AQA · A-Level · History

    Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017

    Russia, 1917–1953 – Bolshevik consolidation, 1918–1924: Economic and…

    Full specification wording

    2N Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953 – Bolshevik consolidation, 1918–1924: Economic and social developments: state capitalism; social change; conditions in cities and countryside during the Civil War; war communism; the Red Terror: revolts of 1920–1921 including the Tambov revolt and Kronstadt rising; the NEP and its political and economic impact

    Lenin initially adopted 'state capitalism', keeping existing structures under state control.

    Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 3 of 4
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    Lenin initially adopted 'state capitalism', keeping existing structures under state control. The Civil War forced a shift to 'War Communism', featuring grain requisitioning and nationalisation. This caused drastic social change and dire conditions: cities faced starvation and depopulation, while the countryside endured violent seizures. The Cheka enforced this via the Red Terror. Such repression sparked the 1920–1921 revolts, notably the Tambov peasant uprising and the Kronstadt sailors' mutiny. Facing collapse, Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921. Economically, the NEP restored private trade and stabilised food supplies. Politically, it caused ideological friction, viewed as a capitalist retreat, prompting Lenin to ban Party factions to ensure strict unity.

    What earns the marks

    • Explain the transition from state capitalism to War Communism as a pragmatic response to Civil War exigencies and ideological zeal.
    • Detail the social impact of War Communism, including urban depopulation, famine, and the destruction of the money economy.
    • Analyse the Red Terror as a systematic tool of political suppression and economic enforcement orchestrated by the Cheka.
    • Evaluate the Tambov and Kronstadt revolts as the primary catalysts for the abandonment of War Communism.
    • Assess the NEP's dual impact: economic recovery through limited capitalism and political tightening via the 1921 Ban on Factions.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Confusing state capitalism with the NEP.

      Put it right: State capitalism was the initial 1917-1918 policy of transitional control, whereas the NEP was a 1921 retreat to limited private trade after War Communism.

    • Assuming the Red Terror only targeted the Whites.

      Put it right: The Red Terror targeted a wide range of perceived enemies, including SRs, Mensheviks, striking workers, and peasants resisting requisitioning.

    • Stating the NEP was universally welcomed by the Bolsheviks.

      Put it right: Acknowledge that the NEP caused significant ideological distress within the Party, leading to the Ban on Factions.

    Exam tips

    • Link economic policies directly to political survival; show how War Communism won the war but almost lost the peace.
    • Use the Kronstadt rising to demonstrate the loss of core Bolshevik support, highlighting why Lenin called it the flash that lit up reality.
    • When discussing the NEP, always balance its economic success with its political consequences, such as internal Party divisions.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the 2N Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953 – Bolshevik consolidation, 1918–1924: Economic and social developments: state capitalism; social change; conditions in cities and countryside during the Civil War; war communism; the Red Terror: revolts of 1920–1921 including the Tambov revolt and Kronstadt rising; the NEP and its political and economic impact lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which of the following was a central feature of the economic policy known as War Communism implemented by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War?

    Listen

    Lenin initially adopted 'state capitalism', keeping existing structures under state control. The Civil War forced a shift to 'War Communism', featuring grain requisitioning and nationalisation. This caused drastic social change and dire conditions: cities faced starvation and depopulation, while the countryside endured violent seizures. The Cheka enforced this via the Red Terror. Such repression sparked the 1920–1921 revolts, notably the Tambov peasant uprising and the Kronstadt sailors' mutiny. Facing collapse, Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921. Economically, the NEP restored private trade and stabilised food supplies. Politically, it caused ideological friction, viewed as a capitalist retreat, prompting Lenin to ban Party factions to ensure strict unity. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explain the transition from state capitalism to War Communism as a pragmatic response to Civil War exigencies and ideological zeal. Detail the social impact of War Communism, including urban depopulation, famine, and the destruction of the money economy. Analyse the Red Terror as a systematic tool of political suppression and economic enforcement orchestrated by the Cheka. Evaluate the Tambov and Kronstadt revolts as the primary catalysts for the abandonment of War Communism. A common slip: Confusing state capitalism with the NEP. Instead, State capitalism was the initial 1917-1918 policy of transitional control, whereas the NEP was a 1921 retreat to limited private trade after War Communism. Exam tip: Link economic policies directly to political survival; show how War Communism won the war but almost lost the peace.

    See it

    A flowchart running from top to bottom. State capitalism leads to War Communism. War Communism leads to grain requisitioning and nationalisation. From there the chart splits: one branch leads to social change and dire conditions, which divides into cities facing starvation and depopulation and the countryside enduring violent seizures; another branch leads to the Red Terror enforced by the Cheka. The Red Terror leads to the revolts of 1920-1921, which lead to the Tambov revolt, the Kronstadt rising and the NEP in 1921. The NEP then splits into two outcomes: economic, with private trade and food supplies stabilised, and political, with ideological friction and a ban on Party factions.
    It shows how state capitalism gave way to War Communism, whose repression sparked the 1920–1921 revolts and led to the NEP with its economic and political effects.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    State capitalism

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    War Communism

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Red Terror

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    NEP

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    State capitalism
    The initial policy of keeping existing structures under state control, adopted by Lenin before the Civil War forced a shift.
    War Communism
    A shift forced by the Civil War, featuring grain requisitioning and nationalisation, which caused drastic social change and dire conditions.
    Red Terror
    A means of enforcement by the Cheka, used as a systematic tool of political suppression and economic enforcement.
    NEP
    Introduced by Lenin in 1921, it restored private trade and stabilised food supplies, but was viewed as a capitalist retreat causing ideological friction.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart running from top to bottom. State capitalism leads to War Communism. War Communism leads to grain requisitioning and nationalisation. From there the chart splits: one branch leads to social change and dire conditions, which divides into cities facing starvation and depopulation and the countryside enduring violent seizures; another branch leads to the Red Terror enforced by the Cheka. The Red Terror leads to the revolts of 1920-1921, which lead to the Tambov revolt, the Kronstadt rising and the NEP in 1921. The NEP then splits into two outcomes: economic, with private trade and food supplies stabilised, and political, with ideological friction and a ban on Party factions.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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