Stalin's Russia-- Section 1: The Struggle For Power

Created by: Harry Tigg
Created on: 30-03-15 18:40

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Stalin's Russia-- Section 1: The Struggle For Power
- Russia Before Stalin
  - Russias geography and people
    - Largest land empire in modern history
      - 4000 miles across and 2000 up.
    - Population of 165 million at beginning of 20th century
      - 80% were peasant farmers
        Just 4% industrial workers
  - Tsarism
    - Russia ruled by Romanov dynasty for 3 centuries
    - Revolution in 1917- Tsar Nicholas II overthrown
      - Revolution due to Russia's difficulty in WW1
      - Set up "provisional government"
  - Rise Of Bolshevism
    - 1917--Lenin Returns
    - Lenin supported the newly formed "soviets"
      - Believed soviets superior to provisional government
      - By late 1917 carried out October Revolution
        "armed seizure of government power"
  - Marxist-Leninism
    - Marxist theory of history
      - Primitive communism: Humans hunt/ gather and share what they have
        REVOLUTION
        Feudalism: Monarch rules- allocates land to lower classes
        REVOLUTION
        Capitalism: society dominated by bourgeoisie and proletariat
        REVOLUTION
        Socialism: Proletariat take power
        REVOLUTION
        Communism: No class conflict-- human equality achieved
    - Lenin believed that Marx's theory needed to be adapted to be relevant to Russia
      - believed that it would be possible for Russia to skip the capitalist stage and go straight to socialism
  - Bolsheviks in power
    - By 1918 changed their name to communists
    - Civil war
      - Communists were known as the "Red Army"
        Faced "The White Army" fighting to re-establish the Russian monarchy.
        
        "The Green Army" guerilla force of peasants fighting for a democratic version of socialism
        
        Britain, France, the United Statesand Japan also sent forces to destroy the new government
        
        Red Army was commanded by Trotsky
    - Economic policies
      - War Communism
        Economic system created during the war
        
        Geared the economy towards military production
        
        Work or military service became compulsory
        Food was rationed
      - The New Economic Policy (NEP)
        Designed to deal with the crippled economy after the civil war
        
        Legalised private trade
        
        Introduced tax-in-kind (being taxed through goods)
- Personalities and powerbases
  - There were five contenders who had a chance of leading Russia after Lenin
    - Trotsky
      - Played a major role in October revolution
      - Led the red army during the civil war
      - Initially sided with the mensheviks
        Relationship with Lenin was turbulent until 1917
        In 1917 worked closely with Lenin when he joined the communists
    - Stalin
      - Joined the communist party in 1902
      - Played the role of military tactician in the October revolution
      - By 1921 he was well ingrained in the highest levels of government
      - While Lenin was healthy he made sure to agree with him on all controversial issues
        however, he began to oppose him once he fell ill
      - He had a strong appeal within the party
        He had the ability to advance the careers of many of those within the party
        
        He adopted a moderate position
        
        Appealed to the national pride of Russia's people
    - Bukharin
      - The youngest potential heir
      - He helped to seize power in Moscow during October revolution
      - Admired Lenin highly
        Lenin referred to him as the "Golden Boy" of the party
    - Zinoviev
      - Opposed the October revolution
        Spent the Civil war in a hotel in Petrograd
      - Close friendship with Lenin
        They wrote a number of books together
        
        This changed once they returned in 1917 however
        he violently opposed Lenin on two crucial issues
        The october revolution
        
        The decision not to share power with other socialist parties
    - Kamenev
      - Opposed the October revolution and played no real part in the civil war
      - Lenin's closest friend (after Zinoviev) until 1917 when he began to virulently oppose him
      - Lacked a lot of support within the party
- Ideological conflict
  - Left wing
    - Supported by Trotsky
      - Rejected NEP
        Gave power to the peasants rather than the industrial workers
        
        A step in the wrong direction as it allocated more power to the capitalists
      - Committed to immediate industrialisation
      - Permanent revolution
        Did not believe that a singular socialist society could exist alone
  - Centre
    - Supported by Stalin
      - Pragmatic commitment to NEP
      - Commited to industrialisation in the near future
      - Socialism in one country
  - Right wing
    - Supported by Bukharin
      - Acceptance of the NEP
      - Commited to industrialisation in the distant future
      - Socialism in one country

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Stalin's Russia-- Section 1: The Struggle For Power

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