Nature of Government

Rise to Power Weak nature of the provisional government helped Lenin seize power in Russia – Trotsky called him ‘the greatest engine driver of Revolution’ Created strong social base to his Bolshevik party: membership rose from 10,000 in February 1917 to 250,000 in October.

Initial Government Reforms Lenin promised ‘peace, bread and land’ Introduced 8 hour day and system of social insurance – planned to cover old age, sickness, unemployment etc Symbolic reforms: all titles/class distinctions abolished: ‘comrade’ was the only title. All army ranks abolished and saluting was banned. Church lands were seized and marriage became a civil not a religious ceremony Repressive of free speech and authoritarian in order to achieve goals and aims

Rise of Authoritarianism The Bolsheviks faced the threat of counter-revolution as they only controlled Petrograd and Moscow – Jan 1918 set out to gain control of anti-Bolshevik provisional governments War Communism: Decree of nationalisation, establishing strong central control over areas of production and distribution. 1920: Factory shortages led to workers losing their freedom and increased working hours All grain from rural areas to be given to the state : Money lost all value – inflation at 4 million percent

Consequences Civil War led to deaths of million Russians – vast majority not battle wounds – many fled the cities, by December 1920 city populations had declined by 33% on 1917 levels Red Terror: Chased bourgeoisies from their homes, killing some and forcing others into degrading work – one consequence was assassination of Nicholas II and his family in 1918 ‘Red Army’ had defeated counter-revolutionaries by 1920

New Economic Policy (NEP) NEP Aimed to ensure adequate food supplies Proportion of crops handed over as a ‘tax’ Small business were permitted Old currency replaced with a new one Mixed economy that allowed for some private ownership – model known as ‘state capitalism’ Lenin was pragmatic in recognising that trade was needed to boost dire economy

Stalin’s Reign Stalin’s rise to power was a struggle from because of the Testament of Lenin and rivals in the party however he became leader of Russia in Stalin’s reign was mainly characterized by extreme forms of repression and his totalitarian regime as well as the importance of Russia in World War II. Stalin’s reign also brought about important structural and economic changes to the USSR, which would be important to future Commissars.

Economic Policies Stalin sets out 5 Year Plans that require factories and other industries to produce a target amount of products within a space of 5 years. It was an attempt to rapidly industrialize Russia and to increase efficiency Collectivisation is introduced after famines in 1927 and Farms would be brought together into communes in an attempt to increase efficiency of growth of crops. Stalin much opposed to Lenin’s New Economic Policy and targeted Kulaks (wealthy peasants). The fear from this led to people agreeing to collectivise.

Repression and Megalomania Stalin was known to say that the totalitarianism he enforced was necessary to stop ‘damaging infighting’. Indeed control was needed to an extent after having had a civil war between 1918 and Stalin’s secret police the NKVD were instrumental in the ‘Great Purges’ between 1936 and He got rid of many officials in the Communist Party and the Red army and attempted to force more people to agree to collectivise. Stalin has been suggested to have been a megalomaniac.

World War II and ‘Superstructure’ Russia’s involvement in World War II was of extreme importance to the Allies and it was important in the creation of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) as it added many countries such as Poland and East Germany. Stalin was ruthless still in treatment of the soldiers in WWII and not just the enemies. He covered up an incident involving Russians shooting Polish troops, which he blamed on the Nazis. Russian soldiers who became POW’s were questioned by army officials after being freed and some were put in Gulags, large labour camps mainly in Siberia that were an important tool in instilling fear into the country.

Nature of Government Most liberal government since Provisional Govt. Attempted to make liberalising changes, operating within the existing system Could not dismantle the Collective System, but visited farmers and talked knowledgably with them, appearing to be sympathetic witht heir concerns Limited reforms – State made more progress in procurement prices and affordability of consumer goods, but the promised four-bedroom houses and improvements in roads failed to materialise Planting of Virgin Lands led to a huge investment into transport and infrastructure, but the plan was not successful in the long term

Repression Remained a dictatorial leadership, although Khrushchev worked to remove ‘the fear’ of authority that was dominant during the era of Stalin. De-stalinisation led to a fairer legal system – ‘Comrade courts’ set up on a local scale, although they were open to corruption, and those judged a threat to the Communist party on a national scale were still repressed The MVD was restructured into the KGB and its leadership purged, although it continued to be used to apprehend perceived dissidents Control through terror was generally eradicated, only to be replaced by more subtle methods of repression: loss of party membership, for instance, or the removal from employment of anybody who spoke against the leadership of Russia

Graph of evilness Authoritarianism 1917 Lenin1927 Stalin 1956 Khrushchev Civil War and NEP 5 Year Plans and Show Trials De-Stalinisation and removal of climate of fear