The development of Lenin's thought
DOWNLOAD
FREE
|
The development of Lenin's thought: The Three Phases of Economic Policy: Phase 2: War Communism
The food shortages needed redress. Lenin blamed the rich kulaks, and began to advocate the use of coercion to obtain grain supplies. On 27th January 1918 he spoke to the Petrograd Soviet saying, "We can't expect to get anywhere unless we resort to terrorism - speculators must be shot on the spot." On 15th February 1918 he spoke of a "ruthless war against the kulaks". Lenin was forced into war communism by the situation. On 24th May 1918 Lenin called for a "crusade for bread". In the war against the kulaks surplus stores were seized and a system of compulsory food deliveries instituted, know as prodraverstka - "grain confiscation". However, in fact 60% of grain continued to pass through illegal channels. In his telegram to Bolshevik leaders in Penza on 11th August 1918 he instructed them as follows: "Hang no fewer than a hundred well-known kulaks, rich-bags and blood-suckers (and make sure that the hanging takes place in full view of the people)." The banking system collapsed during the civil war; the government printed money and inflation became uncontrollable. Money lost its function and the economy resorted to barter. Lenin toyed with the idea of the complete abolition of money. At this time Lenin was still opposed to the return to private enterprise, but there was an complete breakdown of the economy. Lenin was still committed to the idea of war communism, and in this spirit he ordered the nationalization of small-scale industry.
|
Contents of
The development of Lenin's thought
1 The development of Lenin's thought: Justifying the revolution
2 The development of Lenin's thought: Attitude to democracy
3 The development of Lenin's thought: Between the February and October Revolutions
4 The development of Lenin's thought: The Three Phases of Economic Policy
5 The development of Lenin's thought: The Three Phases of Economic Policy - Phase 1: State Cap
6 The development of Lenin's thought: The Three Phases of Economic Policy: Phase 2: War Communism
7 The development of Lenin's thought: The Three Phases of Economic Policy: Phase 3: The New Econom
|
