lenin overview

7/29/2019 lenin overview

1/25

The October Manifesto

The Tsar responded by promising a Duma

(parliament) with representation by the people.

Freedom of the press, speech and conscience.

The right to form political parties.

In 1906, with the military returning from Japan (and

with improved working conditions) any groups still

protesting were violently suppressed.


2/25

How the Tsars Failure to Meet the Demands of

the Manifesto Led to His Downfall

In the Duma representatives were mainly the wealthy whocouldnt pass laws, control finance and ministers were

responsible to the Tsar not the Duma.

The Tsar censored negative stories regarding Rasputininfringing upon freedom of the press Russians had been

promised.

He encouraged Kulaks (rich peasants who owned animals andhired labour) to buy up land from poor peasants and massproduce for the market. Peasants then felt further alienated

and moved to the city where they inevitably became involvedin revolutionary movements.

Though business prospered workers wages mostly remained

low and working and living conditions remained deplorable.


3/25

Two Historiographical Approaches to the Causes

of the 1917 Revolution

First Interpretation: Agriculture, industry and evenpolitics (to a limited degree) were progressing nicely.Therefore, this historical interpretation leans on WWIas being the major cause of the revolution (this is themost popular argument).

Second Interpretation: Falls in-line with our noteswhich highlight the plight of the peasants andworkers in post-1905 revolutionary Russia andsuggest that the alienation of the peasantry was themajor cause.


4/25

How WWI Contributed to the Tsars Downfall

The blame for heavy losses was placed squarely on the

shoulders of the Tsar. He went to the front where he

could now legitimately be held responsible.

The Tsarina and Rasputin fired able ministers with poorreplacements which further perpetuated the poor

transport and distribution of food and fuel.

Unemployment resulting in hunger and death by

starvation. Inflation: (cost of living had gone up 300% by 1916).


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How WWI Contributed to the Tsars Downfall Cont.

People were dying of cold and lack of sanitation.

Lack of supplies (especially fuel and horses) that were

being used in the war.

Little support for conscription because of the manydeaths. The high number of deaths also affected crop

production.

When the Tsar had the chance to concede to a

constitutional monarchy and have the Duma deal withthe war and repercussions - he chose not to.


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The February Revolution

Considering all of the struggles the Russians livedthrough in 1916, when bread rations wereintroduced the people of Petrograd (the capital)were incensed.

On February 23, 1917 (note the calendar issues onpage 24) during an International Womens Daymarch, women that were on strike began rioting andencouraging men to do the same.

Reaction by the Bolsheviks was to ask them to gohome as they were planning a march on May Day.

According to Figes, what differentiated this revoltfrom Bloody Sunday in 1905 (page 26)?


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Credit for the Start of the Revolution

The NCOs refused to shoot on unarmed citizens (seeFiges on page 27), many being peasants themselves,could relate to the general strikers and they alsodidnt want to be commissioned to fight in a losingwar. Figes, sees the mutiny of the soldiers as thebeginning of the revolution.

Soldiers began to actively fight the police on behalfof the demonstrators.

Williams credits both the soldiers and the workers asthe initiators of the revolution and notes that mostof the leaders of the parties were abroad or in exile.Trotsky and Chamberlain both re-enforce this at thetop of page 28.


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The Tsar Abdicates

Both the Duma and the Russian Army HighCommand concluded that the revolution could notbe prevented by the Tsar and halted the troopsmarching on Petrograd.

On March 2, 1917 the Tsar abdicated to his brotherMichael who refused to accept.

A new government needed to be formed.

Groups chose to cooperate and create a provisional

government and establish some stability since,according to Gorky, the revolution was turning intochaos.


9/25

The Arrival of Lenin

With Lenins arrival he provided an alternative to theprovisional government.

We see the beginning of Lenins charisma that assists

in making the originally mocked April ThesesBolshevik party policy.

Do an OPVL of Sukhanovs work.

The argument for Marxist-Leninism in Russia is

outlined nicely on page 37: How Did Lenin Justify theApril Thesis?This is the argument he would havemade to bring detractors on side.


10/25

Lenin Distinguishes Himself

Lenin distinguished himself by advocating

The removal of the Provisional government

Workers to take power through the Soviet

Opposition to the war Land to handed over to the peasants immediately

The unsuccessful post-Tsar military offensives would

have encouraged people to adopt Lenins opposition

to the war. Note: Figes very humourous account of

the last offensive on page 40.


