The Russian Revolution and the Rise of Stalin

The Bolshevik Seizure of Power

The October Revolution. The Bolsheviks gained popularity amidst the failing interim government. Worsening living conditions due to administrative chaos and shortages allowed Lenin to seize power. On the night of October 24-25, Trotsky coordinated the military revolutionary committee and prepared for the takeover. Lenin and Trotsky formed a new government, the Council of People’s Commissars, headed by Lenin.

The Creation of the Soviet State

The Congress of Soviets enacted measures to build a Soviet socialist state. Lenin signed two decrees: one inviting warring governments to a just and democratic peace, and another decree on land, expropriating land from large landowners, the crown, and the church. Control of factories and mines was granted to workers’ soviets, an eight-hour workday was established, and the right of nationalities to self-determination was declared. A Constituent Assembly was promised to draft a constitution.

The Russian Civil War (1917-1920)

The Bolsheviks’ aim of establishing a totalitarian regime created opposition. The most significant opposition came from the “Whites.” The war led to the creation of the Red Army, organized by Trotsky. By 1919, most of the country was held by White armies, but from 1920, the Red Army’s offensives pushed them back.

The New Economic Policy (NEP) and the Birth of the USSR

Lenin introduced the NEP, a temporary return to a partial market economy, to address the crisis. The NEP stimulated agricultural growth, curbed hunger, and abolished rationing.

The Formation of the Soviet Union

Despite the NEP, a one-party dictatorship emerged. Between 1921 and 1922, internal dissent within the Communist Party was banned, riots were suppressed, and political opposition was violently repressed. Civil rights were curtailed, and intellectual critics were imprisoned. In 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was created.

The Creation of the Comintern

The Bolsheviks formed the Third International (Comintern) in Moscow in 1919, a centralized organization promoting worldwide revolution. Lenin’s “21 Conditions” dictated terms for joining the Comintern, which served as an instrument of Soviet foreign policy.

Lenin’s Death and the Struggle for Power

Disputes arose among Bolshevik leaders after Lenin’s death. Trotsky’s role in the October Revolution, the Red Army, and the Civil War was overshadowed by Stalin, whom Lenin had appointed as Party General Secretary in 1922. Lenin’s “political testament” expressed concern over Stalin’s power and proposed his removal.

The Triumph of Stalin

. There were two types of battles between Trotsky and Stalin. On the one hand was the political struggle. Trotsky launched an attack from Buro politic to criticize the way that Stalin appointed senior party and claimed the following changes: the introduction dune real democracy working, restoring the principle of freedom dexpressio and laplicacio deletion of the charges. He was also the economic struggle where Trotsky was keen daccelerar the dune’m ies socialist construction, and supporters have suggested abandoning the NEP. Trotsky accused of wanting to destroy Lenin’s NEP. Stalin’s response was developing an alternative to the criticisms of lesquerra. I wanted to keep and defend the NEP policy of socialism in one country. Finally in 1925 destroyed Trotsky was his position and in 1927 the central committee expelled Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev party. Lurs about the dictatorship of Stalin. The dictatorship of Stalin presentaba these features: The personality cult of leader and repression and elimination of all disidencia. In 1936 a constitution was adopted which actually legalized dictatorship. Terror. Stalin used the practice of terror to achieve the subjugation of society. In 1934 he created a new political police, the NKVD. The policy of terror was implemented through programs that reach the CPSU purges. The peak of the purges between 1936 and 1939 was with the processes of Moscow. Lestatizacio of leconomia. In economic support for Stalin abandoned the NEP and she leaned solving anitcs opositos: strengthening the planning and control leconomia by Lester. In 1919 he appeared colectivitzacio years and oppose the government ordered an end to private property in the country and force farmers to integrate into collective farms or farms Lester. Stalin’s industrial policy had two objectives: Crerar powerful heavy industry and achieve economic independence, technological and military. To achieve these goals, economic policy was based on planning by Lester. The government plans quienquennals designed with objectives that should be complits in five years. The result was a spectacular development of heavy industry and military at the expense of standard of living of the population, because the consumer goods industries barely moved.