Communism

• After Russia’s poor performance in WWI, Tsar Nicholar II (gov)was forced to step down in February 1917. He was replaced by a provisional government which was overthrown in the October Revolution of 1917, when Vladimir Lenin came to power. Lenun’s followers were called the Bolsheviks, they believed in the ideals of Karl Marx. This was communism, a system where the state controls all aspects of the economy and of society with limited rights for people. Religion was also discouraged. Russia was the world’s first communist state.
• All other political parties were banned, the banks and factories were taken over, a peace treaty was signed with Germany, ending Russia’s involvement in WW1.
• In 1917, a civil war broke out, the Bolsheviks’ Red army under Leon Trotsky (part of the communist party fought the White army (anti communist group). In July 1918, the Tsar and his family were executed. The Bolsheviks won in 1922. Russia was renamed the Union of Soviet, Socialist Republics. The Bolsheviks also had a secret police called the Cheka.(power to arrest any person and torture them)
• • Lenin suffered 2 strokes in 1922 , so he wrote his testament, a document outlining his vision of the future of communism, in this document he advocated Stalin’s removal .
  • He died in Jan 1922 without naming a successor. Though Leon Trotsky was favoured,Stalin was appointed successor after managing Lenin’s funeral arrangements.
  • He then turned on the party leaders and replaced them.
  • Then he announced his new policy - Socialism in one country - further communism
• Economic policies.

  • In 1927 he introduced collectivisation which Was the joining of small, unproductive firms into a large state-owned one. This led to over 2,5m Kulaks ( wealthy independent farmers) being sent to gulags(forced Labour camps) to work.
• Stalin launched three Five-Year Plans to boost industrialisation.

  • The First Five-Year Plan (1928-1932) focused on heavy industry and the production of coal, oil, steel and electricity. The targets were mostly unrealistic but improvements were made.
  • The Second Five-Year Plan (1933-1937) had a continued focus on industry and transport and the production of consumer goods. The Moscow underground was built, as were canal and rail links.
  • The Third Five-Year Plan (1938-1941) was cut short due to the 1941 invasion by Germany. switched to the production of arms and ammunition.
• • Rewards such as higher wages were given to the most productive workers
  • Many workers were provided with an apartment, free schooling and free

  basic healthcare.
• Stalin was a dictator, a person who has total control and wants to keep it that way.

  • In 1934, the Cheka were renamed the NKVD. They arrested and sometimes killed so-called enemies to the state.
  • The NKVD ran gulags (up to 30,000 of them). The death rates there were extremely high and over a million died in them between 1934 and 1953.
  • 1934 he purged his own party.
• • He organised show trials between 1936 and 38. They were staged trials held in public to influence popular opinion. It was a method of propaganda. (show trials - forcing people to make false confessions about themeselves or else their family would be arrested/tortured). people were arrested/sent to gulags as a result of this.
• Propaganda was widely used, the Communist newspaper, the Pravda, is an example. Stalin was praised and his enemies criticised. Posters and art had to show a successful country with a happy workforce. Stalin became a godlike figure. Cities and streets were renamed after Stlain, eg.Stalingrad. He was referred to as the Brilliant Genius of Humanity.
• Schoolbooks were rewritten to glorify Stalin. He made school compulsory and also brought back exams which were previously removed. Literacy rates improved. Children were thought how to be the greatest service to their country. Youth organisations such as the Young Communists were also founded - in hope of maintain communism for future generations
• The status of women under Stalin was improved a lot. Women had the right to vote, to have an education, to be the head of a household and to work in any job (in theory). They were encouraged and rewarded for having lots of children.

  • High birth rate - army.
  • Women were payed 2000 roubles per year if they had more than 6 kids. 9- medal