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Chapter five- Lenin's government of Russia 1917-24 Part two. - Coggle…
Chapter five- Lenin's government of Russia 1917-24 Part two.
War communism
Impact on industry
Russua had increasing power in factories because political commissars were infaltrating workers committees.Checka and red army allowed Lenin to embark on centralism. JULY 1918- decree on nationalism meant by 1920 gov had full control of all major industry. This was imposed at time of industrial disruption, the issues of indusry were further worstened by hyperinflation. Gov printed moey destroying its value and by 19120 brice of rouble had fallen to less than one percent of its worth in 1917. Wr communism tightned grip on industry but did ot lead to economic growth.
Impact on agriculture
Man aim of war communism was to force peasants to provide more food but the peasants were hard to control and conservative so reisistace to a central gov. Gov said Kulaks hoarding grain to keep prices high however really peasants judt did not want to provide more food until they would get a higher price for it. Kulaks= farmers more efficient than most.
1918- Checka sent to get grain by force. 1918-21 requistion squads terrorised countryside and kulaks. IMPACT peasants began only producing enough grain for there family. 1921- requistion + drought had caused a famine, gov propaganda newspaper admitted one in five were starving. Anumber of countries provided Russia with aid e.g USA provided 10 mill Russians with food however Bolsheviks did not like getting outside support and declined further help from 1923. Of ten mill that died in civil war half was starvation.
How was it enforced?
During famine Lenin put energy into destroying orthodox church. 1922- Poiltburo ordered to exploit famine by killing all priests. The policy was popular among the Bolsheviks. E.G Bukanan leading Bolshevik saw it as true socialism. The policy was continued post-civil war e.g requisition squads continued. Masses dropped support e.g 1920 checka had to supress 120 uprisings.
The tambolov rising
In Tabolov pesnt resistant armys had formed, they were led by SR Anotonov. They rebelled by attacking requisitioning squads, seizing weapons and taking over whole regions of the countryside. They also hunted down red sympathisers and executed them after torture. There bodies were mutilated.
GOV RESPONCE- In 1920 army was at 20,000 red army sent in. They executed and killed many peasants, whole families taken hostage and houses burned to ground. 1921 resistance broken 1922 Antinolov shot.
Kronstadt 1921- the workers opposition
causes- war communism e.g failure of agriculture, civil war. poor gov administration, lack of investment in Russian infastructure, Bolshevik party had become privilidged and out of touch.
who?- Lenin wanted to keep war communism going as long as possible, there were uprisings in 1920-21 but Bolsheviks thought it would be unproblematic if they were only in peasentry. Two Bolsheviks Kollantai and Synchronovi realised a pamphlet saying Bolsheviks had become out of touch. Hearing this workers went on strike early 1921.
events- Thousands of Petrograd workers crossed to Kronstadt , linked up sailors and dockyards for greater freedom. Said in a workers state workers shouldnt be worst of than gov. Lenin sent in political commissars they were greated with mockery.
The kronstadt manifesto-new elections to soviets by secret ballot, freedom of speech and press, rights for trade unions, ending of special rations for communist party members.
How was the rising crushed?- Trotsky ordered general Tuchavesky to direct army across the ice which linked Kronsadt to Petrograd. Ultimatum was issued and rejected- it was if they dont comply army sent in. 60,000 toupes sent in faced resistance and there was brutal fighting.
The aftermath- Ring leders were condemned white reactionaries and shot. Checka hunted down rebles for months following and they were executed. Lenin justified it by saying they were borgeuois enemies of the Oct revolution. Lenin softened war communism to prevent more rebelions and embaressment. The introduction of new econmic policy (March 1921 tenth communist party)
New economic policy (NEP)
What was it? Intended to meet urgent need for food as tate terror had not made peasants produce enough grain. It was given unanimous support by Lenins deligates. KEY FEATURES- Central economic control relaxed, Requisition of grain abondenedand instead tax in kind, peasents sell food surplus for profit, public markets restored, money introduced as a means of trading. It was stressed that it was a temporary solution.
How did Bolsheviks object? They were disturbed that peasants were being given into. Trotsky said it was the first sign of Bolshevik degeneration. Main objection was that reintroduction of trade would create a new class of profiters.
The ban on fractionalism- Aim was to prevent crititicism of the governement central committee. 10th party congress in 1921- one party unity. Member warned non-compliance would lead to expulsion, they also condemned the workers oppesition ( group that had opposed the brutalities of war communism). It helped to reduce critiscm of the NEP. Socialist partys other than Bolsheviks outlawed.
The role of Bukharin- Great supporter of NEP, he said extra wealth of peasants would stimulate industryas they would buy manifacture goods. He became Lenins closest confidant when he suffered from a number of strokes.
The economic results of the NEP- Figures suggest it worked. By Lenins death in 1924 Soviet Union had made a marked recovery e.g millions of connes 1921- 37.6 1924- 51.4. It prodiced a counterbalance agriculture and trade in private hands but the state dominated Russian industry. However some said balance it achieved was not real. Industry did not develop as quickly as agriculture and there was high unemployment in urban areas.