Which Was the Most Important Reason for the Bolshevik Consolidation of Power By 1924, the Red Terror or the New Economic Policy.

Which Was the Most Important Reason for the Bolshevik Consolidation of Power

By 1924, the Red Terror or the New Economic Policy.

By 1924 the Bolsheviks had succeeded in consolidating their power over Russia. This was partly due to two new ideas they adopted during their reign. The first was the Red Terror, a brutal yet effective method of control. They disposed of their opposition and frightened people into obeying them. The second method they used was the New Economic Policy, an altogether more democratic approach to the situation. The New Economic Policy won them popularity, thereby giving them power through the support of the population of Russia.

Following an assassination attempt on Lenin in August 1918 the Bolsheviks launched the Red Terror. The Cheka (Bolshevik secret police) were unleashed on their opponents. Lenin was obsessed with protecting the revolution and that was why the Cheka were set up. Mass executions and on the spot shooting were used to intimidate any opposition. People weren’t just executed there were many that were sent to labour camps. Inmates in these labour camps were treated as slaves. They were free labour for the government to use as needed. Many died from the inhumane conditions they had to live in. The upper and middle classes were automatically suspected of being disloyal to communism. All this happened during the 3 years of civil war and the Cheka may have murdered up to ¾ of a million people. Among the victims were the ex-Tsar and his family. The royal family posed an obvious threat to the communists, especially if they fell into the hands of the white army. As the whites advanced nearer to where the Tsar and his family were being held it was decided they had to be killed. They were shot and the bodies buried to remain undiscovered until the fall of communism in 1991.

As well as the red terror the Bolsheviks had also set up war communism to try and cope with the civil war, as it was putting a huge strain on the economy. They took over all industry and labour was made compulsory. Everything was under state control. The government subjected the state to severe requisitioning. It mobilized the poorer peasants against the kulaks (wealthy peasants) and instigated bitter class hatred in villages and so civil war hit the countryside. Famine was slowly beginning. The government sent the Cheka into seize grain stores from the peasants but still there wasn’t enough food for everyone. Those who refused to hand over their grain found themselves staring down the barrels of the Cheka’s guns. Those who lived in the cities and worked in the factories began to flee back to the country to try and produce some food. City populations declined by over 50%.

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The Red terror was basically an excuse for the Cheka to murder people not because of their actions but simply because of their beliefs and class origins. It caused massive social problems in Russia. No one trusted anyone, not even those who used to be friends. This was due to the fact that when the Cheka took a prisoner or executed a rebel they often would also execute families, friends or sometimes entire villages as well just to be sure they had got rid of all opposition. People would often have to turn in their neighbours to the Cheka ...

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Overall the Red Terror succeeded in its purpose. It destroyed almost all Bolshevik opposition but it lost them a lot of popularity. Their people lived in fear of them which gave them power and control, however they also hated them meaning there was a chance they could turn against them at any time. The only thing that was really keeping the peasants on the side of the communists was the fact that if they let the whites win the civil war they would lose all they had gained through the October revolution. A monarchy would probably be set up again and then the peasants would be in the same situation as before.

The Red terror mostly strengthened the Bolsheviks power. People were simply too terrified to oppose them and by the end of the civil war the Red army had become a sizeable force and not easily defeated. Everyone respected the Bolsheviks because they had to. No one knew if a Cheka spy was watching and planning their execution. True communists supported this choice totally as it was sticking to communism even if it was a little harsh on the economy, but everyone else just wanted an end to the war and the famine. Although the Bolsheviks maintained their control and consolidated their power to an extent, it would only last temporarily. As soon as the civil war ended the peasants would revolt and demand an end to the famine.

It was the Kronstadt rising that led directly to the New Economic policy being introduced, however Lenin had realised a change of policy had been needed for a while. The Kronstadt rising in March 1921 was when the sailors at the naval base near Petrograd mutinied and demanded an end to the communist dictatorship and the forced grain seizures. Their fortress was stormed with 50,000 red army troops. Of the sailors, 2,000 were executed without trial, 8,000 fled the country and thousands more were sent to labour camps. These sailors had previously been supporters of communism. Trotsky himself had called them the pride and glory of the Russian revolution. If they could revolt anyone could and they did. That spring many peasant revolts were crushed with similar ruthlessness. Lenin knew it was time for a change, it was becoming difficult to keep control.

From 1921-1928 Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP). It was designed to revitalize the economy, increase food production and promote business growth after several years of civil war. Russia had suffered terribly during the civil war (1918-1922) due to the harsh measures of war communism. The NEP gave peasants the incentive to produce more food and release their crop for sale. The government relaxed state control and allowed peasants to make a profit on what they produced. In other words, capitalism and a free market had to be brought back. Once people were allowed to earn a profit goods appeared for sale again. New businesses and market stalls sprang up. The government kept hold of most of the largest industries but elsewhere capitalism made a comeback. For Communists this was a bitter humiliation. The workers that had supported the revolution were also angry as they saw the NEP as a betrayal of communism. Lenin saw it as the only way to get Russia back on its feet. It was their only chance of survival.

Economically the NEP was a complete success. By 1926-7 production had returned to pre-1914 levels. The levels rose a lot in heavy industry as well as agriculture so the whole process was probably helped by the years of peace and stability. The introduction of the NEP was particularly significant in the countryside. Peasants were content and many did well out of the new opportunity to trade. Those who did well out of the new policy were called NEPmen and were often persecuted by officials who tried to limit their profits, tax them heavily and drag them to court. This was because although the peasants and the majority of the population supported the NEP it was bitterly disliked by leading communists who saw it as a reversal of everything they believed. To further complicate matters, there was a factional dispute within the communist party. One group favoured the increase of private enterprise and supported the NEP as the new road to socialism. These were the right-deviationists. The left-deviationists favoured the liquidation of NEPmen and the kulaks and a return to Marxism at home and the fostering of world revolution.

All in all the New Economic Policy was good for Russia. Although it caused political divides and problems it solved all Russia’s economic problems. Outside Russia the NEP was seen as the Russian ‘Thermidor’ meaning ‘return to normalcy’. So as you can see overall the NEP was good for Russia.

I believe the most important cause for the Bolshevik consolidation of power was the New Economic Policy. The Red Terror was an extremely important period in history for the Bolsheviks and at that time it did help them to consolidate their power but only due to the civil war. If it hadn’t of been for the civil war the peasants would have revolted against the grain seizures, as they did soon after the war. The only reason they stayed loyal to the Bolsheviks throughout was because it was their best option. If they had let the whites take over they would have lost all the gains they made through the October revolution. Whereas the NEP won the Bolsheviks true support from the majority of the population. The NEP sorted out the economy and some of the social issues in Russia and once again it was becoming a stable, peaceful country. Although there were some political problems because of disagreements about the NEP, overall it was a much better policy than the Red Terror. The Terror lost thousands of people their lives and everyone lived in fear; the country was wrought with famine and disease. It’s as though the NEP cured all this. Russia was a difficult country to rule. So many people with so many views meant it was impossible to please everyone. Neither of these policies could keep everyone happy so it was best to use the one that kept the majority happy. The NEP was most important in consolidating the Bolshevik rule as it stabilised the country and kept most of the population happy and therefore happy with the way the country was being run and thus content with the Bolshevik rule.