and would grant them the readiness to protect the USSR from the rest of the world. Stalin’s industrialisation coincided with depression in the west, and he claimed that the USSR could avoid such errors. Soviet expansion took the form of Five Year Plans. There was to be five separate plans.
The first FYP 1928-32 laid down what was to be achieved, targets, and their figures of production were falsified to satisfy Stalin, and show Stalin that they were on course. Stalin impressed then raised the quotas of production to a point that was completely impossible. These figures were altered many times of productions. The plan was mainly a propaganda campaign at convincing the soviet people that they were part of a huge expansion. There was so, an enthusiasm that many believed they were building a new and better world. Under Stalin, a cultural revolution happened, in that the people shown such enthusiasm, the soviet people genuinely thought that they were creating a new type of individual ‘homo sovieticus’
No matter how rigged the results of product were, it was still a striking achievement with coal, iron and generation of electricity increased massively. However, nothing was done to improve the quality of life, with no incentive to do good work. Stalin claimed the FYP was to defender the USSR against foreign intervention. Public trials followed to scare the workers into line. Canals, bridges and docks were all built.
The workers, were predominately unskilled peasants, so the first five year plan stressed quantity and not quality, often whole factories were ruined due to the lack of skills, but Stalin remained untroubled, because he just blamed ‘wreckers’, the managers, in which he spied on using the OGPU and ‘cadres’, with simply mistakes being harshly punished, aswell as managers who didn’t bring back good numbers could be put on trial for being a USSR enemy, and so the numbers were very unreliable.
Second and third five year plans were modelled around the first but with realistic targets. However, it still lacked planning properly, and there was overproduction and underproduction in some areas. Some machines also lay broken for long periods of time. The factories also failed to co-operate over supplies, each anxious to meet its targets to save their own neck. Successes did happen however, because of the large scale plants created at the time of the first plan. However the negativity was that real economic growth was stunted as everyone lied about the truth with bad planning from the top. Workers conditions also failed to rise, but they couldn’t complain from fear of persecution. All houses built for the workers were cheap and had mainly one toilet, with all other money spent on armaments.
The five year plan figures indicate a huge increase in production, in a little over twelve years, all output had more than doubled, it proved vital as in 1941, its ‘war economy’ managed to survive and win a war against Nazi Germany after four years of occupation, an aim of Stalin to survive an foreign danger. However, there were some weaknesses, as increased production and expansion only happened in heavy industry, with the building of canals, refineries and factories increasing hugely too, but the economy remained very unbalanced. One weakness was the fact that the workers were unskilled, and no efficient machinery was used, meaning the wasting of vital resources. Stalin also never concentrated on creating material goods that could be sold for capital; he instead built large projects (magnitogorsk, white sea canal). The schemes also failed in the fact that they did not increase agricultural production, and they were completely ignored, as was the well being of the workers. Because of ignoring agriculture and the failure of collectivisation, Russia faced constant famines. Stalin’s constant war atmosphere however, did prepare Russia for Nazi occupation.
SUMMARY
Stalin to modernise Russia using five, Five Year Plans. He did this by enforcing strict workers policies and rapid building of factories (Magnitogorsk). Stalin also put high industrial targets, only concentrating on heavy industry, so high that its impossible to get exact figures as workers would possibly be executed or charged by the infiltrated OGPU.
Stalin did this to ‘protect the USSR from its foreign enemies, a war economy’, and to catch up and overtake with the advanced west. Stalin did have successes
- massive expansion of industrial output
- War economy gave it enough power to maintain occupation and beat germany.
More limitations however
- Only concentrated on Heavy Industry
- Economy was unbalanced (over and underproduction)
- Workers rights and conditions were very poor
- Agriculture remained in tatters
- A lot of the work was wasteful and inefficient – not modernised properly
Friday, 29 May 2009
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Stalin's Plans and Collectivisation
Stalin decided to impose the USSR on a huge programme of reform, agriculture and industry to be revolutionised, the cue for this was by the 1926 congress, which wished the change the agrarian Russia into an industrial one. Stalin’s essential aim was ‘modernise the soviet economy’ by Collectivisation and Industrialisation. This was to be the Second Revolution or ‘Stalin’s revolution’ or the revolution from above. Stalin’s state control was to be total, as he saw the hardliner policy to be the most secure.
Stalin genuinely believed Russia needed modernisation to survive, to catch up and overtake the USA and Western Europe. Simply, he wanted a second revolution to both assert his authority and so the Soviet Union could catch up with the rest of the world.
Firstly, was Collectivisation, as Stalin and the Bolshevik parties often refused to take in foreign loans from the capitalist countries. Collectivisation saw the Russian government take all land, and that peasants would not farm for individual profit, but would put efforts together and have a fixed wage. He wanted to use the surplus profits to fund the Industrialisation, as Stalin wanted the Soviet Union to become an industrial rather than an agrarian state. The Motorised tractor was introduced to make farming more efficient, hopefully creating surplus that could be sold to create capital for new factories. Collectivisation was forced upon the reluctant peasantry, and he also identified the Kulaks as the problem with agriculture ‘holding the best land and cheap peasant labour’. Kulaks were actually the hardest working peasants who simply did better work that their neighbours. Stalin had little sympathy for the peasants however. The land could be used for industrial investment funds and new workers. Surplus grain = funding, Surplus peasants = workers, as the countryside was overpopulated. Stalin argued that the food problems were because of Kulaks, and so de-kulakisation began. Land and property were seized off kulaks and were physically attacked. They were arrested by the OGPU (Cheka). Most thought it was the best way to speed up collectivisation.
There was some resistance to collectivisation, with half the peasant farms in the USSR being so. This amounted to civil war in the countryside, with thirty thousand arson attacks and rural mass disturbances. However, requisition squads pressed on, (after a temporary halt due to disturbances) The Peasants either would not or couldn’t co-operate with the destruction of their old ways, the peasants so ate their seed crop and slaughtered their animals. The Soviet government made matters worse, as imprisonment did not make the peasants restock. Grain and live stock fell hugely. The National famine occurred at its worst. Collectivisation ruined the peasantry, but it did cause huge migration, Stalin did the wrong thing for the right reason.
SUMMARY
Aims:
Farms were to be collectivised, Government owning and paying a wage
Surplus Foods were to be sold to fund Industrialisation
Surplus peasants would become industrial workers
Stalin also wanted to sort out food problem
Catch up with the rest of the world.
'Kulak's' were the problem, held grain and took the best land
'De-kulakisation' saw their land removed and them arrested.
Removing them would 'speed up collectivisation'
Consequences however:
-Land becomes disrupted - no incentive to work
-Peasants cant handle the change
- Big fall in food production
- Peasants begin to revolt
- Hunger and national famine
- Government deal with it the wrong way,
- DID HOWEVER, achieve unpopulisation of the countryside.
'
Stalin genuinely believed Russia needed modernisation to survive, to catch up and overtake the USA and Western Europe. Simply, he wanted a second revolution to both assert his authority and so the Soviet Union could catch up with the rest of the world.
Firstly, was Collectivisation, as Stalin and the Bolshevik parties often refused to take in foreign loans from the capitalist countries. Collectivisation saw the Russian government take all land, and that peasants would not farm for individual profit, but would put efforts together and have a fixed wage. He wanted to use the surplus profits to fund the Industrialisation, as Stalin wanted the Soviet Union to become an industrial rather than an agrarian state. The Motorised tractor was introduced to make farming more efficient, hopefully creating surplus that could be sold to create capital for new factories. Collectivisation was forced upon the reluctant peasantry, and he also identified the Kulaks as the problem with agriculture ‘holding the best land and cheap peasant labour’. Kulaks were actually the hardest working peasants who simply did better work that their neighbours. Stalin had little sympathy for the peasants however. The land could be used for industrial investment funds and new workers. Surplus grain = funding, Surplus peasants = workers, as the countryside was overpopulated. Stalin argued that the food problems were because of Kulaks, and so de-kulakisation began. Land and property were seized off kulaks and were physically attacked. They were arrested by the OGPU (Cheka). Most thought it was the best way to speed up collectivisation.
There was some resistance to collectivisation, with half the peasant farms in the USSR being so. This amounted to civil war in the countryside, with thirty thousand arson attacks and rural mass disturbances. However, requisition squads pressed on, (after a temporary halt due to disturbances) The Peasants either would not or couldn’t co-operate with the destruction of their old ways, the peasants so ate their seed crop and slaughtered their animals. The Soviet government made matters worse, as imprisonment did not make the peasants restock. Grain and live stock fell hugely. The National famine occurred at its worst. Collectivisation ruined the peasantry, but it did cause huge migration, Stalin did the wrong thing for the right reason.
SUMMARY
Aims:
Farms were to be collectivised, Government owning and paying a wage
Surplus Foods were to be sold to fund Industrialisation
Surplus peasants would become industrial workers
Stalin also wanted to sort out food problem
Catch up with the rest of the world.
'Kulak's' were the problem, held grain and took the best land
'De-kulakisation' saw their land removed and them arrested.
Removing them would 'speed up collectivisation'
Consequences however:
-Land becomes disrupted - no incentive to work
-Peasants cant handle the change
- Big fall in food production
- Peasants begin to revolt
- Hunger and national famine
- Government deal with it the wrong way,
- DID HOWEVER, achieve unpopulisation of the countryside.
'
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
The Defeat of the Left and the Right
Trotsky’s failure with his campaign soon meant he could not persuade the Politburo or the Central Committee to vote for his proposals. Stalin could use his massive influence to ‘deliver the votes’ in the crucial decisions. Trotsky soon lost his position as Commissar for War. Kamenev and Zinoviev the chairmen of Moscow and Leningrad (Petrograd), were key people behind this.
One Trotsky was ousted from his position, Stalin now realised that they were a threat to the leadership, and looked to get rid of them too. They actually trapped themselves, as worried by the USSR’s economic backwardness stated that it would need a world revolution for Russia to achieve socialism. They called for the NEP to be abandoned and to go back to War Communism, as they only saw the industrial side of the NEP as only slowly being successful. Their opposition or ‘New Opposition’ was very familiar to Trotsky’s previous complaints, and it was unsurprising when he joined them in a opposition bloc. Stalin, as quick as ever, used the right Bolsheviks who were for the NEP to outvote the bloc and their proposal. Kamenev and Zinoviev were replaced by Stalin’s two biggest supporters, Molotov and Kirov. Trotsky was soon expelled from the Politburo and Central Committee.
