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In depth thematic notes of the period - change and continuity from Lenin to Stalin
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By: zaterry • 5 year ago
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Ideology under Lenin Under Lenin, ideology was side-lined for the sake of retaining and consolidating
power – the Bolsheviks decided to act now and ‘justify’ later.
He combined ideology and pragmatism in order to safeguard his power in Russia.
Ideology and the End to the War
Lenin & Trotsky assumed that Russian revolution would spark world-wide revolution,
and they were ideologically committed to rousing German workers whilst
simultaneously perusing peace with the Imperial Government, despite knowing that
peace would strengthen the imperial government they aimed to destroy.
Trotsky began peace negotiations in December 1917, following an armistice in
November.
Nikolai Bukharin lead the ‘revolutionary war group’. They wanted to continue the
war, arguing that it was necessary in order to defend Russia and socialism, but this
would have been a betrayal of the promises made by the Bolsheviks upon seizing
power (that they would end the war).
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed 3rd March 1918 and ratified by an emergency
party Congress, only after Lenin twice offered to resign. This set the precedent that
‘socialism at home’ would take priority over the spread of international revolution.
o Lost most of the territory on Russia’s Western border (Finland, Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania (became independent republics) and Poland (became an independent
state)).
o Russia lost 1/6 population (62 million people) and 2 million square kilometres of
land.
o 26% of railway lines and 74% of its iron ore and coal supplies were taken.
Ideology and One-Party Government
Lenin originally used the phrase “All power to the Soviets” – “the complete transfer
of the country’s administrative and economic control into the hands of the workers
and peasants” (Speech from September 1917).
Shortly before the October revolution he suggested in State and Revolution that the
people would readily see that a Bolshevik government would rule in their interest
and would support it.
His early decrees, particularly those on land (October) and workers’ control in
factories (November) appear to support his theorising, although he likely had little
choice in these matters as peasants were already seizing land and taking over
factories. Lenin was merely legitimising the changes which were already occurring.
Furthermore, these decrees did not actually help to create the conditions necessary
for ‘socialism’. The Decree on Land enhanced the tendency to small-scale
agricultural holdings which negated the whole ethos of land socialism.
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