What kind of state did Lenin set up 1917–1921?

Bolsheviks faced same crises as Tsar & Provisional Govt: collapsed econ, inflation, war, poverty, illiteracy, mutinous army, striking workers, rioting peasants, hostile intelligentsia → 950 decrees remaking Russia.

1.   Govt changes

    •  Nov 1917 elections: Bolsheviks 175 seats, SRs 370.

    •  Lenin used to close Assembly (1918), killed opposition, ruled by decree.

    •  New government of Soviets under All-Russia Congress of Soviets/ new ministries ('People’s Commissariats') under Council of People’s Commissars.

   = autocracy → 'dictatorship of the proletariat' (i.e. Communist Party rule).

2.   Brest-Litovsk

    •   (1917) → Treaty of : Russia lost Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania to Germany.

   = peace not war.

3.   Communist economy

    •  Supreme Economic Council set up.

    •  Decree on Land (taken from Tsar/nobles → peasants).

    •  Factories under state control.

   = peasants owned land & workers owned factories.

4.   Communist society

    •  New calendar from Feb 1918.

    •  Banned religion, destroyed churches, killed priests, allowed civil marriage.

    •  : minimum wage, 8-hour day, unemployment pay, pensions.

    •  1918 : women = men, communal childcare proposed.

    •  1919 (Women’s Bureau): engaged women in Party work.

    •  Education: science promoted, Latin & History banned, mass literacy campaign.

    •  1922 : state-run health system, hospitals nationalized, nurses trained.

    •  Free love, divorce, abortion allowed.

    •  Equality and rights of ethnic minorities.

   = new morality & lifestyle.

5.   Terror

    •  Decree on Red Terror: concentration camps and execution of all enemies of the state.

    •   (secret police) arrested, tortured, killed opponents.

    •  Tsar & family killed.

    •  Censorship of all newspapers.

    •  Lenin: '' = dictatorship until full Communism.

   = terror/ no political freedom.

6.   'War Communism'

    •  Civil War (1918-21) → severe econ controls.

    •  Decree-appeal: ! mobilised entire workforce under state control.

    •  Prodrazverstka: govt requisitioned peasants' grain.

    •  Military discipline in factories, strikers shot.

    •  Jan 1920: compulsory labour & conscription, '' (unpaid work).

    •  Rationing – state-controlled food/goods distribution.

    •  Factories, businesses, shops nationalized.

    •  Propaganda: hatred of ‘enemies of the state’ (Tsarists, , rival socialists).

   = v harsh tyranny.

What kind of state did Lenin set up 1917–1921?

Bolsheviks faced same crises as Tsar & Provisional Govt: collapsed econ, inflation, war, poverty, illiteracy, mutinous army, striking workers, rioting peasants, hostile intelligentsia → 950 decrees remaking Russia.

1.   Govt changes

    •  Nov 1917 elections: Bolsheviks 175 seats, SRs 370.

    •  Lenin used RED GUARDS to close Assembly (1918), killed opposition, ruled by decree.

    •  New government of Soviets under All-Russia Congress of Soviets/ new ministries ('People’s Commissariats') under Council of People’s Commissars.

   = autocracy → 'dictatorship of the proletariat' (i.e. Communist Party rule).

2.   Brest-Litovsk

    •  DECREE ON PEACE (1917) → Treaty of BREST-LITOVSK: Russia lost Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania to Germany.

   = peace not war.

3.   Communist economy

    •  Supreme Economic Council set up.

    •  Decree on Land (taken from Tsar/nobles → peasants).

    •  Factories under state control.

   = peasants owned land & workers owned factories.

4.   Communist society

    •  New calendar from Feb 1918.

    •  Banned religion, destroyed churches, killed priests, allowed civil marriage.

    •  LABOUR LAWS: minimum wage, 8-hour day, unemployment pay, pensions.

    •  1918 FAMILY CODE: women = men, communal childcare proposed.

    •  1919 ZHENOTDEL (Women’s Bureau): engaged women in Party work.

    •  Education: science promoted, Latin & History banned, mass literacy campaign.

    •  1922 COMMISSARIAT OF HEALTH: state-run health system, hospitals nationalized, nurses trained.

    •  Free love, divorce, abortion allowed.

    •  Equality and rights of ethnic minorities.

   = new morality & lifestyle.

5.   Terror

    •  Decree on Red Terror: concentration camps and execution of all enemies of the state.

    •  CHEKA (secret police) arrested, tortured, killed opponents.

    •  Tsar & family killed.

    •  Censorship of all newspapers.

    •  Lenin: 'DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT' = dictatorship until full Communism.

   = terror/ no political freedom.

6.   'War Communism'

    •  Civil War (1918-21) → severe econ controls.

    •  Decree-appeal: SOCIALIST HOMELAND IS IN DANGER! mobilised entire workforce under state control.

    •  Prodrazverstka: govt requisitioned peasants' grain.

    •  Military discipline in factories, strikers shot.

    •  Jan 1920: compulsory labour & conscription, 'SUBBOTNIKI' (unpaid work).

    •  Rationing – state-controlled food/goods distribution.

    •  Factories, businesses, shops nationalized.

    •  Propaganda: hatred of ‘enemies of the state’ (Tsarists, BOURGEOIS, rival socialists).
   = v harsh tyranny.