Trotsky tried to mount support to directly challenge Stalin, but even fewer stood next to him to support. He was then exiled. Stalin simply won because Trotsky lacked a powerbase.
The defeat of the Right soon followed, and it was the end of any serious limit upon his power, and from this point on he became increasingly dictatorial. The main Right Bolsheviks were Rykov, Bukharin and Tomsky, who had no means of challenging Stalin, and Stalin moved against them because they began to stand in the way of industrial and agricultural schemes in 1928.
Stalin answered the problems with his ideas of collectivisation and industrialisation, which was simply using the left’s policies. The right saw that it was unnecessary to force the pace of industrialisation (as the NEP had just been taking effect) and that the peasants should not be oppressed as they would produce less. Bukharin of the right argued that grain procurements (enforced collections) was simply counter productive, that Stalin was no different from Trotsky.
In response, Stalin exploited a number of weaknesses in their ideas, organisation and their support.
- Their ideas seemed timid and unrealistic due to the invasion fears, playing a soft line with the peasants did not go with the party’s needs and that the right underestimated the crisis facing the Soviet Union. Stalin understood that the majority would see the success of a hard line policy, similar to how they got through the civil war, and would not support the right’s timid approach.
- Organisation; the right had the difficultly that Stalin was the powerful organiser of the party, and Bukharin wanted to remain good party mean, fearful of factionalism they started to become outspoken, Stalin could easily of called them weak.
- The right’s only support lay in trade unions, and stalin acted quickly against them and purged suspected trade unions. The Right could do nothing.
Stalin was now in a position to take power.
SUMMARY
LEFT- Trotsky outlawed as War Commissar.
- Stalin turns on Kam/Zin who form united opposition.
- United opposition is joined by Trotsky who agrees with policies
- Stalin outvotes using the Right in 1926 congress.
- Left are defeated, trotsky attempts to fight on but is expelled.
RIGHT- Main members, Bukharin, Rykov, Tomsky
- They supported the NEP
- Peasants not to be forced
- Industrialisation should go at its own pace
Faced Weakness
- Ideas seemed timid, needed the hardline for a majority
- Poorly organised, didnt want to be accused of factionalism
- Leaders often outspoken and trade unions purged
Stalin outmanouevres all three.
One Trotsky was ousted from his position, Stalin now realised that they were a threat to the leadership, and looked to get rid of them too. They actually trapped themselves, as worried by the USSR’s economic backwardness stated that it would need a world revolution for Russia to achieve socialism. They called for the NEP to be abandoned and to go back to War Communism, as they only saw the industrial side of the NEP as only slowly being successful. Their opposition or ‘New Opposition’ was very familiar to Trotsky’s previous complaints, and it was unsurprising when he joined them in a opposition bloc. Stalin, as quick as ever, used the right Bolsheviks who were for the NEP to outvote the bloc and their proposal. Kamenev and Zinoviev were replaced by Stalin’s two biggest supporters, Molotov and Kirov. Trotsky was soon expelled from the Politburo and Central Committee.
Trotsky tried to mount support to directly challenge Stalin, but even fewer stood next to him to support. He was then exiled. Stalin simply won because Trotsky lacked a powerbase.
The defeat of the Right soon followed, and it was the end of any serious limit upon his power, and from this point on he became increasingly dictatorial. The main Right Bolsheviks were Rykov, Bukharin and Tomsky, who had no means of challenging Stalin, and Stalin moved against them because they began to stand in the way of industrial and agricultural schemes in 1928.
Stalin answered the problems with his ideas of collectivisation and industrialisation, which was simply using the left’s policies. The right saw that it was unnecessary to force the pace of industrialisation (as the NEP had just been taking effect) and that the peasants should not be oppressed as they would produce less. Bukharin of the right argued that grain procurements (enforced collections) was simply counter productive, that Stalin was no different from Trotsky.
In response, Stalin exploited a number of weaknesses in their ideas, organisation and their support.
- Their ideas seemed timid and unrealistic due to the invasion fears, playing a soft line with the peasants did not go with the party’s needs and that the right underestimated the crisis facing the Soviet Union. Stalin understood that the majority would see the success of a hard line policy, similar to how they got through the civil war, and would not support the right’s timid approach.
- Organisation; the right had the difficultly that Stalin was the powerful organiser of the party, and Bukharin wanted to remain good party mean, fearful of factionalism they started to become outspoken, Stalin could easily of called them weak.
- The right’s only support lay in trade unions, and stalin acted quickly against them and purged suspected trade unions. The Right could do nothing.
Stalin was now in a position to take power.
SUMMARY
LEFT- Trotsky outlawed as War Commissar.
- Stalin turns on Kam/Zin who form united opposition.
- United opposition is joined by Trotsky who agrees with policies
- Stalin outvotes using the Right in 1926 congress.
- Left are defeated, trotsky attempts to fight on but is expelled.
RIGHT- Main members, Bukharin, Rykov, Tomsky
- They supported the NEP
- Peasants not to be forced
- Industrialisation should go at its own pace
Faced Weakness
- Ideas seemed timid, needed the hardline for a majority
- Poorly organised, didnt want to be accused of factionalism
- Leaders often outspoken and trade unions purged
Stalin outmanouevres all three.
Power Struggle between Stalin and Trotsky
Lenin’s death saw the Politburo of Stalin, Trotsky, Tomsky, Rykov, Kamenev and Zinoviev proclaim their intentions to continue as a collective leadership. Secretly however, they took leads to become an individual leadership. Stalin was the quickest off the mark, gaining the advantage of being the chief mourner at the Funeral, in which he dedicated himself to follow the tradition of Lenin, another claim to be the Heir. It was expected that Trotsky, the other main competitor against Stalin, would counter it. However, he did not even attend the funeral claiming to have been given the wrong date, which was simply proven to be an excuse (although he had). Trotsky also unusually declared Stalin as the future ‘dictator of the USSR’.
Trotsky’s reluctance to act was part of his complex personality, often described as being his own worst enemy. Of intellectual brilliance, he suffered from lack of judgement. It was possible that his reluctance was brought on by his Jewish background. Lenin once offered him Deputy Chairman of the Soviet Government, but he rejected on the grounds that it would be in embarrassment to Lenin ‘give enemies grounds for claiming that the country was ruled by a Jew’.
Lenin’s testament was a dangerous thing to handle. Stalin’s reputation of being Lenin’s heir would be damaged beyond repair if it was released, however fortune favoured him and the Testament also criticised the Politburo members. The Central committee, viewing the document realised it was too damning to everyone rather than just one person and so it was out ruled, and Trotsky was seen as the main threat.
The Triumvirate, Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev was formed, aiming to isolate Trotsky further. Lenin’s enrolment helped, as the new members found Trotsky to be obscure, whilst Stalin was down to earth and methodical. Trotsky was only supported by the Red Army, but nobody political, and so he was an ‘outsider’. Some Bolsheviks saw him still as a Menshevik.
Trotsky attempts to fight back however through three points
- Bureaucratisation, in which the party ‘abandoned genuine discussion within the party and the secretariat was growing out of control’ Lenin had also noted this, but Trotsky was soon silenced by his ‘October deserters’ attack which was retaliated with his Menshevik past
- NEP was next, Trotsky firmly against it, he mentioned it was becoming permanent, and was a serious divide between the left and right. Stalin simply said that Trotsky was going against Lenin’s will, a disruptive force.
- Disputes over modernisation, Trotsky believed the peasants should be forced into working
Stalin and Trotsky had two different policies too.
PERMANENT REVOLUTION
Trotsky’s belief was in Permanent revolution.
- Revolution, was continuous event from country to country
- Russia was the first step
- International working class mattered the most
Trotsky believed that the USSR could not survive as the only socialist country in a hostile world, and that without an international revolution the Soviet Union would go under. He did not wish to sacrifice the Soviet Union at any point for the world revolution.
SOCIALISM IN ONE COUNTRY
Stalin countered Trotsky; his plan was to consolidate Lenin’s revolution and turning the USSR into a modern state with good defence.
- overcome the agricultural and industrial problems
- build a modern state
- Survival of Soviet Union priority, suspending international revolution
Stalin portrayed Trotsky as an enemy to the Soviet Union. He was therefore an isolated outsider, whose international revolution ‘risked the soviet union’. Trotsky was further weakened by the fear that capitalist nations would invade, making him even more obscure.
SUMMARY
Stalin’s advantages
- Key governmental positions
- Patronage helped by Enrolment, he is popular.
- Takes the main speech at funeral
Trotsky disadvantages
- Lack of Judgement
- Too flamboyant, looks strange next to Stalin to newly Enrolled
- Lack support within party, except Red Army.
- Blatant embarrassment and shame over his religion
Testament is suppressed, benefiting all members except Trotsky (could of used against Stalin).
Triumvirate is formed to further isolate Trotsky. Trotsky fights back on three points, but is further undermined by Stalin and his powerbase, boils down to PERMANENT VS SOCIALISM IN ONE COUNTRY as major policy.
Trotsky’s reluctance to act was part of his complex personality, often described as being his own worst enemy. Of intellectual brilliance, he suffered from lack of judgement. It was possible that his reluctance was brought on by his Jewish background. Lenin once offered him Deputy Chairman of the Soviet Government, but he rejected on the grounds that it would be in embarrassment to Lenin ‘give enemies grounds for claiming that the country was ruled by a Jew’.
Lenin’s testament was a dangerous thing to handle. Stalin’s reputation of being Lenin’s heir would be damaged beyond repair if it was released, however fortune favoured him and the Testament also criticised the Politburo members. The Central committee, viewing the document realised it was too damning to everyone rather than just one person and so it was out ruled, and Trotsky was seen as the main threat.
The Triumvirate, Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev was formed, aiming to isolate Trotsky further. Lenin’s enrolment helped, as the new members found Trotsky to be obscure, whilst Stalin was down to earth and methodical. Trotsky was only supported by the Red Army, but nobody political, and so he was an ‘outsider’. Some Bolsheviks saw him still as a Menshevik.
Trotsky attempts to fight back however through three points
- Bureaucratisation, in which the party ‘abandoned genuine discussion within the party and the secretariat was growing out of control’ Lenin had also noted this, but Trotsky was soon silenced by his ‘October deserters’ attack which was retaliated with his Menshevik past
- NEP was next, Trotsky firmly against it, he mentioned it was becoming permanent, and was a serious divide between the left and right. Stalin simply said that Trotsky was going against Lenin’s will, a disruptive force.
