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Creation of a One-Party State - Coggle Diagram
Creation of a One-Party State
Opposition
How did Bolsheviks dealt with other left-wing groups?
Calls for socialist coalition from SRs and Mensheviks including leading Bolsheviks like Lev Kamenev were firmly rejected by Lenin.
1917 - Some left-wing SRs joined the Bolshevik government for practical reasons in the beginning but this measure of cooperation did not last long.
January 1918 - SRs and Mensheviks call for the
Constituent Assembly
to try and regain initiative.
The assembly was democratically elected which benefited the SRs who mobilised support among the peasantry.
Bolsheviks won 175 seats with >9 million votes. SRs won 410 seats with 21 million votes.
Lenin dissolved the Assembly calling it an instrument of the Bourgeoise.
It was replaced by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. The Bolsheviks had much more influence. Lenin ignored calls for a socialist coalition and made sure there was no real forum for opposition.
Bolshevik's opposition
Other left-wing groups who were denied a share of power by the Bolsheviks.
Including: SR, and Mensheviks (fellow Marxists).
Right-wing groups (such as Tsarist supporters) and liberal groups who represented the interests of middle class and feared Bolsheviks would take away businesses and political freedoms.
Marxism ideology that emphasised power and control to the Proletariat represented a challenge to the Rich and privileged in Russia. The old social order was under attack.
Nationalist groups from within the Russian Empire such as Ukrainians, Poles and Finns who saw the Tsarist regime's collapse as a chance for independence.
Destruction of other Political Parties
Removal of the vote from bourgeoise classes like employers and priests took away a possible reservoir of voted for opposition parties.
Mensheviks and SRs could not easily publish newspapers due to restrictions from Bolsheviks.
March 1918 - Left-wing SRs in the Bolshevik government lost all influence when they walked out about the decision to withdraw Russia from WW1.
April 1921 - Lenin declared Mensheviks and SRs belonged in prison.
By March 1921 - 5,000 Mensheviks arrested with further waves of arrests of Mensheviks and SRs following.
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 1918
Background of the treaty
The demoralised conservatives found new outrage at Lenin's decision to withdraw Russia from WW1.
Peace was concluded through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk which took Russia out of WW1 but at a great cost.
Conservatives had been shocked by the events of the October Revolution 1917. This caused opposition to the Bolsheviks.
Impact of the treaty
Russia lost control of Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, Finland, Ukraine and parts of Caucasus.
It was a national humiliation for the Conservatives, especially military officers who served in the Tsar's army.
The only way to restore Russia's pride and the reputation of its Armed Force was to overthrow the Bolsheviks and reject the treaty.
Why was it signed by Lenin?
It provided a promise of foreign help from Allied powers anxious to keep Russia in WW1 so were willing to provide arms, money and troops to ensure Russia rejoined.
This meant there was support for those who wanted to overthrow the Bolsheviks.
Lenin was aware that the pressures of fighting in WW1 was a key factor in the collapse of the Tsarist regime and Provisional government.
WW1 sapped energy and resources from the government with little chance of military success.
Lenin realised in order to consolidate Bolshevik power and its hold over Russia and internal enemies, it needed to withdraw from the War.
Russian Civil War
How did the Bolsheviks win?
Reds were much better organised than the Whites and Greens in terms of military, economic and political terms.
Bolshevik military strategy was more coherent than the Whites with credit going to Trotsky, introduced conscription to increase numbers to over 5 million.
Extended government direction over economy to ensure resources were organised and deployed effectively through War Communism.
Large-scale nationalisation of industry ensured adequate supplies for Red Army.
Degree of active support for Bolsheviks especially from workers who saw them as the best guarantee of gains from the revolution.
Key results
Bolshevik state became highly centralised, fighting a war required quick decision-making and direction of resources from government. Power was now firmly in the hands of the Sovnarkom and Politburo based in Moscow.
Bolsheviks made extensive use of terror against political opponents setting the tone for the development of the Party.
Bolshevik supporters had been through a formative experience that must have deeply affected them. This reinforced militaristic values in the population. Those who fought in the war did not buckle under the pressure and did not think twice about using terror and force.
Events of the Civil War 1918-21
Reds - Bolshevik army and their supporters. Whites - Opposition including political groups, largely conservative liberals and tsarists. Greens - Left socialist revolutionaries (SRs), fought for autonomy of local peasant groups.
Reds faced severe opposition from Whites over Russia puling out of WW1, national minorities wanting independence and SR/Menshevik parties being denied involvement in government.
Whites had support from Allied forces. Bolsheviks attacked by Krasnov's forces near Petrograd immediately after Oct Revolution, Reds won. After Treaty of BL signed, opposition grew with lots of military campaigns. End of 1920 - Reds defeated Whites and secured Communist rule.
Tenth Party Congress, 1921
Civil War saw huge Party growth from 300,000 in 1917 to 730,000 in 1921 which posed threat to Party stability, to ensure conformity a firm line was taken against dissent.
Lenin banned formation of factions within the Party and other political parties. This was known as 'On Party Unity' as an attempt to impose view of the leadership on the Party. Penalty for breaking the rules was expulsion from Party.
Political tightening came as Bolsheviks were anxious over their hold on Russia. 1921 faced Kronstadt Mutiny from sailors previously loyal to Bolsheviks, and Tambov rising from peasants upset at War Communism.
Introduced NEP to replace War Communism