Key features of War Communism

WAR COMMUNISM

Why? Military: To provide supplies of food and equipment for the Red Army. Temporary policy - until the Reds win the war Political: To share the wealth among the Russian people. State is in control Economic: To provide food for the workers to continue industrial production

What? Lenin set up Vesenkha to coordinate WC - state control and centralisation of economic policy. Grain requisitioning - use of the Cheka to force peasants to hand over the grain i.e coercion used Peasants were set a quota that needed to be reached  Banning of private trade as is not in line with Communism. Peasants unable to sell their produce for profit Rationing - Soldiers and Urban Workers' rations would be more than anyone else in Russia. Nobility and upper class would have a small ration Factories of more than 10 workers were placed under state control

Effects? Urban population decreased - decline of 50% of people living in main cities because of conscription and moving to rural areas for food. Rationing - food prices rise as food becomes scarce, however wages do not increase, inflation is 1,000,000%, and the bartering system was used as money became worthless Peasants - resistance to requisitioning, refusal to give up their grain to the state, quotas were high, not enough grain available to plant for succeeding years as grain needed for food, production of grain (1913-1921): 80 --> 37.6  million tonnes, quota for animals, production decreased Famine of 1921 - the 1920 drought affected grain production, poor harvest 1920-1921, 1921: 1 in 5 of the population were starving, 7 million died, Americans assisted the Russians to provide food for 10 million Russians Reaction from the people - accepted it at first, but by 1921 there was increased resistance from the peasants and the urban population against WC, Krondstadt Mutiny 1921 - "the flash that lit up reality"

WC