- Disputes over modernisation, Trotsky believed the peasants should be forced into working
Stalin and Trotsky had two different policies too.
PERMANENT REVOLUTION
Trotsky’s belief was in Permanent revolution.
- Revolution, was continuous event from country to country
- Russia was the first step
- International working class mattered the most
Trotsky believed that the USSR could not survive as the only socialist country in a hostile world, and that without an international revolution the Soviet Union would go under. He did not wish to sacrifice the Soviet Union at any point for the world revolution.
SOCIALISM IN ONE COUNTRY
Stalin countered Trotsky; his plan was to consolidate Lenin’s revolution and turning the USSR into a modern state with good defence.
- overcome the agricultural and industrial problems
- build a modern state
- Survival of Soviet Union priority, suspending international revolution
Stalin portrayed Trotsky as an enemy to the Soviet Union. He was therefore an isolated outsider, whose international revolution ‘risked the soviet union’. Trotsky was further weakened by the fear that capitalist nations would invade, making him even more obscure.
SUMMARY
Stalin’s advantages
- Key governmental positions
- Patronage helped by Enrolment, he is popular.
- Takes the main speech at funeral
Trotsky disadvantages
- Lack of Judgement
- Too flamboyant, looks strange next to Stalin to newly Enrolled
- Lack support within party, except Red Army.
- Blatant embarrassment and shame over his religion
Testament is suppressed, benefiting all members except Trotsky (could of used against Stalin).
Triumvirate is formed to further isolate Trotsky. Trotsky fights back on three points, but is further undermined by Stalin and his powerbase, boils down to PERMANENT VS SOCIALISM IN ONE COUNTRY as major policy.
Lenin’s Death: The Roots of Stalin’s Power
Stalin was highly regarded by Lenin and played various roles, firstly as a violent organiser for campaigns that obtained funding for the Bolsheviks. Lenin was particularly impressed by his organisation skills, insensitivity and obedience, ‘That wonderful Georgian’. With Lenin as an admirer, he rose to becoming a member of the Central Committee in 1912.
During 1914-1916 he was in exile and returned in the march of 1917. He was loyal to Lenin after he returned to Petrograd and opposed the ‘October deserters’ who believed the party was still not strong enough (Kamenev and Zinoviev). During the Civil war, his Georgian background proved invaluable, his knowledge of the minorities promoted him to Commissar for Nationalities. Stalin then became a ruthless leader of the Caucasus region during the civil war, leading to a number of disputes with Trotsky, the start of their clashes.
Stalin may have been loyal, but he did anger Lenin on two occasions. The negotiations with Georgia saw Stalin as rude and off-hand, whilst Lenin was desperate for their support and had to intervene personally to stop them from leaving. Stalin also argued with Lenin’s wife, calling her a whore. This was when Lenin’s Testament was made, ‘concentrated enormous power in his hands, I am not sure he always know how to use caution with this power’ and then ‘think of ways of removing comrade Stalin from his position’ as Secretary of the Communist party. Luckily for Stalin, the Testament was never published due Lenin’s death.
As mentioned before, Stalin had a strong powerbase. He had great ability, in persistence and his willingness to take on the difficult administrative work of the time. The government of Russia had the Council of the People’s Commissars and the Secretariat, both staffed by the Bolshevik Party, and as the government grew in scope, these commissar positions gave the holder with levels of power, and so Stalin’s various positions proved vital.
- Peoples Commissar for Nationalities, in charge of the Caucasus region, plus many officials of all of the different regions
- Liaison officer between Politburo and Orgburo, a unique position to monitor both policy and decision making.
- General Secretary of the Communist Party, in which he recorded all policy and build up a personal file of each member of the party.
Stalin was the Link between the Communist party and the soviets, and what these posts gave him was the power of Patronage. He could put his key supporters, in key positions, and they would owe their place to him, and so could count on their vote in various committees’, and no other member came close after Lenin’s death, as he could always outvote and outmanoeuvre them.
Stalin gained massively from Lenin’s enrolment, as 1923-25, the party increased its numbers of ‘true proletarians’ which the CPSU almost doubled to 600,000 members. These members were poorly educated but recognised the privileges that come with membership and depended on being loyal to those who first invited them. This fell largely to Stalin as the Secretary, and this also added to his growing power of patronage. Stalin had a huge body of reliable voters. It is also true that Lenin’s Ban on Factionalism played a good part with Stalin’s patronage, as soon as he took the initiative within the party to become leader, it would be very difficult for anyone to mount a challenge against him.
The final factor was that Stalin became heir to the Lenin Legacy, in which Stalin followed a similar tradition of authority and leadership that Lenin had established. Lenin was worshipped like a god within the party. Following his lead would mean a formidable claim to power, as he would appear to be carrying on Lenin’s work.
SUMMARY
- Originally involved in money making plots for the Bolsheviks.
- Stalin admired by Lenin ‘that wonderful Georgian’
- Known for his organising ability.
He held key positions within the party, as well as being a clear ‘Leninist’
- Commissar for Nationalities
- Liaison between Politburo and Orgburo
- General Secretary
Lenin began to disfavour Stalin however fortunately his testament was not published due to death and he would have lost his position.
Stalin did gain some key benefits
- Power of patronage meant a considerable voting base already for him, he could outvote and outmanoeuvre many within the party
- Enrolment accented his patronage, even more loyal under him as their ‘Secretary’ who had enrolled them in the first place
- Attack upon factionalism, would be difficult for anyone to mount a challenge against Stalin and his large voting base
- Stalin claimed to be Lenin’s heir
During 1914-1916 he was in exile and returned in the march of 1917. He was loyal to Lenin after he returned to Petrograd and opposed the ‘October deserters’ who believed the party was still not strong enough (Kamenev and Zinoviev). During the Civil war, his Georgian background proved invaluable, his knowledge of the minorities promoted him to Commissar for Nationalities. Stalin then became a ruthless leader of the Caucasus region during the civil war, leading to a number of disputes with Trotsky, the start of their clashes.
Stalin may have been loyal, but he did anger Lenin on two occasions. The negotiations with Georgia saw Stalin as rude and off-hand, whilst Lenin was desperate for their support and had to intervene personally to stop them from leaving. Stalin also argued with Lenin’s wife, calling her a whore. This was when Lenin’s Testament was made, ‘concentrated enormous power in his hands, I am not sure he always know how to use caution with this power’ and then ‘think of ways of removing comrade Stalin from his position’ as Secretary of the Communist party. Luckily for Stalin, the Testament was never published due Lenin’s death.
As mentioned before, Stalin had a strong powerbase. He had great ability, in persistence and his willingness to take on the difficult administrative work of the time. The government of Russia had the Council of the People’s Commissars and the Secretariat, both staffed by the Bolshevik Party, and as the government grew in scope, these commissar positions gave the holder with levels of power, and so Stalin’s various positions proved vital.
- Peoples Commissar for Nationalities, in charge of the Caucasus region, plus many officials of all of the different regions
- Liaison officer between Politburo and Orgburo, a unique position to monitor both policy and decision making.
- General Secretary of the Communist Party, in which he recorded all policy and build up a personal file of each member of the party.
Stalin was the Link between the Communist party and the soviets, and what these posts gave him was the power of Patronage. He could put his key supporters, in key positions, and they would owe their place to him, and so could count on their vote in various committees’, and no other member came close after Lenin’s death, as he could always outvote and outmanoeuvre them.
Stalin gained massively from Lenin’s enrolment, as 1923-25, the party increased its numbers of ‘true proletarians’ which the CPSU almost doubled to 600,000 members. These members were poorly educated but recognised the privileges that come with membership and depended on being loyal to those who first invited them. This fell largely to Stalin as the Secretary, and this also added to his growing power of patronage. Stalin had a huge body of reliable voters. It is also true that Lenin’s Ban on Factionalism played a good part with Stalin’s patronage, as soon as he took the initiative within the party to become leader, it would be very difficult for anyone to mount a challenge against him.
The final factor was that Stalin became heir to the Lenin Legacy, in which Stalin followed a similar tradition of authority and leadership that Lenin had established. Lenin was worshipped like a god within the party. Following his lead would mean a formidable claim to power, as he would appear to be carrying on Lenin’s work.
SUMMARY
- Originally involved in money making plots for the Bolsheviks.
- Stalin admired by Lenin ‘that wonderful Georgian’
- Known for his organising ability.
He held key positions within the party, as well as being a clear ‘Leninist’
- Commissar for Nationalities
- Liaison between Politburo and Orgburo
- General Secretary
Lenin began to disfavour Stalin however fortunately his testament was not published due to death and he would have lost his position.
Stalin did gain some key benefits
- Power of patronage meant a considerable voting base already for him, he could outvote and outmanoeuvre many within the party
- Enrolment accented his patronage, even more loyal under him as their ‘Secretary’ who had enrolled them in the first place
- Attack upon factionalism, would be difficult for anyone to mount a challenge against Stalin and his large voting base
- Stalin claimed to be Lenin’s heir
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
The New Economic Policy
The NEP was intended to meet Russia’s need for food, as war communism had failed to deliver. State terror deterred the peasants, it was clear that they needed to be persuaded into producing food ‘Lenin – Must be a certain amount of freedom for the small private proprietor’. Although disagreement soon followed the NEP, the grim famine and conditions were bad enough to give Lenin full support for his new policy.
Its essential features were as followed:
- Centralisation relaxed (occupation of factories)
- Requisitioning replaced with Tax in Kind (only took a fixed amount of grain rather than all)
- Peasants keep surpluses and could sell for money
- Restoration of small markets.
Lenin knew this was going back on state control of the economy, restoring mixed economy with some forms of capitalism. This made many Bolsheviks uneasy, Lenin stressed that it was temporary and a necessity to stop a similar mutiny to that of Kronstadt, famine and to restore the economy, and he also mentioned how they still had control of banking, industry and foreign trade. NEP proved the Bolsheviks could not form a successful economy purely on their ideological ideas.
