THE BOLSHEVIK CONSOLIDATION OF POWER
PROBLEMS FACING THE BOLSHEVIKS
Whilst the Bolshevik take over was achieved with relatively little bloodshed, the new government was far from secure. The prime concern of the Bolsheviks was the extension and consolidation of their power. Moscow was captured one week after Petrograd but the Bolsheviks now had to extend their authority to all parts of Russia. Telegrams were sent throughout Russia explaining the situation. In response, some areas, such as Finland declared themselves independent of Russia. Most major towns and cities elected Soviets but in some areas people resisted the Bolsheviks. The countryside was particularly difficult to control.
The Bolsheviks also had to ensure that supporters of the Tsar or Provisional Government did not sweep them from power. The roles were now reversed and Lenin now experienced what it was like to belong to an unpopular government. Other political parties in the Soviets such as the Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries felt the overthrow of the Provisional Government was a brutal and undemocratic act. They were determined Lenin would not hold power.
LENIN’S ACTIONS
Lenin knew he had to deliver his promises of “Peace! Bread! Land” if he was not to suffer the same fate as Kerensky and the Provisional Government. The Council of People’s Commissars (Sovnarkom) was soon established. It was headed by Lenin with Trotsky as Commissar of Foreign Affairs and Stalin as Commissar of Nationalities. The announcement that Russia would be seeking peace with Germany was quickly made. This was followed by an enormous number of decrees which aimed to strengthen the Bolshevik hold on power. Under these decrees, peasants were now given the Tsars and Church’s lands and industries were put in the hands of workers. Lenin did not really like the idea of private ownership but needed to reduce peasant opposition to his take over. Through the introduction of the Cheka, the Bolsheviks were also given the power to deal ruthlessly with their opponents.
Lenin had also promised that a new parliament, the Constituent Assembly was to be elected in 1917. He reluctantly allowed the first free elections in Russian history to go ahead. The results were disappointing for the Bolsheviks. The Social Revolutionaries, beneficiaries of enormous rural support, occupied most of the seats. In contrast, the Bolsheviks gained only one quarter of the seats. However, the Bolsheviks retained considerable support where it mattered – in the military districts of the Northern and Western fronts, in the Petrograd and Moscow districts, in the Baltic fleet and among civilians of Moscow and Petrograd. They commanded a majority in only six other provinces but it was enough to survive. Furthermore, Lenin addressed the problem more forcibly. When the Assembly met in January 1918, Lenin ordered the Red Guards to close it after only one day. After brief protests, which the Reds dealt with again, the Assembly was forgotten. The effectiveness of this use of force was not lost on Lenin. He now used the Congress of Soviets to pass his laws as it did contain a Bolshevik majority.
MAKING PEACE
Lenin now turned to the issue of war. He believed that a quick end to the war was needed if the Bolsheviks were to stay in power. Otherwise they would lose the support of the army. He put Trotsky in charge of negotiating a peace settlement and told him to try and spin out these negotiations for as long as possible. He hoped that a social revolution would break out in Germany as it had in Russia but, when the German forces began to advance again in February 1918, it was clear peace was needed at any price. The humiliating treaty at the town of Brest-Litovsk was therefore signed in March 1918. As the map shows Russia had to give up all her western lands – Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Ukraine and Georgia. These were the richest areas of the country so Russia lost:
· Sixty-two million people – 26 % of her population.
· 27% of her farm land.
· 26% of her railways.
· 74% of her iron ore and coal.
Russia also had to pay a fine of 300 million gold roubles to Germany.
Lenin said that peace would give the Bolsheviks a ‘breathing space’ which would help them get a grip on the country. However, almost immediately they were faced with war of a different, but equally damaging, kind – a civil war.
TASKS
THE BOLSHEVIK CONSOLIDATION OF POWER
1. What was the main concern of the Bolsheviks once they had taken power?
2. When was Moscow captured?
3. How did the rest of Russia react to the Bolshevik take over?
4. Which parties opposed the Bolsheviks and why?
5. What had Lenin promised the people?
6. What was the sovnarkom?
7. What were the roles of Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin in the sovnarkom?
8. Complete the factfile exercise in Walsh, p.90
9. Describe the results of the 1917 elections to the Constituent Assembly.
10. How did Lenin deal with the Assembly when it opened?
11. Why was a swift end to Russia’s involvement in the World War I needed?
12. What were Lenin’s instructions to Trotsky?
13. Why did this plan go wrong?
14. How was Russia treated in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
15. What other problem was now approaching?
TASKS
THE BOLSHEVIK CONSOLIDATION OF POWER
1. What was the main concern of the Bolsheviks once they had taken power?
2. When was Moscow captured?
3. How did the rest of Russia react to the Bolshevik take over?
4. Which parties opposed the Bolsheviks and why?
5. What had Lenin promised the people?
6. What was the sovnarkom?
7. What were the roles of Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin in the sovnarkom?
8. Complete the factfile exercise in Walsh, p.90
9. Describe the results of the 1917 elections to the Constituent Assembly.
10. How did Lenin deal with the Assembly when it opened?
11. Why was a swift end to Russia’s involvement in the World War I needed?
12. What were Lenin’s instructions to Trotsky?
13. Why did this plan go wrong?
14. How was Russia treated in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
15. What other problem was now approaching?