War Communism and the NEP

• Reasons for War Communism (WC)

  • putting communists ideology into practice - many policies of WC were about redistributing wealth and sharing resources
  • suppling the red army with food and military equipment to win civil war - some WC policies aimed at increasing production of military equipment and others were aimed at making sure army was fed
  • Feeding the towns and cities - improving the supply of food to prevent uprisings as there was still food and fuel shortages in many towns and cities. Wanted enough food for industrial workers to work hard to produce goods that country and army needed
• nature of war communism

  • banning of private enterprise
  • nationalisation of large industries
  • state control of food distribution
  • food rationing
• WC - industry and business

  any workplace with over 10 employees was nationalised. production planned and organised by the state. strict discipline to increases work done each day. railways taken over by state to improve supply of goods and food. private trade or making a profit was now illegal - profits had to be handed to the state. foreign trade only allowed by government
• WC - agriculture


  from 1918, food rationed according to profession e.g. largest rations went to those who had physical jobs, smallest rations went to teachers. largest rations still did not have a lot of food. July 1918 - all extra food produced had to be handed over to local committees. proved ineffective so armed gangs forcibly took food from peasants - resisted were shot
• Effects of WC

  • victory in Civil War
  • methods for getting extra food was brutal - many peasants killed - stopped growing extra food -> towns + cities did not get food they needed
  • industrial workers left their jobs and moved to countryside to grow own food - number of workers in factories and mines dropped by as much as 50%. - industrial production fell for everything except military
  • economy almost collapsed - black market - 1921, strikes broke out
  • bad weather 1920-1921 - little food - famine - 7million people died - some resorted to cannibalism
• result of WC


  support for Bolsheviks decreased. February 1921 - some armed forces started to rebel against Bolshevik policies
• What was the Kronstadt Naval?

  Russian naval base on an island near Petrograd. sailors played a major part in 1905 and 1917 revolutions. Trotsky called them 'heroes' of November 1917 revolution. seen as very loyal Bolshevik supporters
• Causes of Kronstadt Naval Mutiny

  sailors were less negatively impacted by WC but many of them were from peasant families so heard of the horrors in the countryside. when they had time off, went to Petrograd - saw impact of economic problems in cities. seen the Red Terror for themselves
• events and demands of KNM

  February 1921 - 15,000 sailors formed Provisional Revolutionary Committee. made a list of demands

  • new elections to the Soviets - everyone could stand for election
  • freedom of speech and removal of press censorship
  • end of taking food by force
  • re-establishment of a market economy
• crushing the rising of Kronstadt sailors

  Lenin said this was a plot by the Whites and foreign countries to bring down communism. swift and brutal response - 60,000 red army laid siege to base - launched minor attacks. heavy losses before invading the base. Red army suffered 10,000 casualties and rebels over 1,500. rebel sailors fled (mostly to Finland). 2,000 captured and many of them executed
• reasons for NEP


  WC was not working - signs of unrest - Lenin shocked about KM - risk there would be another revolution - therefore had to reduce opposition to his government

  march 1921

  • peasant uprisings
  • economy on brink of collapse
  • not enough food produced or distributed
  • KM taking place
• nature of NEP


  brought back capitalism to some parts of the country

  • peasants still had to give 50% of food produced to gov - but could sell whatever extra
  • taking food from peasants by force abolished
  • private ownership of business with > 20 people allowed - some businesses returned to previous owners
  • private trading of small goods allowed
  • large industries remained nationalised
• effects of NEP

  • peasants had more incentive to grow food - agricultural production significantly rose - end of 1924, back to levels in 1913
  • threat of famine ended
  • price of food dropped
  • kulaks became fairly wealthy - able to buy more land
  • number of small business increased rapidly - 1923 85% companies were privately owned
  • industrial output increased - wages and working conditions improved
  • industry improved - not as much as agricultural growth - price of manufactured goods high - peasants could not afford the goods being produced
• opposition to the NEP

  to begin with, many communists in support. many agreed NEP would be a short term measure. as time went on, more opposition to NEP in communist party

  • many communists resented any form of capitalism - viewed NEP as betrayal of revolution
  • resented NEP created new classes in society
  • not solving all economic problems - industry recovered slowly and industrial output still far behind western countries