Lenin put his political theories aside in order to restore Russia’s economy. It troubled many members, such as Trotsky who had regarded war communism as fantastic and exactly the correct strategy to follow. It disturbed him that they were being ‘appeased’ and not ‘squeezed’ as the proletariat revolution suggested. A main complaint of the Bolshevik objectors was the ‘Nepmen’ who gained from the trade under the NEP and made themselves rich. Lenin took steps to remove disunity and a split in the party over the issue of the new ‘capitalism’, he introduced ‘On Party Unity’ which announced that any groups or ‘factions’ that formed within the party against NEP must part or face expulsion. A ban on factionalism greatly stifled any objectors. He also outlawed all other political parties in soviet Russia, suppressing all opposition, making it very difficult for anyone to voice negativity over the New Economic Policy, as it would be ‘Challenging the party itself’. Bukharin, the soviet economist, put aside any opposition to say that the NEP would stimulate the economy as the peasants would use any extra money to buy manufactured goods.
The NEP itself was a success and it was this reason why the party accepted it. The policies figures show that the economy made a recovery, with grain harvests increasing by 20M tons, Factory output doubling to just under 5000M roubles, average wage doubling to 20.8 roubles per month and most notably, a 3x increase in the kWh of electricity production (1562). Lenin was also right in saying they still controlled the ‘heights of the economy’.
However the NEP was not a complete a success, as its opponents criticised it that it industry failed to expand as quick as agriculture, as the Nepmen may have done well but around the factories and the urban areas, the workers were mainly unemployed. This was known as the SCISSORS CRISIS, as industrial prices were becoming high and agricultural lower. It was caused partly by the ending of famine, as greater harvests led to a fall in the price of food. Industrial good however did not fall in price, as factories took much long to recover from the Civil War (and war communism). The scarcity of products drove the prices up. This resulted that peasants were selling at too low of a price to afford the high manufactured goods. Over time, the Bolsheviks argued continually about Gosplan’s (vesenkha) failure to produce afirm economic plan. However as time went on, industry recovered as it was less interfered and the scissors gap decreased, although this was no guarantee that it was permanent.
SUMMARY
Reasons for NEP
- Disruption of Economy (Civil War and War Communism)
- Famine
- Kronstadt Rising
Main features included
- Markets being restored
- Peasants allowed to sell surplus
- Relaxing of centralisation
- Tax in Kind
Justifications
- Food Shortage
- Temporary and 'Still controlled heights of economy'
- Peasants had to be persuaded
Consequences
- Recovering economy and end of famine
- Ban on Factionalism
- Some Divisions
- Scissors crisis (which decreased)
Its essential features were as followed:
- Centralisation relaxed (occupation of factories)
- Requisitioning replaced with Tax in Kind (only took a fixed amount of grain rather than all)
- Peasants keep surpluses and could sell for money
- Restoration of small markets.
Lenin knew this was going back on state control of the economy, restoring mixed economy with some forms of capitalism. This made many Bolsheviks uneasy, Lenin stressed that it was temporary and a necessity to stop a similar mutiny to that of Kronstadt, famine and to restore the economy, and he also mentioned how they still had control of banking, industry and foreign trade. NEP proved the Bolsheviks could not form a successful economy purely on their ideological ideas.
Lenin put his political theories aside in order to restore Russia’s economy. It troubled many members, such as Trotsky who had regarded war communism as fantastic and exactly the correct strategy to follow. It disturbed him that they were being ‘appeased’ and not ‘squeezed’ as the proletariat revolution suggested. A main complaint of the Bolshevik objectors was the ‘Nepmen’ who gained from the trade under the NEP and made themselves rich. Lenin took steps to remove disunity and a split in the party over the issue of the new ‘capitalism’, he introduced ‘On Party Unity’ which announced that any groups or ‘factions’ that formed within the party against NEP must part or face expulsion. A ban on factionalism greatly stifled any objectors. He also outlawed all other political parties in soviet Russia, suppressing all opposition, making it very difficult for anyone to voice negativity over the New Economic Policy, as it would be ‘Challenging the party itself’. Bukharin, the soviet economist, put aside any opposition to say that the NEP would stimulate the economy as the peasants would use any extra money to buy manufactured goods.
The NEP itself was a success and it was this reason why the party accepted it. The policies figures show that the economy made a recovery, with grain harvests increasing by 20M tons, Factory output doubling to just under 5000M roubles, average wage doubling to 20.8 roubles per month and most notably, a 3x increase in the kWh of electricity production (1562). Lenin was also right in saying they still controlled the ‘heights of the economy’.
However the NEP was not a complete a success, as its opponents criticised it that it industry failed to expand as quick as agriculture, as the Nepmen may have done well but around the factories and the urban areas, the workers were mainly unemployed. This was known as the SCISSORS CRISIS, as industrial prices were becoming high and agricultural lower. It was caused partly by the ending of famine, as greater harvests led to a fall in the price of food. Industrial good however did not fall in price, as factories took much long to recover from the Civil War (and war communism). The scarcity of products drove the prices up. This resulted that peasants were selling at too low of a price to afford the high manufactured goods. Over time, the Bolsheviks argued continually about Gosplan’s (vesenkha) failure to produce afirm economic plan. However as time went on, industry recovered as it was less interfered and the scissors gap decreased, although this was no guarantee that it was permanent.
SUMMARY
Reasons for NEP
- Disruption of Economy (Civil War and War Communism)
- Famine
- Kronstadt Rising
Main features included
- Markets being restored
- Peasants allowed to sell surplus
- Relaxing of centralisation
- Tax in Kind
Justifications
- Food Shortage
- Temporary and 'Still controlled heights of economy'
- Peasants had to be persuaded
Consequences
- Recovering economy and end of famine
- Ban on Factionalism
- Some Divisions
- Scissors crisis (which decreased)
Monday, 25 May 2009
War Communism and its consequences
Summer of 1918, Lenin introduced a series of harsh restrictive economic measures, 'War Communism', caused by the difficulties of Civil war and moved away from state capitalism (state owns the productive forces, distributes the wages and sells the surplus). Lenin judged that the whites could only be met by authority increasing in the Red areas. Every social, political and economic aspect was to be shaped around winning the Civil War.
First step was centralisation, to concentrate the political and economic power at the centre, using the cheka and red army to enforce it. They infiltrated the factories with political commissars and this prepared the way for a Decree of Nationalisation in which nearly all industrial enterprises came under Russian control. Nationalisation did nothing to increase production, imposed strict control at a time of strain, initially under the war but really the civil war. Most factories were deprived of resources and manpower, due to conscription into the Army and the flight of the populations in search of food. Populations in the major cities fell by half during 1918-21. The problems were deepened by inflation, as the printing of money destroyed the value of money. It did not do any good for the economy, just strengthened bolshevik grip.
It also effected agriculture, the major purpose of war communism was to force the peasants to provide more food. Peasants however were difficult to convince, as they were very conservative and resistant to central government. The Government blamed the Kulaks (or rich peasants) to hoard their stocks to keep prices high, the truth was the peasants saw no point producing food until the government paid a fair prices.
The government eventually condemned the peasants as counter-revolutionaries, and Cheka Requistioning squads were sent to take grain by force ' harvest grain on the land of kulaks'. Between these years, Requistioning squads terrorised the countryside with kulaks targeted and hanged in public. However, the opposite happened in the production of food and the peasants produced the bare minimum.
Famine was the result of requistioning, drought and disruption of the civil war, The grain harvests produced less than half the amounts than half of the amounts from 1913, 1 in 5 were starving. A number of bolsheviks did admit there was a famine, and accepted foreign assistance, such as the ARA, American Relief Association. 5 Million died due to starvation over the civil war period.
Lenin however, is known as allowing the famine as a chance to destroy the orthodox church and would shoot priests 'the more the better'. 1921, the grim conditions had completely undermined the reasoning for War Communism, as production had fallen massively. Some Bolsheviks however thought it was the perfect policy for the party, true socialism as it had centralised industry, ended private owenership and squeezed the peasants.
War communism and the Red terror continued, with the Cheka spying on the factory workers and the enforced requistioning of the grain. Its severity, seriously increased Bolshevik unpopularity. Lenin stuck with it for as long as possible, until the Kronstadt rising proved to be the most serious challenge to bolshevik control to date.
KRONSTADT MUTINY
As long as unrest was confined to peasants and enemies of the bolsheviks, it was managable. What was worrying was the opposition to war communism within the party. Two bolsheviks Alaxander Shylyapnikov and Alexandra Kollantai led a 'Workers Opposition Movement' and produced a pamphlet ' buld up industry without any regard to our opinions'. Workers in petrograd upon reading the pamphlet went on strike in 1921 proclaiming ' a complete change is neccessary'
By feb 1921, thousands of petrograd workers crossed the the naval base at Kronstadt, linking with sailors and workers to remonstrate for greater freedom 'workers should be better not worse' Lenin sent commissars to Kronstadt where they were rounded bitterly ' You are comfortable, warm. We're in a terrible mire'.
The Kronstadt Manifesto is what followed as sailors elected a chairman for a fifteen-man committee to represent their grievances to the government such as
- Freedom of Speech and Press
- Right for trade unions to exist
- Ending of War communism
- New elections in the soviets
- End of centralisation
The demands did not frighten the bolsheviks, it was the people who happened to be their greatest supporters of previous, the Sailors and Workers of Kronstadt, previous 'Heroes of the October Revolution'. The genuine socialists were appalled by the betrayal of the workers cause. The angered strikers increasing in numbers. Trotsky ordered the Red Army to crush them, with an ultimatum issued to the strikers. It was denied and so the Red Army and Cheka detachments were ordered to attack. The Sailors fought savagely and bravely, even when half dead they attempted to shoot to kill, 'two soldiers at machine gun, entire company fought for over an hour'. Kronstadt was proof that the Bolsheviks were a minority elite who had imposed themselves above all for Russia. After the rising, ringleaders were shot. Lenin was a realist, and took Kronstadt to heart, he decided to soften the severity of War Communism 'Lit up reality like a lightning flash', a prelude to the New Economic Policy.
SUMMARY
WAR COMMUNISM
- Industry and Agriculture under central control (government controlled agriculture and industry from Moscow geographically and politically), Commissars and buying grain
- Peasants resist to the low prices
- Kulaks targeted, Requistioning squads and an Attack upon the church
- War communism did more damage than good, undermining its real cause with a famine in 1921 with 5 million dead.
- War communism if anything was strengthening the Red Terror.
KRONSTADT
Caused due to the severity of the Red Terror and War communism.
- Famine
- Commissars in Industry
- Requistioning
- Cheka torture.
