Key topic 2: The Bolsheviks in power, 1917–24 - 4 Economic and social…

The idea

War Communism was introduced in 1918 to ensure the Red Army and urban workers were fed and equipped during the Civil War. Key features included the nationalisation of industry, the abolition of private trade, and strict labour discipline. Crucially, it involved the forced requisitioning of grain from the peasantry by armed detachments. War Communism was deeply unpopular. Peasants resented the violent seizure of their crops, leading to resistance, hoarding, and a fall in agricultural production, contributing to the devastating famine of 1921. In the cities, workers suffered from food shortages, the militarisation of labour, and the collapse of the currency, prompting strikes and fueling the discontent that culminated in the Kronstadt Mutiny.

What earns the marks

• Identify the primary goal of War Communism: to supply the Red Army and feed the urban workforce during the Civil War.
• Describe key features of the policy, such as the nationalisation of industry, the banning of private trade, and the introduction of rationing.
• Explain the process of grain requisitioning (prodrazvyorstka) and how it was enforced by armed detachments in the countryside.
• Analyse the reasons for the policy's unpopularity, including peasant resistance, the resulting collapse in agricultural production, and the severe hardships faced by urban workers.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing War Communism with the later New Economic Policy (NEP).

  Put it right: Clearly distinguish War Communism (state control, requisitioning) from the NEP (reintroduction of some private trade and markets).

• Stating that War Communism was a successful economic policy.

  Put it right: Clarify that while it succeeded in its military objective of supplying the Red Army, it was an economic disaster that led to famine and industrial collapse.

• Assuming peasants willingly handed over their grain.

  Put it right: Emphasise that grain requisitioning was forced and often violent, leading to widespread peasant uprisings and the deliberate destruction of crops.

Exam tips

• Use specific terms like 'grain requisitioning' and 'nationalisation' to demonstrate precise historical knowledge.
• Link the unpopularity of War Communism directly to subsequent events, such as the Kronstadt Mutiny and the introduction of the NEP.
• When evaluating War Communism, balance its military necessity against its devastating economic and social consequences.