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Economic Issues

568 factories in Petrograd closed (100 000 jobs werelost) from Feb-July, 1917. Resulting in inflation in thecost of goods these factories produced (note thestats. on page 43)

The railway was close to breaking down. Poor 1917 harvest meant less food available and

what was harvested was either being sent to the warfront (remember Lenin is opposed to the war) or

wasnt being sold because farmers couldnt afford topurchase inflated goods. The provisionalgovernments response: punishment brigades torequisition the grain which further alienated the

peasants.


12/25

Economic Issues Continued

Economic issues always hurt governments andLenins pro-peasant stance would have furtherassisted in his popularity.

Workers were not being pacified either. Increasedwages were worthless (again note stats. on page 43)and working conditions were not improving. Lock-outs were being used to force workers hands.

Lenins workers take power through the Sovietsstance would have been rather appealing at thisjuncture.


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The Rise of Kerensky

All of these issues resulted in tension between coalition(provisional) government parties (remember Lenin is

opposed to the provisional government).

In addition, different societal groups are becomingsuspicious that the different parties are assisting onlytheir supporters.

Kerensky became Prime Minister a man liked by workers,soldiers, military leaders, bourgeoisie and was seen as abridge between the Liberals and socialists in theprovisional government.

Expectations were high he acted like a king and wasworshipped like one. This is hugely problematicconsidering all the problems he faced as noted on page47.


14/25

Further Problems for Kerensky

On top of all the problems noted on page 47 theprovisional government didnt have the authority toenforce any of its decisions.

As well, the Kadets (one of the parties in theprovisional government) had handcuffed theprovisional government when they had blocked aland reform deal, supported the war, supportedemployers over workers and refused to intervene inthe economy.

Notice that much of what the Kadets had done wasthe antithesis of Lenins April Theses.


15/25

The Kornilov Affair

Kerenskys appointment of Kornilov damaged his

reputation permanently.

The Mensheviks and SRs had supported Kerenskyand were inevitably associated with his failure.

The Kadets and Liberals, who were typicallyassociated with the middle class, those Kornilovlooked to for support, were also condemned.

The soldiers, many of whom supported the

Bolsheviks, saw the Kornilov affair as a officersconspiracy. However, the officers felt Kerenskybetrayed Kornilov and therefore would not assist himagainst the Bolsheviks.


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The Kornilov Affair

The Bolsheviks were viewed as the saviours of thecities and defenders of the revolution and inSeptember gained control of the Petrograd, Moscowand several urban Soviets.

Historiographically, the Kornilov affair looks like aturning point in support for the Bolsheviks. However,Chris Read in From Tsar to Soviets, argues that theBolsheviks had already gained popular support inPetrograd in the previous city Duma elections andthe Mensheviks were also beginning to throw theirsupport behind them.


17/25

Methods of Attaining Power Lenin believed there was a power vacuum that the Bolsheviks

should fill. Party members did not agree with him(Trotsky suggested

waiting until the All-Russian Soviet on 26 October 1917 so itlooked like the Soviet seizing power and not theBolsheviksTrotsky still attempted to do this, however with

most other parties walking out the Soviet, it was ratherineffective). However, with force of argument he was able toconvince them to do so.

Kerensky, tried to remove soldiers that supported theBolshevik troops from Petrograd, shut down two Bolshevik

newspapers and raise the bridge between the working classneighbourhoods and the centre of Petrograd.

This was a excellent excuse to claim Kerensky was attackingthe Soviet and the Revolution.


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Seizing Power

On the night of October 24-25 the Red Guard and other soldiers

under Bolshevik control seized the bridges, telephone exchange,main railway and power stations.

On the night of October 25-26 the Bolsheviks stormed the WinterPalace (note the two versions of this historical event on page 63)and arrested those remaining members of the government and

proceeded to move to end Russian involvement in WWI andtransfer land to the peasants.

Though Petrograd was rather bloodless there was ten days offighting in Moscow and other areas.

Historiographically, the revolution was not all the result of Lenin.

Trotsky, motivated many through his powerful speeches,encouraged Lenin to wait until October to revolt, set up the MilitaryRevolutionary Committee to prepare for revolution, reacteddecisively to Kerenskys mistakes, and planned the details of the

takeover.