The 'Workers Opposition group formed WITHIN the Bolsheviks', causing a petrograd strike which marched to Kronstadt. The Manifesto demanded :
- End of Bolshevik Centralisation
- Freedom of Speech
- Bolshevik priviledges ended
- Secret Ballot elections
- Removal of Commissars
Government crushes rising, but meet with fierce and skillful response before being defeated. This was a fear for Lenin, and considers a NEW ECONOMIC POLICY.
First step was centralisation, to concentrate the political and economic power at the centre, using the cheka and red army to enforce it. They infiltrated the factories with political commissars and this prepared the way for a Decree of Nationalisation in which nearly all industrial enterprises came under Russian control. Nationalisation did nothing to increase production, imposed strict control at a time of strain, initially under the war but really the civil war. Most factories were deprived of resources and manpower, due to conscription into the Army and the flight of the populations in search of food. Populations in the major cities fell by half during 1918-21. The problems were deepened by inflation, as the printing of money destroyed the value of money. It did not do any good for the economy, just strengthened bolshevik grip.
It also effected agriculture, the major purpose of war communism was to force the peasants to provide more food. Peasants however were difficult to convince, as they were very conservative and resistant to central government. The Government blamed the Kulaks (or rich peasants) to hoard their stocks to keep prices high, the truth was the peasants saw no point producing food until the government paid a fair prices.
The government eventually condemned the peasants as counter-revolutionaries, and Cheka Requistioning squads were sent to take grain by force ' harvest grain on the land of kulaks'. Between these years, Requistioning squads terrorised the countryside with kulaks targeted and hanged in public. However, the opposite happened in the production of food and the peasants produced the bare minimum.
Famine was the result of requistioning, drought and disruption of the civil war, The grain harvests produced less than half the amounts than half of the amounts from 1913, 1 in 5 were starving. A number of bolsheviks did admit there was a famine, and accepted foreign assistance, such as the ARA, American Relief Association. 5 Million died due to starvation over the civil war period.
Lenin however, is known as allowing the famine as a chance to destroy the orthodox church and would shoot priests 'the more the better'. 1921, the grim conditions had completely undermined the reasoning for War Communism, as production had fallen massively. Some Bolsheviks however thought it was the perfect policy for the party, true socialism as it had centralised industry, ended private owenership and squeezed the peasants.
War communism and the Red terror continued, with the Cheka spying on the factory workers and the enforced requistioning of the grain. Its severity, seriously increased Bolshevik unpopularity. Lenin stuck with it for as long as possible, until the Kronstadt rising proved to be the most serious challenge to bolshevik control to date.
KRONSTADT MUTINY
As long as unrest was confined to peasants and enemies of the bolsheviks, it was managable. What was worrying was the opposition to war communism within the party. Two bolsheviks Alaxander Shylyapnikov and Alexandra Kollantai led a 'Workers Opposition Movement' and produced a pamphlet ' buld up industry without any regard to our opinions'. Workers in petrograd upon reading the pamphlet went on strike in 1921 proclaiming ' a complete change is neccessary'
By feb 1921, thousands of petrograd workers crossed the the naval base at Kronstadt, linking with sailors and workers to remonstrate for greater freedom 'workers should be better not worse' Lenin sent commissars to Kronstadt where they were rounded bitterly ' You are comfortable, warm. We're in a terrible mire'.
The Kronstadt Manifesto is what followed as sailors elected a chairman for a fifteen-man committee to represent their grievances to the government such as
- Freedom of Speech and Press
- Right for trade unions to exist
- Ending of War communism
- New elections in the soviets
- End of centralisation
The demands did not frighten the bolsheviks, it was the people who happened to be their greatest supporters of previous, the Sailors and Workers of Kronstadt, previous 'Heroes of the October Revolution'. The genuine socialists were appalled by the betrayal of the workers cause. The angered strikers increasing in numbers. Trotsky ordered the Red Army to crush them, with an ultimatum issued to the strikers. It was denied and so the Red Army and Cheka detachments were ordered to attack. The Sailors fought savagely and bravely, even when half dead they attempted to shoot to kill, 'two soldiers at machine gun, entire company fought for over an hour'. Kronstadt was proof that the Bolsheviks were a minority elite who had imposed themselves above all for Russia. After the rising, ringleaders were shot. Lenin was a realist, and took Kronstadt to heart, he decided to soften the severity of War Communism 'Lit up reality like a lightning flash', a prelude to the New Economic Policy.
SUMMARY
WAR COMMUNISM
- Industry and Agriculture under central control (government controlled agriculture and industry from Moscow geographically and politically), Commissars and buying grain
- Peasants resist to the low prices
- Kulaks targeted, Requistioning squads and an Attack upon the church
- War communism did more damage than good, undermining its real cause with a famine in 1921 with 5 million dead.
- War communism if anything was strengthening the Red Terror.
KRONSTADT
Caused due to the severity of the Red Terror and War communism.
- Famine
- Commissars in Industry
- Requistioning
- Cheka torture.
The 'Workers Opposition group formed WITHIN the Bolsheviks', causing a petrograd strike which marched to Kronstadt. The Manifesto demanded :
- End of Bolshevik Centralisation
- Freedom of Speech
- Bolshevik priviledges ended
- Secret Ballot elections
- Removal of Commissars
Government crushes rising, but meet with fierce and skillful response before being defeated. This was a fear for Lenin, and considers a NEW ECONOMIC POLICY.
Death of the Romanov's
July 1918 saw a group of SR's assassinate the german ambassador over the Brest-Litovsk treaty, then an attempt on Lenin's life followed. In this mood, Lenin ordered that the Local Cheka detachment executed the Ex-tsar and his family at Yekateringburg in the Urals, hailed down by revolver shots by six men.
After abdication, Nicholas was hoping for Asylum in Britain but the government nor George the V was willing to risk the diplomatic problems or if the Bolsheviks were to follow to britain. He was also rejected by his cousin, the German Kaiser Wilhelm, the reason being it would 'Comprimise his neutrality' from the armistice signing.
It was the climax from eight months of moving the Romanovs around so that they're position was a secret from monarchists would would attempt to rescue them. Lenin personally wanted this to happen as he hated the monarchy, 'really enjoyed letting himself loose against the bourgeois'.
After abdication, Nicholas was hoping for Asylum in Britain but the government nor George the V was willing to risk the diplomatic problems or if the Bolsheviks were to follow to britain. He was also rejected by his cousin, the German Kaiser Wilhelm, the reason being it would 'Comprimise his neutrality' from the armistice signing.
It was the climax from eight months of moving the Romanovs around so that they're position was a secret from monarchists would would attempt to rescue them. Lenin personally wanted this to happen as he hated the monarchy, 'really enjoyed letting himself loose against the bourgeois'.
The Red Terror
The repression that happened and proceeded the Civil war was so severe it was known as the Red Terror. It is argued that the severe repression was the only response to the problems that the Bolsheviks faced and to win the civil war. The opposite view is that the Bolsheviks were forming a strong grip upon the Russian people. Lenin himself, was totalitarian in manner, as he did not believe in democracy, and he used the tools of the Red Army and the Cheka to inforce his rule.
The Cheka, had been created in 1917 by Dzerzhinsky, the ideal choice as he never allowed his feelings of compassion to stop the destruction of the bolshevik enemies. Remorseless attitude displayed by his instructions issued ' Our revolution is in danger, we need to battle to the death'. It operated as the Law, granted unlimited powers of arrest, detention and torture. It was the main instrument used by lenin to terroriset he russian people into conformity. The Cheka under Dzerzhinsky's instructions developed into a class war. It went from being anyone against the bolsheviks to be arrested, to whole social classes, 'first duty is to ask their origins'. Some bolsheviks were uneasy about this, but the famine and social disorder of the Civil War removed all criticisms, and that the revolution could only be saved by removing the enemies of the Bolsheviks and the working class.
Trotsky as Commissar for war, complimented the Cheka's work, by ending the independence of Trade Unions and workers brought under military control, forbidden to ask questions and negotiate pay.
The Red Army was Trotsky's primary achievement, the primary factor of survival. They won the Civil war and also the means of which the bolsheviks imposed their authority at large over russia. Lenin put full trust in Trotsky to direct the Red Army. Trotsky took workers and tired Red Guards and transformed them into a skillful army of 3 million, and attached commissars to the the army to keep structure. The Death sentence was imposed for deserters, and the Civil war instructed strict discipline.
Trotsky also responded to the civil wars increasing need for men by conscription in the areas of bolshevik control. Peasants were conscripted into the army for back-breaking labour. They proved to be unreliable in the time of crisis and desertions were common. Workers were the only dependable unit, often becoming the elite forces and were regarded as Heroes. Trotsky did have some opposition in the form of Stalin in tactics, but there is no denial that Trotsky was the main factor behind the survival.
Summary
Red Terror either a response to extreme conditions, or an expression of Lenin.
Cheka was the Law with unlimited powers. Started the move against middle/upper class bourgeios of old and could prosecute for that reason alone.
Trotsky closes Trade unions and workers under military pressure.
War Commissar, Red army great achievement, won the war and imposed rule over Russia with strict discipline within the army. Conscription introduced.
The Cheka, had been created in 1917 by Dzerzhinsky, the ideal choice as he never allowed his feelings of compassion to stop the destruction of the bolshevik enemies. Remorseless attitude displayed by his instructions issued ' Our revolution is in danger, we need to battle to the death'. It operated as the Law, granted unlimited powers of arrest, detention and torture. It was the main instrument used by lenin to terroriset he russian people into conformity. The Cheka under Dzerzhinsky's instructions developed into a class war. It went from being anyone against the bolsheviks to be arrested, to whole social classes, 'first duty is to ask their origins'. Some bolsheviks were uneasy about this, but the famine and social disorder of the Civil War removed all criticisms, and that the revolution could only be saved by removing the enemies of the Bolsheviks and the working class.
Trotsky as Commissar for war, complimented the Cheka's work, by ending the independence of Trade Unions and workers brought under military control, forbidden to ask questions and negotiate pay.
The Red Army was Trotsky's primary achievement, the primary factor of survival. They won the Civil war and also the means of which the bolsheviks imposed their authority at large over russia. Lenin put full trust in Trotsky to direct the Red Army. Trotsky took workers and tired Red Guards and transformed them into a skillful army of 3 million, and attached commissars to the the army to keep structure. The Death sentence was imposed for deserters, and the Civil war instructed strict discipline.
