War Communism and the New Economic Policy Learning

War Communism and the New Economic Policy Learning Objective: To understand the key features and impact of WC and NEP

Recap from last lesson • What had Lenin done since seizing power and what events had occurred in the period up to 1921? 1. Communists passes 3 important decrees (laws): • Decree on Land – All private land was confiscated and given to the peasants • Peace Decree – Immediate steps taken to end the War • Decree setting up the organisation of the new government. 2. Holding elections and then closing down the Constituent Assembly 3. Signing Treaty of Brest Litovsk 4. Outbreak of Civil War 5. Red Terror – Prisoners were executed without trial, torture was common

The Policy before War Communism: • Lenin wanted to remove capitalism from the Russian economy and introduce a Communist style economy. • He set up the Supreme Council of National Economy (Vesenkha) to control the economy • All foreign debts were wiped out • Landowners lost their estates. • ‘State Capitalism’ saw workers taking over control of their factories and setting their own hours. • Industrial production fell and a black market flourished

HOWEVER This system was not suitable for the Civil War, in which the Bolsheviks were fighting for their very existence. If the Bolsheviks were to win the war they needed to have enough food to feed the army and they would need to produce enough weapons to defeat the opposition. The whole economy needed to be geared towards these ends. This situation forced Lenin to introduce a new economic policy – ‘War Communism’ Read Murphy p 84 – 86 – 1. What were the main features of War Communism? – Copy next slide 2. List the successes and failures of War Communism.

War Communism was a new economic policy introduced by Lenin to ensure food supplies to the army. • All large factories were taken over by the government. • Production was planned and organised by the government. • Discipline for workers was strict and strikers could be shot. • Peasants had to hand over surplus food to the government. If they didn’t they could be shot. • Food was rationed. Could only get a ration card if you were working. • Free enterprise (private trade) became illegal – all production and trade was controlled by the state. • Money became worthless – wages ended up being paid in food. Read Murphy p 84 – 86 List the successes and failures of War Communism.

What were the consequences of War Communism?

Consequences of War Communism It caused terrible hardship. Peasants refused to cooperate in producing more food because it was just being taken away from them. This led to food shortages, which along with bad weather in 192021 caused a terrible famine. Some estimates suggest that 7 million Russian people died. There were even reports of cannibalism.

A young girl describes food shortages in Moscow, 1921. • “ Our staple diet when things were grim were potato peelings fried. One evening we found a large, black crow, frozen solid. Tousia, my sister, plucked it, cutting off its feet and its head…we now had the most magnificent chicken. ”

A Russian doctor, 1921. Sometimes a starving family eats the body of one of its junior members…sometimes parents at night take part of a body from the cemetery and feed it to their children. ” • “

b) To evaluate the effects of War Communism Task: Read your character card, you are now playing this Russian at the All-Russian Conference! You will meet to discuss the effect War Communism is having on you. Firstly, fill in the information for yourself. Then, walk around the Conference and discuss your issues with other Russian comrades. Find out how War Communism has affected them too. Note down their information as you go! Extra Time: a) You are Lenin. Explain to your followers why you feel War Communism is necessary b) Do you agree?

Dmitri “War Communism has ensured the army has enough food and weapons by nationalising every business with more than 10 employees. This means that all production (food, weapons and industry) goes towards the Red Army. As a soldier, this is essential for the success of the Red Army in the Civil War. Ultimately, we have to take the rough with the smooth. Without this new policy, our Army will surely lose, and the Tsar will return to power. This is the last thing we want. ”

Nikolai “I love Lenin and what he represents, but after the October Revolution we thought that was it. We had control of the factories and could set our own working hours. Now, the factories have been nationalised by the government, and we’re under strict instructions to work in exchange for small amounts of rations. Wages are 2% of their 1913 level, and we’re spending ¾ of our income on food. I kind of understand, we need to win the Civil War and everything, but most of the workers who aren’t fighting in the Civil War have had to go back to their villages to find food. This isn’t what we had in mind. ”

Marat “We’ve never liked the Bolsheviks, out here in the countryside we’re SR men through and through, but War Communism has made it even worse. Our grain is being requisitioned by the Cheka. They’re threatening us with death if we don’t, they’re said to have murdered 12, 000 already. It’s no different to the autocracy of the Tsar. They say the grain is needed for the Civil War, but the Bolsheviks have never understood Russia’s agrarian society. I couldn’t care less about their War. Me and the boys in the fields are just going to stop producing as much grain. Why would we? We aren’t being paid for it. There’s talk of a peasant uprising too…”

Lev “Lenin and his cronies will be the end of me. They’ve nationalised big businesses, and although I’m only a small business, they’ve also banned private trade, which means my livelihood as a shop-keeper is ruined. It’s not like I could make any money anyway, since the value of the Rouble is 1% of its 1917 value, due to the Bolsheviks replacing it with rationing. The Black Market is going to skyrocket, because the bread ration is only 200 grams a day! Apparently they need all the profits made from goods to go to them to fund the Civil War. I don’t know… I thought they would make a change from the oppressive Tsar. ”

