The Measures of the Bolsheviks to Maintain Power and...

The Measures of the Bolsheviks to Maintain Power and Address the Problems of Russia Before the Outbreak of Civil War After the Bolsheviks seizure of power in November 1917, Lenin needed to ensure all previously made promises were kept and that Russias increasing problems were resolved. The Bolsheviks were a relatively small party with big plans for Russia - a communist state. Is this were to be possible Lenin would need to gain greater support. Lenin made several crucial decisions in the early days of ‘peace, bread, land and all power to the soviet’. One his first major changes was the Decree on Land, by making decrees Lenin was being hugely hypocritical as he was ruling in a very similar way to†¦show more content†¦This, however, did not have the desired effect as workers began to flee, as food shortages increased, to the countryside in search of bread. ‘Bag-men’, or town traders, took machinery, scrap machinery and timber from their workplaces to trade for grain in the country. The population of Petrograd fell by a third in the build up to the civil war. The workers did not want to stay in towns and cities when money was slowly becoming worthless. Bolshevism was more or less unknown outside of Petrograd, Moscow and the other main towns and cities, ad so Lenin needed as much support here as possible. Lenin finally pulled out of World War 1 in March 1918, signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The treaty lost Russia 26% of its population, 27% of its arable land as well as significant chunks of the iron and coal industry, national minorities’ etc. Despite meeting the promises of the Bolsheviks for peace, the treaty created yet more opposition within Russia. Lenin’s methods for dealing with opposition were ruthless, repression and dictatorship. As Russia moved closer to a civil war, Lenin became increasingly like the Tsar in his way of rule. Non-BolshevikShow MoreRelatedHistory HL Paper 3 Europe6131 Words   |  25 Pagesand a series of ministers failed to solve it. But there were other causes, such as the economic situation, influence of the philosophers, and the American War of Independence. The monarchy was a victim, in that Louis was executed, and the revolution was at least partly responsible for the dauphin’s death. The monarchy’s former absolutist power was removed by legislation, and it was abolished in 1792 (but restored in 1814). However there were other victims, and some judgment should be given on â€Å"main†Read MoreRussia Notes as/A2 1881-19147263 Words   |  30 PagesRussian History 1881 – 1914 What was Russia like in 1881? †¢ 82% of the population were illiterate peasant farmers. †¢ No technology was used on farms – subsistence farming. †¢ Largest standing army in Europe. †¢ No political parties and the press was heavily censored. †¢ Fierce loyalty to the Tsar – often enforced by brutal secret police. †¢ Royalty owned most of the land – Tsar’s estate was larger than some countries. †¢ 1861 – Tsar Alexander II freedRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pages Agricultural and Pastoral Societies in Ancient and Classical History Jack Metzgar, Striking Steel: Solidarity Remembered Janis Appier, Policing Women: The Sexual Politics of Law Enforcement and the LAPD Allen Hunter, ed., Rethinking the Cold War Eric Foner, ed., The New American History. Revised and Expanded Edition E SSAYS ON _ T WENTIETH- C ENTURY H ISTORY Edited by Michael Adas for the American Historical Association TEMPLE UNIVERSITY PRESS PHILADELPHIA TempleRead MoreGlobalization and It Effects on Cultural Integration: the Case of the Czech Republic.27217 Words   |  109 Pageslibraries, globally recognized galleries, museums and concert halls and with well-maintained traditions especially, in the villages of the Moravian-Silesian region. These villages remain as a sign of the cultural taste of the specific areas. II. THE PROBLEM. Human beings with unlimited quest for wants have let to the advent of the process of globalization. This has come through a dramatic expansion in the volume and variety of cross-border transactions in goods and services. The development of new