Trotsky also responded to the civil wars increasing need for men by conscription in the areas of bolshevik control. Peasants were conscripted into the army for back-breaking labour. They proved to be unreliable in the time of crisis and desertions were common. Workers were the only dependable unit, often becoming the elite forces and were regarded as Heroes. Trotsky did have some opposition in the form of Stalin in tactics, but there is no denial that Trotsky was the main factor behind the survival.
Summary
Red Terror either a response to extreme conditions, or an expression of Lenin.
Cheka was the Law with unlimited powers. Started the move against middle/upper class bourgeios of old and could prosecute for that reason alone.
Trotsky closes Trade unions and workers under military pressure.
War Commissar, Red army great achievement, won the war and imposed rule over Russia with strict discipline within the army. Conscription introduced.
Failure of Foreign Interventions
The October revolution saw the collapse of the Provisional Government and within weeks and armistice had been agreed between germany and the Bolshevik Government. The French and British were cautious over the matter. Lloyd George was willing to support any group within russia that was Anti-German.
When the treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed, all hope of convincing the Bolshevik government was ended, and so any help that Britain gave to Anti-german russians now went to Anti-Bolsheviks, (soon to be the white in Russia). The bolsheviks were convinced that the Allies were trying to destroy them, and the Allies saw the bolsheviks as betraying the Allied cause, and the supplies that it provided needed to be stopped from falling into german hands. The British, French and American troops then occupied ports of the Arctic side of Russia, starting two years of occupation over the entirety of Russia.
When the war ended, their occupation lead to a direct offensive against the Bolsheviks. Winston Churchil and Marshall Foch were the most keen, afraid of the newly created Cominterm (to spread international revolution) and the spread of revolution around Europe.
- Sparticist revolt in Berlin
- Communist republic in Bavaria for a year
- Hungarian Marxist government for 5 months.
The interventions were also because the financial position, as Russia and the Bolsheviks wrote off a large number of debts, and nationalised foreign investments, angering the French who had a large number of investments within Tsarist Russia. This also lead to
- British land forces entertering the southern part of russia.
- British warships and French at Baltic waters
- French land base, odessa
- Japanese at Vladivostok (a chance to take land)
- French British American and Italian joined them.
However, as proven by the white failure, the attackers were not united by one single aim, Japan wanted land, and the other nationalist forces such as Lithuania, Poland and Finland all fought for independence seperately, partly the reason behind failure. There was no real proper dedicated attempt to remove the bolsheviks, the truth being that after four years of fighting germany, no great power could stomach true intervention and the loss of more good men. Not only that but trade unionists that would provide supplies sympathised with the 'Workers state'. The Foreign white armies and russian white armies did not act together, and it was easier to remove their threat for the Bolsheviks. They eventually withdrawn, and used as a propoganda success for the Bolsheviks, and they regained esteem from this.
SUMMARY
Why intervene
- Russia withdraw from war
- Fear of 'international revolution'
- Bolsheviks writing off Debt
France, Britain, USA, Japan, Finland Lithuania etc.
Interventions failed due to Lack of coordination,
Not bound by a single aim
No stomach for fighting after WW1
No real genuine attempt to bring Bolsheviks down
When the treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed, all hope of convincing the Bolshevik government was ended, and so any help that Britain gave to Anti-german russians now went to Anti-Bolsheviks, (soon to be the white in Russia). The bolsheviks were convinced that the Allies were trying to destroy them, and the Allies saw the bolsheviks as betraying the Allied cause, and the supplies that it provided needed to be stopped from falling into german hands. The British, French and American troops then occupied ports of the Arctic side of Russia, starting two years of occupation over the entirety of Russia.
When the war ended, their occupation lead to a direct offensive against the Bolsheviks. Winston Churchil and Marshall Foch were the most keen, afraid of the newly created Cominterm (to spread international revolution) and the spread of revolution around Europe.
- Sparticist revolt in Berlin
- Communist republic in Bavaria for a year
- Hungarian Marxist government for 5 months.
The interventions were also because the financial position, as Russia and the Bolsheviks wrote off a large number of debts, and nationalised foreign investments, angering the French who had a large number of investments within Tsarist Russia. This also lead to
- British land forces entertering the southern part of russia.
- British warships and French at Baltic waters
- French land base, odessa
- Japanese at Vladivostok (a chance to take land)
- French British American and Italian joined them.
However, as proven by the white failure, the attackers were not united by one single aim, Japan wanted land, and the other nationalist forces such as Lithuania, Poland and Finland all fought for independence seperately, partly the reason behind failure. There was no real proper dedicated attempt to remove the bolsheviks, the truth being that after four years of fighting germany, no great power could stomach true intervention and the loss of more good men. Not only that but trade unionists that would provide supplies sympathised with the 'Workers state'. The Foreign white armies and russian white armies did not act together, and it was easier to remove their threat for the Bolsheviks. They eventually withdrawn, and used as a propoganda success for the Bolsheviks, and they regained esteem from this.
SUMMARY
Why intervene
- Russia withdraw from war
- Fear of 'international revolution'
- Bolsheviks writing off Debt
France, Britain, USA, Japan, Finland Lithuania etc.
Interventions failed due to Lack of coordination,
Not bound by a single aim
No stomach for fighting after WW1
No real genuine attempt to bring Bolsheviks down
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
The Russian Civil War, 1918 – 1920
The crushing of the Constituent assembly and the outlawing of other parties meant that the Bolsheviks did not want to share power, and this made civil war very likely especially considering the Bolsheviks only had a limited grip on Russia (Moscow, Petrograd). Lenin truly wanted a violent civil war, as the Bolsheviks did have control of the Red Guard, Army and Cheka along with Trotsky’s organisation skills, it would be better to have a short violent struggle to eliminate all enemies and opponents than years of being harassed by Anti-Bolsheviks. The Conflict began in the summer of 1918, with the Reds, White and Greens in a three way military struggle.
- Reds were the Bolshevik Army, Guard and Cheka
- Whites were Bolshevik opponents from parties who had been outlawed, to monarchists and political enemies
- Greens were the nationalities minorities who fought solely for independence.
The Bolsheviks were faced with these forces, the greens who wanted independence from Russia, and many saw them as trying to reassert Russian authority over the country even though the Bolsheviks were mainly foreign, similar to the Tsar. The Civil war provided a cover to settle old scores and pursuing personal vendettas for most people.
The war its self, was simply about fighting for food. The transport and food situation from world war one were still an issue, and until this was sorted, Russia remained hungry. The failure of not providing a remedy for the situation added to the initial military opposition to the Bolsheviks, and the loss of the Ukraine to germany, the primary food provider saw an even sharper drop still. The SR’s also mounted opposition due to their removal from the government after the Brest-Litovsk treaty in which they along with the more Left Bolsheviks had been outlawed. The SR’s planned a coup in the new capital, Moscow and is where it really started. This military rising failed, but terrorism persisted and almost killed Lenin, which led to him having a bullet lodged in his neck contributing to his early death six years later. The SR’s so, joined the whites.
The Resistance also spread, as all of the opposition formed into the whites, with the SR’s forming various uprisings in central Russia, the Volunteer army for the whites being formed, and the Czech occupation saw another white army, and again in Estonia.
The Civil war, so was a very confusing affair. The Political attempt as well as the regional (food) and nationalities attempts amounted into muddled mess. It is known that the Bolsheviks however resisted attacks on four main fronts and then drove back the attackers until they withdrew. Because of this well-organised approach and the fact that the Bolsheviks controlled the railway system that contributed in a Bolshevik win.
White weakness
- Various armies fought separately, not bound by a single aim and unwilling to sacrifice individual interests to fight an anti-bolshevik front
- Too reliant on supplies from abroad, and resistance too scattered geographically
- Lack leadership like Trotsky
- Failure of International Support
Red Strengths
- Remained in control of the central areas of Russia which had the four main vantage points to defend. They also had the control of the Industry of these areas and that meant munitions.
- Control of the Railway
- White’s dependence on foreign supplies was used as propaganda. Reds were the defenders of the nation as well as the proletariat revolutionaries.
- Trotsky’s army was brilliantly organised.
Trotsky’s role was kept up red communication, deny the whites the opportunity to concentrate large forces in any one location and prevent whites from gaining supplies. This relied on the railways, as they could transport troops, supplies and communicate. This was successful as not only did it exhaust the white supplies, they could then drive the forces back. Trotsky was also the driving force in morale.
Civil war had various effects on the Bolsheviks. Toughness was one, as the bolsheviks grew heavily in numbers over the civil war from joining the red army. This meant that later on, these members were hardened and obedient men who's opinions and decision were very tough. Next was the conversion to Authoritarianism, similar to the Tsar's rule, its true that no government could have survived the harsh conditions without it. Centralisation was also the main change, as the quickness and urgency that decisions needed to be made were simply not happening under the official central committee. So, the Politburo (a faster central committee of the party, made the decisions) and the Orgburo (who made the policies were created) to act at the speed needed, who both served by the civil service which put policies into action, the Secretariat.
SUMMARY
Bolsheviks did not want to share power, limited grip on Russia and outlawing of constituent assembly/other parties made Civil War imminent.
Evidence that Lenin wanted civil war 'Quick struggle to remove all opposition', especially as they had the Red Army and Cheka units.
Three way struggle.
Whites - SR's, monarchists and other opposition parties (plus some internationals)
Reds - Bolsheviks
Greens - Nationalists
The Reds did win eventually by fighting on four main points
Had the main cities and factories, therefore the railways.
Fighting a defense against disorganised whites
Whites also relied on foreign supplies and were not bound by a single aim
Reds also had the brilliant Trotsky and Red army, who were bound by a single aim and full of morale.
The civil war caused Toughness from the new members joining the Bolsheviks from the red army. Authoritarianism for survival due to the weak economic positions of the time. Centralisation saw the Politburo and Orgburo take over the central committee who served under the Secretariat, one making quick decisions, one making policies and the Secretariat enforcing them.
- Reds were the Bolshevik Army, Guard and Cheka
- Whites were Bolshevik opponents from parties who had been outlawed, to monarchists and political enemies
- Greens were the nationalities minorities who fought solely for independence.
The Bolsheviks were faced with these forces, the greens who wanted independence from Russia, and many saw them as trying to reassert Russian authority over the country even though the Bolsheviks were mainly foreign, similar to the Tsar. The Civil war provided a cover to settle old scores and pursuing personal vendettas for most people.
