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Russia Under the Bolsheviks (Lenin's Contributions (Peasants→ land…
Russia Under the Bolsheviks
Lenin's Contributions
Peasants
→ land ownership granted and private ownership of land was abolished. No compensation were given to the landowners
Peace
→ decree on peace was issued to other nations in order to appeal for peace
Suppressed oppositions
→ closed down anti-bolshevik newspapers
National Minorities
→ right o f self determination was granted to all parts of Russian Empire. Finland became an independent state and an elected parliament has been set up in Ukraine
Workers
→ promised 8-hour working day and received social insurances, benefits and a minimum wage
Women Rights
→ sex discrimination outlawed and women were granted equality they deserved
Equality
→Titles and class distinctions were abolished. Workers were given rights to supervise factories
Eliminating threats
→ Cheka set up, 20,000 chekists and in 2 years they got rid of 12,000 people
Regulation of the Economy
→ Banks Nationalized but employees went on strike and did not cooperate
Democracy in the Army
→ Class ranks removed and saluting was banned
Nationalisation of Church Land
→ flow of private capital in the church ended. Private Societies and churches subjected to the same laws and there was no special treatment
Workers' Rights
→ given the permission to take control of mines, factories, railways and owned them communally
Military and defense
→Red Army established
Nationalization of industries
Russian Civil War
Causes: discontent by various groups
Tsar Supporters
wanted the restoration of Tsarist Rule
National Groups
wanted independence of Russia and they disliked Bolshevik Dictatorship
Landowners
were upset that the Bolsheviks deprived them of private property adn did not compensate them when their lands were seized for the peasants
Generals
were Humiliated by Brest Litovsk, and they wanted Russia to continue their involvement in the war
Social Revolutionaries
felt that the Bolsheviks took power by force and deprived them of their rightful position
Enemies Abroad
did not believe in communism and wanted to stop its influence from spreading
Factory Owners
were upset as factories were taken away and they had no source of profit
Reds VS Whites
Weakness of Whites
Disunity and Disorganization
→ all of them set up their own governments and at one point in time, there were 5 governments co-existing → disagreements, contradicting views and inability to compromise → made it easy for reds to defeat them →fall of the whites
Old Aristocracy
→ unable to appeal to the masses and nothing was done to cater to their needs → loss of support → fall of the whites
Non-Strategic Territories
→ teritories were large but they had to fight around the edges which made it difficult for the movement of troops → disadvantage → fall of the whites
Strengths of Reds
Strong Leadership
→ Red Army → comprised of armed industrial workers and former soldiers. Red Guards had as many as 200,000 men, and one-sixth of them were protecting Petrograd →action taken were prompt as they had sufficient manpower to offer defence → Trotsky supervised the progree of the Army closely and boosted the morale of soldiers → united and strong → gained supporters → weaken Whites → fall of whites
Ability to win the support of Russians by catering to their needs
→ Decrees introduced by the Bolsheviks addressed the needs of Peasants and Workers → Land Decree → helped peasants gain land ownership which they long awaited for → workers were also given minimum wage, granted 8-hour working day and social insurances → improved the lives of people → harnessed their support → weaken whites → fall of the whites
Good Geographical Location
→ territories of the reds were very compact and had greater levels of industrialization → better infrastructure, lines of communication, more raw materials and greater population → resources were sufficient for the reds to move efficiently and strategically →weaken whites →fall of whites
War Communism
policies introduced during the civil war to tackle economic, social and political problems
Civil War caused
shortage of food and raw materials
→prices of food rose and people could not afford → lived in hardship (social Problem)
Food shortages led to
food riots
→affect the stability of Russia → unstable political situation
Workers fled from the cities
due to food shortage → crippled the workforce and impeded economic development
Measures taken
Grain Requisitioning
→ red guards sent to countryside and imposed grain requisitioning in May 1918
Private trade
→
banned
and production fully controlled by the government → rise of black markets
Labour Discipline
→ workers committee removed and discipline was restored →rules were set → those who go on strikes can be shot and workers will be fired for absenteeism
Red Terror
→ Cheka→ use of fear to support new measures in order to combat opposition
Rationing
→ for workers and soldiers →civil servants and professionals (doctors) received less rations
Nationalization of Industries
→ production planned and organised by the government → managers were appointed in factories and they all had to report to central authorities
Successes
living standards improved
peasants revolt declined
Britain and Germany made Trade agreements with Russia
Shops, Cafes and markets reopened
Limitations
corruption
hard line communists grumbled about capitalists ideas
private traders traveled to buy and sell goods → gained wealth
property speculators returned
Kronstadt Naval Base Issue
sailors at the naval base
mutinied against harsh condition of war communism
. They demanded for freedom for workers and reduced harsh treatments from Cheka. This came as a shock to the Bolsheviks as the sailors had supported them during the October Revolution.
Effects
New Economic Policy
Grain requisitioning abolished.
Instead, peasants had to give a fixed proportion of their harvest to the government as tax. peasants are allowed to sell the surplus in open markets
Ban on Private trade removed
and rationing was abolished. People could buy and sell goods, which created better flow of resources between cities and countryside
State exerted control over heavy industry
where steel, coal and oil remained under their tight control. Transport systems and banks were also state controlled
Small Businesses reopened
and were able to make profits
October 1917
November 1917
December 1917
January 1917