Ideology And The Preservation Of The Soviet State

• The creation of the Cheka, In December 1917, confirmed Lenin's conviction that the 'dictatorship of the proletariat' would require the active repression of 'counter-revolutionary enemies'.
• Between 1918 and 1922, the new Communist State became even more firmly associated with terror and repression as the Bolsheviks fought against their political enemies (from former tsarists to right-wing Social Revolutionaries) In a period of civil war.
• The demand for obedience to the Party tightened; new central controls were brought in to manage the economy (War Communism) and deal with food shortages.
• By revealing the weaknesses of Bolshevik control, the years of civil war forced the adoption of a more centralised system of government.
• Lenin's readiness to 'change course' after the war In 1921, allowing more capitalistic practices, would seem to reinforce that pragmatism was more important than ideology
• Lenin successfully argued for a ban on factionalism within the Communist Party, pointing out that Party unity was paramount in the difficult circumstances of 1921. Stalin used this ban to defeat his rivals
• The civil war years also saw one other major change in Ideological commitment of the Communist government. Earlier support for the ethnic minorities was abandoned and all independence movements were denounced as 'counter-revolutionary.'
• Between 1921 and Lenin's death in 1924, many of the key features of the Soviet state in the Stalinist years became well established. A fierce attack on the Church (seen as a rival power source) began, censorship became more systematic, and the powers of the Secret Police were extended.
• No mercy shown to political rivals once the years of civil war cooperation were over. Julius Martov, the Menshevik leader, left the country. The arrest of 5000 'for counter-revolutionary activities' destroyed this group as a political force.
• In 1922, a group of imprisoned Social Revolutionaries was given a 'show trial' and accused of plotting to assassinate Lenin. This resulted in 34 leaders being condemned, 11 executed and the party outlawed.
• Lenin had combined ideology and pragmatism in order to survive, but from 1922 he became increasingly concerned about the state of the Party, the growing bureaucracy, and the future leadership. In the light of subsequent events.