The war its self, was simply about fighting for food. The transport and food situation from world war one were still an issue, and until this was sorted, Russia remained hungry. The failure of not providing a remedy for the situation added to the initial military opposition to the Bolsheviks, and the loss of the Ukraine to germany, the primary food provider saw an even sharper drop still. The SR’s also mounted opposition due to their removal from the government after the Brest-Litovsk treaty in which they along with the more Left Bolsheviks had been outlawed. The SR’s planned a coup in the new capital, Moscow and is where it really started. This military rising failed, but terrorism persisted and almost killed Lenin, which led to him having a bullet lodged in his neck contributing to his early death six years later. The SR’s so, joined the whites.
The Resistance also spread, as all of the opposition formed into the whites, with the SR’s forming various uprisings in central Russia, the Volunteer army for the whites being formed, and the Czech occupation saw another white army, and again in Estonia.
The Civil war, so was a very confusing affair. The Political attempt as well as the regional (food) and nationalities attempts amounted into muddled mess. It is known that the Bolsheviks however resisted attacks on four main fronts and then drove back the attackers until they withdrew. Because of this well-organised approach and the fact that the Bolsheviks controlled the railway system that contributed in a Bolshevik win.
White weakness
- Various armies fought separately, not bound by a single aim and unwilling to sacrifice individual interests to fight an anti-bolshevik front
- Too reliant on supplies from abroad, and resistance too scattered geographically
- Lack leadership like Trotsky
- Failure of International Support
Red Strengths
- Remained in control of the central areas of Russia which had the four main vantage points to defend. They also had the control of the Industry of these areas and that meant munitions.
- Control of the Railway
- White’s dependence on foreign supplies was used as propaganda. Reds were the defenders of the nation as well as the proletariat revolutionaries.
- Trotsky’s army was brilliantly organised.
Trotsky’s role was kept up red communication, deny the whites the opportunity to concentrate large forces in any one location and prevent whites from gaining supplies. This relied on the railways, as they could transport troops, supplies and communicate. This was successful as not only did it exhaust the white supplies, they could then drive the forces back. Trotsky was also the driving force in morale.
Civil war had various effects on the Bolsheviks. Toughness was one, as the bolsheviks grew heavily in numbers over the civil war from joining the red army. This meant that later on, these members were hardened and obedient men who's opinions and decision were very tough. Next was the conversion to Authoritarianism, similar to the Tsar's rule, its true that no government could have survived the harsh conditions without it. Centralisation was also the main change, as the quickness and urgency that decisions needed to be made were simply not happening under the official central committee. So, the Politburo (a faster central committee of the party, made the decisions) and the Orgburo (who made the policies were created) to act at the speed needed, who both served by the civil service which put policies into action, the Secretariat.
SUMMARY
Bolsheviks did not want to share power, limited grip on Russia and outlawing of constituent assembly/other parties made Civil War imminent.
Evidence that Lenin wanted civil war 'Quick struggle to remove all opposition', especially as they had the Red Army and Cheka units.
Three way struggle.
Whites - SR's, monarchists and other opposition parties (plus some internationals)
Reds - Bolsheviks
Greens - Nationalists
The Reds did win eventually by fighting on four main points
Had the main cities and factories, therefore the railways.
Fighting a defense against disorganised whites
Whites also relied on foreign supplies and were not bound by a single aim
Reds also had the brilliant Trotsky and Red army, who were bound by a single aim and full of morale.
The civil war caused Toughness from the new members joining the Bolsheviks from the red army. Authoritarianism for survival due to the weak economic positions of the time. Centralisation saw the Politburo and Orgburo take over the central committee who served under the Secretariat, one making quick decisions, one making policies and the Secretariat enforcing them.
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Lenin and Trotsky had a marked difference over the ending of the war. Lenin wanted it to end immediately, whilst Trotsky believed in a delay. Russia’s military exhaustion made it impossible to fight on successfully to win the war. If Germany won, they would gain Russian land, but if Germany lost, Russia could regain and land lost from pulling from the war. Russia would not be worse of, and secondly it would gain. Lenin had also been receiving funds from the German Foreign office, pulling out of the war was the best way to retain these funds. Trotsky was between his ‘straight away opinion’ and the Left Bolsheviks who pressed for continuation of the war to beat ‘imperialist Germany’
At Brest-Litovsk is where the talks happened. Trotsky was undoubtedly rude, yawning and having private conversations, only speaking when on the subject of the October Revolution. Hindenburg, saw them as degrading the conference table, and tried to start dissolution in the army of their ranks. Lenin and Trotsky however, supported international revolution over Russia’s needs. The Germans seriously considered marching into Petrograd to overthrow their government, but they quickly signed a devastating peace treaty as soon as this was made clear.
The Treaty saw a third of European Russia ceded to Germany with 45 million people within it. Russia was also required to pay 3 Billion roubles as war damages. Lenin stressed that this was the only realistic policy, ‘maternally exhausted by three years of war’. Basically Russia did not have the supplies or the skill, and the Bolsheviks signing the treaty would have time to gain this. Although heavily debated in the central committee, Lenin’s argument was passed by a majority of only 1. Lenin and Trotsky saw Brest Litovsk as a small price to pay for the kick starting of international revolution. What eventually destroyed the division in the central committee (of left Bolsheviks who wanted continuation and saw the losses at Brest-Litovsk as awful) was that Germany’s defeat in which Russia simply regained everything it had lost.
SUMMARY
A split in attitudes – Continuation or immediate peace
Lenin – Russia could not possibly win, Russia worn out by three years, say no now to fight another day. Also pulling out would continue the GFO funding.
Harsh terms – 1/3 of Euro land lost, with 45 million people and 3 Bil in reparations.
This lead to conflict between the left, Lenin justifying frequently and won the debate. German defeat justified policy anyway.
At Brest-Litovsk is where the talks happened. Trotsky was undoubtedly rude, yawning and having private conversations, only speaking when on the subject of the October Revolution. Hindenburg, saw them as degrading the conference table, and tried to start dissolution in the army of their ranks. Lenin and Trotsky however, supported international revolution over Russia’s needs. The Germans seriously considered marching into Petrograd to overthrow their government, but they quickly signed a devastating peace treaty as soon as this was made clear.
The Treaty saw a third of European Russia ceded to Germany with 45 million people within it. Russia was also required to pay 3 Billion roubles as war damages. Lenin stressed that this was the only realistic policy, ‘maternally exhausted by three years of war’. Basically Russia did not have the supplies or the skill, and the Bolsheviks signing the treaty would have time to gain this. Although heavily debated in the central committee, Lenin’s argument was passed by a majority of only 1. Lenin and Trotsky saw Brest Litovsk as a small price to pay for the kick starting of international revolution. What eventually destroyed the division in the central committee (of left Bolsheviks who wanted continuation and saw the losses at Brest-Litovsk as awful) was that Germany’s defeat in which Russia simply regained everything it had lost.
SUMMARY
A split in attitudes – Continuation or immediate peace
Lenin – Russia could not possibly win, Russia worn out by three years, say no now to fight another day. Also pulling out would continue the GFO funding.
Harsh terms – 1/3 of Euro land lost, with 45 million people and 3 Bil in reparations.
This lead to conflict between the left, Lenin justifying frequently and won the debate. German defeat justified policy anyway.
DISSOLUTION OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
Lenin did not believe in Democratic elections and declared them as ‘Tricks by the Bourgeoisie’. This is why Lenin and the Bolsheviks went on their own merits in the October Coup. When this was successful, Lenin was even more determined to stamp out Democracy, and one of the reasons to his urgency for the Revolution, was to make sure the Coup happened before the Election of the All-Russian Constituent Assembly. Unfortunately for Lenin, it was too late, and the results were not good for the Bolsheviks.
- Outvoted 2 to 1 by the SR’s
- Only a quarter of the overall vote and so a quarter of the seats.
Lenin only originally supported this because it undermined the PG, but now he had power, he had no need for the Assembly and would only make life difficult. Lenin who did not deal in compromise, only ever opted to deal by crushing the opposition. So after only a day’s session for the Assembly, it was dissolved at gunpoint by the Red Guards, with any resistance evaporated by the fact of rifles aimed at their heads.
The Bolsheviks chance for survival did seem slim, with strong wide-spread opposition to them including the fact that Britain and France would intervene if they pulled from the War. Lenin so justified the dissolution by saying it had already happened by the Soviet becoming government, and claimed the elections were rigged. ‘Dissolution of Constituent Assembly means a complete liquidation of democracy by the idea of a dictatorship’
Lenin’s ruthless attitude caused unease, with the Bolsheviks most Prolific writer Maxim Gorky claiming ‘Peoples commissars have ordered the shooting of this democracy that people had hoped for’. Foreign communists were also appalled, Rosa Luxemburg ‘Worse than the disease it was supposed to cure’. Lenin however, saw that due to the dire situation of Russia and vulnerable placement of the Bolsheviks, stern action was required to plant them properly.
SUMMARY
Lenin hated Democracy ‘Bourgeoisie tool to hold power’
Results to Constituent assembly are bad
Bolsheviks force closure.
Assembly would break Lenin’s power
Soviet Government already in power,
Elections were corrupt, and a ‘Bourgeois manipulation’
Found condemnation by foreign revolutionaries.
- Outvoted 2 to 1 by the SR’s
- Only a quarter of the overall vote and so a quarter of the seats.
Lenin only originally supported this because it undermined the PG, but now he had power, he had no need for the Assembly and would only make life difficult. Lenin who did not deal in compromise, only ever opted to deal by crushing the opposition. So after only a day’s session for the Assembly, it was dissolved at gunpoint by the Red Guards, with any resistance evaporated by the fact of rifles aimed at their heads.
The Bolsheviks chance for survival did seem slim, with strong wide-spread opposition to them including the fact that Britain and France would intervene if they pulled from the War. Lenin so justified the dissolution by saying it had already happened by the Soviet becoming government, and claimed the elections were rigged. ‘Dissolution of Constituent Assembly means a complete liquidation of democracy by the idea of a dictatorship’
Lenin’s ruthless attitude caused unease, with the Bolsheviks most Prolific writer Maxim Gorky claiming ‘Peoples commissars have ordered the shooting of this democracy that people had hoped for’. Foreign communists were also appalled, Rosa Luxemburg ‘Worse than the disease it was supposed to cure’. Lenin however, saw that due to the dire situation of Russia and vulnerable placement of the Bolsheviks, stern action was required to plant them properly.
SUMMARY
Lenin hated Democracy ‘Bourgeoisie tool to hold power’
Results to Constituent assembly are bad
Bolsheviks force closure.
