The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power.ppt

5/28/2018 The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power.ppt

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The Bolshevik

Consolidation of PowerHow did the Bolsheviks survive

the first few months in power?


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Some reactions to Bolshevik power:

The insane attempt of the Bolsheviks is on the eve ofcollapsetheBolsheviks are alone (soldier section of SRparty, October 1917).

The Bolshevik party will last no more than a few days (SRleader November 1917)

A revolution is a rising of the people.. But what have we here?Nothing but a handful of poor fools deceived by Lenin andTrotskyTheir decrees and their appeals will simply add to themuseum of historical curiosities. (Petrograd Newspaper,October 1917).

Trotsky was greeted with ironic laughter when he arrived atthe Ministry of foreign affairs and introduced himself as thenew minister; when he ordered them back to work, they leftthe building in protest. (Orlando Figes, A Peoples Tragedy,1997)


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Lenins

decisions


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Problem 1: Forming a government

Background:Lenin had proclaimed power through the Soviet. TheOctober Revolution was presented to the Russianpeople as a rising of the Petrograd Soviet in whichmany parties were represented, including Mensheviksand Socialist Revolutionaries.

In addition, there were also upcoming elections to theConstituent Assembly. The Bolsheviks had criticized

the Provisional Government for delaying elections to aConstituent Assembly. However, would the electionresults be favourable to the Bolshevik party?


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Lenins decision

Instead of exercising power through theSoviet, Lenin formed a new body: theSOVNARKOM. It was exclusively made upof Bolsheviks.

Lenin allowed the elections to theConstituent Assembly to go ahead in

November 1917. However, the Bolshevikswon only 175 seats against 410 for theSocialist Revolutionaries.

Lenin declared that hisform of governmentrepresented a higher stage of democracythan an elected assembly.

The Assembly was allowed to meet for oneday5 January 1918then it was closeddown and the deputies told to go home.

A


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Problem 2: PressBackground:

Lenin and the Bolsheviks were aware of how important

political press was. The Bolsheviks had pumpedenormous amounts of money into their own papers

and periodicals before and during 1917.

By banning other opposition papers, they may prompt

significant protests especially from other Socialistparties. However, they may face an even greater threat

by allowing it to continue.


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Lenins decision

Lenin decided that he couldnot allow opposition pressto continue to be published.

It was banned in October1917, firstly thenewspapers of the centreand right, and later thesocialist press.

A


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Problem 3: Political partiesBackground:Lenin and the Bolsheviks were aware that otherpolitical parties enjoyed considerable support,

especially the Kadet party and the SocialistRevolutionary Party (both of whom had done wellin the elections to the Constituent Assembly).

By banning other political parties, the Bolsheviks

risked sparking a civil war. However, if theyremained, they posed a continued threat to thenewly formed Sovnarkom.


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Lenins decisionThe Kadet party was outlawed.Leading Kadets were arrested andtwo were brutally put to death byBolshevik sailors.

They were soon followed intoprison by leading right-wingSocialist Revolutionaries andMensheviksall this before theend of 1917.

At this stage, however, othersocialist parties were not bannedoutright although their future wasvery uncertain.

C


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Problem 4: Role of other socialistparties in government

Background:there was enormous pressure on the Bolsheviks to form ademocratic government representing all the socialistparties. Hundreds of petitions flooded in from factorycommittees and army units demanding that there be

cooperation between parties to avoid civil war.

The railwaymens union, backed by the post andtelegraph union, threatened to cut off communications ifthe party did not hold talks with other parties.

Quite a few of the leading Bolsheviks, including Kamenevand Zinoviev were in favour of a coalition with othersocialist parties.


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Lenin had no intention of seriouslyincluding other parties. He was not

prepared to see his vision diluted by

other socialist parties.

Also he feared that he may be sidelined

in a coalition government. So, he

deliberately made sure that talks withother socialist parties collapsed. He

wanted the Bolsheviks to rule alone.

However, he did make an alliance with

the left Socialist Revolutionaries and

brought them in as junior partners in the

Sovnarkom.

He saw this as useful because, with

them on board, he could claim to

represent the interests of the peasantry.

Lenins decisionA/C


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Problem 5: Land OwnershipBackground:

Lenin had built up Bolshevik support by promising land to the peasants.

He was aware of the tide of popular opposition that had underminedKerensky and the Provisional Government.

But handing land over to the peasants immediately could lead to aneconomic crisis, violence and lawlessness in the countryside. How wouldLenin square his socialist vision with economic reality?


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Lenins decision

In October 1917, the Sovnarkompassed the decree on land. This gavepeasants the right to take over theestates of the gentry, withoutcompensation, and to decide for

themselves the best way to divide itup.

Land could no longer be bought, soldor rented, it belonged to the entirepeople. Privately owned land was not

part of the Bolsheviks socialist vision.

B


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Problem 6: running industry

Lenin and the Bolsheviks believed firmly in theprinciple of power being passed to the workers ofthe world. But they ran the risk of inefficientproduction, disputes and violence and economicdisaster.

There had been a great deal of unrest in thefactories with factory committees demanding aneight-hour day, better working conditions andbetter pay.


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Lenins decision

In November 1917, the Bolshevikspassed the Workers Control Decree.Factory committees were given theright to control production and to

supervise management.

In October 1917, the Bolsheviks alsoagreed to a maximum eight-hour dayfor workers as well as social insurance(unemployment and sickness benefits).

B


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Problem 7Nationalities question

Background: The collapse of the Romanov dynasty hadprompted many national groups to present demands formore self government (independence). The Finns and theUkrainians were the first to do this.

Was the future of the empire at stake?


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Lenins decision

The Rights of the People of Russiadecree gave the right of self-determination to the national minoritiesin the former Russian Empire.

Of course, the Bolsheviks did not havecontrol of the areas in which most ofthe people lived, so this was nothingmore than a paper measure.

A


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Problem 8War and Peace

Background:The promise that had brought so many people to theBolshevik banner was the pledge to end war. Lenin wasconvinced that revolutions in Europe would ensure that

equal peace settlements would be reached. But thereality proved more problematic.

At the peace-negotiations held at Brest-Litovsk, theGerman demands were excessive. Any peace treaty

would result in the loss of a quarter of Russias farmland and three-quarters of her iron and coal reserves aswell as 62 million people within its population. Trotskyrefused to even consider such a cost. What shouldLenin do?


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Lenins decision

Lenin adopted a position ofpeace at any price and soaccepted the terms of Brest-

Litovsk in March 1918.

Russia pulled out of World War I.But the consequences of thetreaty caused deep discontent

amongst those who saw it as ashameful peace.

B


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Summary: What methods

did Lenin use to retaincontrol?


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Terroruse of

Cheka, secret

police

Central political

control -

Sovnarkom

Legal system

abolished and

replaced with

revolutionary

justice.

Incentives for Russianworkers and peasantspeace, bread and landin order to build upsupport

class warfare statesanctioned violence againstthe burzhui(bourgeoisie ormiddle class).

Oppositionparties banned

Documents

The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power.ppt