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Features of War Communism

In May 1918, established the Food Supplies Dictatorship to

forcibly requisition grain. Banned private trade resulting in a black market.

Nationalization of Industry - former bourgeois managers

ran the factories instead of the workers who paid

themselves too much and stole goods which lead toinefficient factories.

Labour Discipline - fines for lateness, and absenteeism,

passports to stop migration to the countryside, piece-work

rates, bonuses and a workbook that was needed to getrations.

Rationing with priority given to workers and the Red Army

with the middle class receiving the least.


20/25

War Communism: Red Terror

Terror was used to back up new measures and deal with

opposition. Workers wanted more food, free press, a Constituent

Assembly.

Anarchists rejected authoritarian control.

SRs didnt like Brest-Litvosk and attempted to assassinateLenin.

This resulted in mass arrests the exclusion of SRs andMensheviks from the Soviets, executions*, prisoners wereshot arbitrarily resulting in the Cheka killing 13,000-

300,000 between 1918 and 1920 including victims of allstripes.

* This included the Tsar, though Lenin blamed it on the local Soviet, theevidence seems to point to the central party carrying out the act.


21/25

Why were the Bolsheviks in Trouble? The Famine of 1921 resulting from grain requisitions and

farmers choosing not plant as much (Source 7.1, pg. 103).

Disease was rampant.

Industrial and agricultural production had collapsed with 80-

90% less production compared to pre-war levels.

They were rejected by the Kronstadt, one of their most

popular supporters during July and October of therevolution. Largely because those around for the 1917

revolution were on the front fighting for the Red Army, they

were fighting in solidarity with the urban workers and their

complaints and poor ship conditions.

According to Figes, there was no support from the peasants

with many revolts (note especially the Tambov region) and

workers were constantly striking because of lack of food,

militarized working conditions and state control of unions.


22/25

The New Economic Policy With War Communism resulting in economic collapse and

widespread rebellion the Bolsheviks introduced the NewEconomic Policy (NEP), a regression towards capitalism that wasseen as a temporary measure to re-stabilize the economy.

Grain requisitioning was replaced by a tax where they wouldgive a portion of their crop as a tax. This was less burdensomethan the requisitions.

In order to get peasants to sell their goods they wanted thingsto buy, so Lenin allowed small businesses to open and makeprofit.

Private trade was allowed and goods had to be purchased withmoney.

Heavy industry was still controlled by the government butfunctioned very much like a crown corporation where theywere essentially a business.

An intense program of electrification to connect rural and urban

Russia.


23/25

Results of the NEP

The NEP certainly assisted in economic recovery

(see Source 7.16 and 7.18).

So-called NEPMEN appeared helping facilitate

trade by bringing small goods to market to be

bought and sold. Over-production of grain did occur but the

government simply took their tax in cash instead,

resulting a lower supply of grain.

The revived (and somewhat capitalist) economy

resulted in trade agreements with Germany

(1922) and Great Britain (1924).


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Political Repression During The NEP

In the spring of 1922, dozens of outstanding Russian writers

and scholars were deported to convince the intelligentsia thatis it was not a good idea to criticize the government. As well,

pre-publication censorship began with the creation of the

Main Administration for Affairs of Literature and Publishing

Houses

Lenin attacked the Church who he saw as a rival to his power.

Leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church were given the death

penalty and thousands of priests imprisoned

Cheka renamed OGPU engaged in arbitrary imprisonment and

death of opposition. They occasionally imprisoned Nepmen to

assure the Communists and urban workers that capitalism

would not re-root.

Show trials of opposition and banning of opp. Parties.


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A Movement Toward Totalitarianism

By 1919 the Politburo was created which centralizedpower even more so than the Sovnakom essentiallymaking Russia a Totalitarian state.

The party took control of the Soviets (to preventuncooperative Soviets during the Civil War, theBolsheviks rigged elections and used the Cheka to

intimidate voters) and now became tools of the partyincluding leaders now being appointed as opposed toelected by the Soviets themselves. Later in the 1920sthey banned non-communists from the Soviets

One of the reasons for this was the chaos during theCivil War where the Bolsheviks needed to find a way

to gain control of areas.

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