Assembly would break Lenin’s power
Soviet Government already in power,
Elections were corrupt, and a ‘Bourgeois manipulation’
Found condemnation by foreign revolutionaries.
Friday, 8 May 2009
The Bolsheviks in Power
Lenin was now faced with the problems that the Tsar and the Provisional Government had faced previously. The soviet view of what was to happen, was that they would revolutionise russia, into a socialist society with measures and reforms, but it wasn't that simple, as Lenin in the future from this point changed policies based on the situation. Lenin claimed that it was the soviets who had took power in october, but it was the Bolsheviks alone, but he said that his People's Commissars had been appointed by the Soviets. This did mean they had the power to make up their own rules.
The Immediate problems that faced the bolsheviks were apparent as the bolsheviks simply did not have enough power to make a sweeping revolutionary reformation package, and needed to make policies to fit the circumstances. The circumstances were made worse by the war
- Shortage of Raw materials
- Collapse of Transport system
- Inflation huge
- Wide-spread hunger and famine
Lenin, who saw the future with the proletariat, also saw that the peasants were the sole food creaters and for this reason alone, he considered how to persuade the peasants to create more food. The Bolsheviks so, introduced policies to kick-start the economic recovery, 'Decree on Land' and 'Decree on Workers Control', but both of which were sort of confirming and allowing what had already happened.
'Decree on Land' simply declared that all privately own property was to be confiscated and to belong to the entire state, and those who 'work' it, this followed the bolshevik land approach.
'Decree on Workers Control' as the workers had taken over control of many of the factories, the efficiency of these factories dropped severely and a drop in industrial output. The Bolsheviks tried to put severe discipline on these workers, but it was difficult as the committee's which ran the factories, all did not contain bolsheviks. The Vesenkha was set up to take charge of all institutions for the economy, and it nationalised railways, cancelled the debts and sorted out the transport (to an extent).
The Bolsheviks also
- Abolished titles to 'Comrade
- Moscow became Red
- People's courts
- Armistice followed by treaty with Germany
- Red Army
- Communist Party
- The Cheka was also created, Lenin was determined to impose Ultimate rule, by supressing all political opposition, the cheka was a better organised Okhrana of old, and worked to destroy 'counter-revolution' or anything that was slightly anti-bolshevik.
SUMMARY
Problems - Inflation, Food/Transport, Low Industrial production and Limited control for the Bolsheviks.
Attempted to start reforms with Two Decree's. Gave land to those who 'work it' and authority over economic production, plus Vesenkha. Next wask the Cheka, to impose absolute rule and rule out 'counter revolution'. Red term officially used, Red Army, communist and Comrade.
The Immediate problems that faced the bolsheviks were apparent as the bolsheviks simply did not have enough power to make a sweeping revolutionary reformation package, and needed to make policies to fit the circumstances. The circumstances were made worse by the war
- Shortage of Raw materials
- Collapse of Transport system
- Inflation huge
- Wide-spread hunger and famine
Lenin, who saw the future with the proletariat, also saw that the peasants were the sole food creaters and for this reason alone, he considered how to persuade the peasants to create more food. The Bolsheviks so, introduced policies to kick-start the economic recovery, 'Decree on Land' and 'Decree on Workers Control', but both of which were sort of confirming and allowing what had already happened.
'Decree on Land' simply declared that all privately own property was to be confiscated and to belong to the entire state, and those who 'work' it, this followed the bolshevik land approach.
'Decree on Workers Control' as the workers had taken over control of many of the factories, the efficiency of these factories dropped severely and a drop in industrial output. The Bolsheviks tried to put severe discipline on these workers, but it was difficult as the committee's which ran the factories, all did not contain bolsheviks. The Vesenkha was set up to take charge of all institutions for the economy, and it nationalised railways, cancelled the debts and sorted out the transport (to an extent).
The Bolsheviks also
- Abolished titles to 'Comrade
- Moscow became Red
- People's courts
- Armistice followed by treaty with Germany
- Red Army
- Communist Party
- The Cheka was also created, Lenin was determined to impose Ultimate rule, by supressing all political opposition, the cheka was a better organised Okhrana of old, and worked to destroy 'counter-revolution' or anything that was slightly anti-bolshevik.
SUMMARY
Problems - Inflation, Food/Transport, Low Industrial production and Limited control for the Bolsheviks.
Attempted to start reforms with Two Decree's. Gave land to those who 'work it' and authority over economic production, plus Vesenkha. Next wask the Cheka, to impose absolute rule and rule out 'counter revolution'. Red term officially used, Red Army, communist and Comrade.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
October Revolution
The gains from the Kornilov affair were instantaneous for the Bolsheviks, by the mid September period;they had gained a majority in the soviets. First few months of the soviet saw it fully attended, over 3000 deputies in the first meeting eventually began to decrease, with attendance down to a few hundred by autumn. This was an advantage to the Bolsheviks who made sure that they attended each meeting fully, and so influenced in proportion to its numbers, and influenced the various sub committees heavily, and the soviet moved more towards the left.
Lenin’s strategy played the next part in the October revolution. Whilst in exile in Finland, and made sure that his party were ready constantly to overthrow the government, as the government became increasingly reactionary. He constantly urged for the Bolsheviks it seized power when the government were at the most sensitive. He was so urgent because he was convinced that the Bolsheviks had to take power before the meeting of the soviets in October, to present their authority under ‘All power to Soviets’ in the April thesis, and so they wouldn’t reject. He also had to take control before the Constituent assembly election, as they would be difficult to dispose of and it was not assured that they would win the election.
Lenin returned to Petrograd after his party had undermined the ruling of a Pre-Parliament, in which Kerensky offered the Bolsheviks a chance to give advice, and had walked out of. Lenin gave speeches to strike, but members on the Central Committee (decision making part of the party) disagreed as it was too early. He spent two weeks trying to convince them, eventually agreeing on the 10th of October without a specific date.
Kerensky hearing rumours of a coup was finally influenced to take action after intercepting an article published by Kamenev, and Zinoviev, who argued overthrowing in current circumstances, would be silly. Kerensky took this as though they had a secured date and took action, ordering an attack and rounding up leading Bolsheviks. This was the trigger for insurrection.
Trotsky was the reason on how the Bolsheviks planned the original coup. Lenin may have been the influence, but Trotsky organised. He had been chairman of the Petrograd soviet, and so was in the Troika which set up the Military Revolutionary Committee, which would defend Petrograd from German invasion. He had control of the only effective Military Force in Petrograd, and it was a force that he could draft into Bolshevik plans. Trotsky directed the Red Guards to capture key positions
The Collapse of the Provisional Government took three days, with very little fighting. The PG had little to no military force due to Kornilov and the Soviet Order 1, and the Petrograd garrison had mainly been deserted. There was no one guarding the winter palace when the ‘Red’ forces arrived. Power pretty much fell into their hands, as All ministers escaped without harm and Kerensky fled to the American embassy, and slipped out of Petrograd disguised as a female nurse. Lenin was declared the Chief Minister.
SUMMARY
Bolsheviks take influence in soviets
- attended every meeting
- Influenced sub-committees/proportion to numbers
________________________________
Lenin directed from Finland - Urged for instant insurrection as Gov were weak
urgent because of All Russian Congress of Soviets meeting/ Constituent Assembly meeting. As votes were unpredictable and Soviets might be won over by 'All Power to Soviets'- When he returned, he worked with committee to get them to agree
__________________
Kerensky makes first move after seeing article.
Trotsky is used to start insurrection - Petrograd chairman in charge of MRC
only strong military force left. PG suffered by Kornilov affair and desertions
Lenin becomes 'Chief Minister' SR's and Mensheviks angered, Kerensky escapes to the USA.
_________________________________
Lenin’s strategy played the next part in the October revolution. Whilst in exile in Finland, and made sure that his party were ready constantly to overthrow the government, as the government became increasingly reactionary. He constantly urged for the Bolsheviks it seized power when the government were at the most sensitive. He was so urgent because he was convinced that the Bolsheviks had to take power before the meeting of the soviets in October, to present their authority under ‘All power to Soviets’ in the April thesis, and so they wouldn’t reject. He also had to take control before the Constituent assembly election, as they would be difficult to dispose of and it was not assured that they would win the election.
Lenin returned to Petrograd after his party had undermined the ruling of a Pre-Parliament, in which Kerensky offered the Bolsheviks a chance to give advice, and had walked out of. Lenin gave speeches to strike, but members on the Central Committee (decision making part of the party) disagreed as it was too early. He spent two weeks trying to convince them, eventually agreeing on the 10th of October without a specific date.
Kerensky hearing rumours of a coup was finally influenced to take action after intercepting an article published by Kamenev, and Zinoviev, who argued overthrowing in current circumstances, would be silly. Kerensky took this as though they had a secured date and took action, ordering an attack and rounding up leading Bolsheviks. This was the trigger for insurrection.
Trotsky was the reason on how the Bolsheviks planned the original coup. Lenin may have been the influence, but Trotsky organised. He had been chairman of the Petrograd soviet, and so was in the Troika which set up the Military Revolutionary Committee, which would defend Petrograd from German invasion. He had control of the only effective Military Force in Petrograd, and it was a force that he could draft into Bolshevik plans. Trotsky directed the Red Guards to capture key positions
The Collapse of the Provisional Government took three days, with very little fighting. The PG had little to no military force due to Kornilov and the Soviet Order 1, and the Petrograd garrison had mainly been deserted. There was no one guarding the winter palace when the ‘Red’ forces arrived. Power pretty much fell into their hands, as All ministers escaped without harm and Kerensky fled to the American embassy, and slipped out of Petrograd disguised as a female nurse. Lenin was declared the Chief Minister.
SUMMARY
Bolsheviks take influence in soviets
- attended every meeting
- Influenced sub-committees/proportion to numbers
________________________________
Lenin directed from Finland - Urged for instant insurrection as Gov were weak
urgent because of All Russian Congress of Soviets meeting/ Constituent Assembly meeting. As votes were unpredictable and Soviets might be won over by 'All Power to Soviets'- When he returned, he worked with committee to get them to agree
__________________
Kerensky makes first move after seeing article.
Trotsky is used to start insurrection - Petrograd chairman in charge of MRC
only strong military force left. PG suffered by Kornilov affair and desertions
Lenin becomes 'Chief Minister' SR's and Mensheviks angered, Kerensky escapes to the USA.
_________________________________
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