Ana “I’m terrified for both myself and my children. We are poor as it is, but we’re running out of food and the reports say there isn’t enough grain being produced to support us all. My neighbours have had to eat any meat they could find, while someone in the next village robbed a zoo to find something to eat. It doesn’t seem like there is a solution, and both my children and I are likely to starve. The famine is only going to get worse, 1 million people are already said to have died. ”

Petr “We’ve nationalised all large industry due to War Communism. As a Communist Party Member, I feel this is essential to enable Marx’s idea of a communist state to flourish. Nationalisation ensures that the central government can control production and ensure profits are created and distributed evenly. This must occur to establish a strong nation before we can relinquish control and give the workers their freedom back”

b) To evaluate the effects of War Communism Task: Now you’ve returned home, discuss on your tables and feedback on: The pros of War Communism The cons of War Communism Now complete one of the sentences at the front of your Conference booklet. ACADEMIC CHALLENGE: Try to complete the final sentence which considers both viewpoints.

Plenary Write your name on your postit and stick it on the scale on the board to show whether you think War Communism was a positive or negative move by Lenin. Be prepared to justify! 1 =very negative 10 = very positive

Execution of the Tsar and his Family • The Tsar and his family were in exile. • Posed a threat to Communism especially if they fell into the hands of the Whites. • On the night of 16 th July 1918 the Tsar and his family along with their servants were shot in the cellar. • Bodies were buried in a nearby forest but undiscovered till 1991. Days that shook the world – murder of the Romanovs DVD

A summary of life under the Tsar, Provisional Government and The Bolsheviks • To get an idea about how Russian people’s lives changed from the Tsar’s reign to the death of Lenin, we need to look at the personal stories of some Russian people, who lived throughout this period. • Meet Katalina. . .

How far did life change for Russian Peasants from 1905 -1924? Under the NEP however, my life. . . Katalina, a hard working peasant During the Civil War I suffered terribly due to the policy of War Communism. . . When the Bolsheviks came to power and announced their decrees I felt a great deal of hope because. . . My life in 1905 was. . . During the First World War, my family and I felt the hardships because. . . However, I did not benefit under the Provisional Government, after the Tsar had abdicated because. . .

How far did life change for the workers between 19051924? Under the NEP my life. . . My life in 1905 was. . . During the Civil War I suffered terribly due to the policy of War Communism. . . During the First World War, my family and I felt the hardships because. . . When the Bolsheviks came to power and announced their decrees I felt a great deal of hope because. . . However, I did not benefit under the Provisional Government, after the Tsar had abdicated because. . .

Plenary Write your name on your postit and stick it on the scale on the board to show whether you think War Communism was a positive or negative move by Lenin. Be prepared to justify! 1 =very negative 10 = very positive

Agree? ‘War Communism was a great success for Lenin and the Bolsheviks. Without it they wouldn’t have been able to win the Civil War. ’ Mr Drew- historian

War Communism Grain Private trading and small businesses Control on Factories Discipline Rationing Terror • Use of terror to back up the new measures against opposition from: • Workers (low pay, bad conditions, wanted new Constituent Assembly) • Socialist Revolutionaries and terrorists who murders two Bolshevik Party members and tried to shoot Lenin • Execution of Tsar and his family • Around 300, 00 executions 1918 -1920 of judges, priests, peasants, workers, prostitutes, merchants and children. All guilty of ‘counterrevolution’) • Lenin also set up concentration labour camps New Economic Policy

How do you think each group was affected by this? 1. Peasants 2. Workers

Why did Lenin replace War Communism with the New Economic Policy? Sort the cards into: Top = most important Bottom = least important

The Effects of War Communism Allowed the government to concentrate in the production of weapons and military equipment. This allowed the Bolsheviks to win the Civil War Peasants stopped producing as much grain because they new it would get taken. Combined with the drought and the requisitioning, this produced a dreadful famine that struck the Russian countryside. Peasant uprisings started to occur (eg in Tambov), and groups of peasants regularly murdered members of grain requisitioning squads Political opposition began to grow again from the Mensheviks and Workers’ Opposition groups who demanded better rights and more control over working conditions. The Kronstadt Naval sailors mutinied against this new system. They had once been the most loyal supporters of Communism but in 1921 they led a three week rebellion that had to be put down by Trotsky and an elite regiment of the Red Army The economy was in meltdown. Industrial production was below pre WWI levels

War Communism Grain Private trading and small businesses Control on Factories Discipline Rationing Terror • Use of terror to back up the new measures against opposition from: • Workers (low pay, bad conditions, wanted new Constituent Assembly) • Socialist Revolutionaries and terrorists who murders two Bolshevik Party members and tried to shoot Lenin • Execution of Tsar and his family • Around 300, 00 executions 1918 -1920 of judges, priests, peasants, workers, prostitutes, merchants and children. All guilty of ‘counterrevolution’) • Lenin also set up concentration labour camps New Economic Policy

Homework – ‘The Communists won the Civil War mainly because of the weaknesses of their opponents. ’ How far do you agree with this statement? (30 marks)

Plenary Just a Minute! Work in pairs. You must talk to them about a topic I assign for one minute without repetition, hesitation or deviation. Topics: War Communism Kronstadt Rebellion