2016 2610 4TH LECTURE NOTES 1 FEB
CONSOLIDATION OF BOLSHEVIK POWER NEP AND UKRAINIZATION
TIME LINE:
1. First stage of post 1917 Ukraine ends 1921 although armed insurrection continues into
early twenties The State Building Period closes- gives way to War Communism.
a. It remains an important memory and political inspiration that continues to this day.
b. Also, the Ukrainian state identity is established as a kind of model for the future.
c. West and East Ukraine united in a self-governing whole even though it last such a
short time. It could only be ended by force.
2. Second stage Sovietization 1921-1933.
a. Legacy of the War. Complete disruption of the economy drastic reduction in output
Agriculture and so Ukrainian economy badly hit. With communication and transport
in chaos cities suffered both during the war and in its aftermath. One incentive for
grain requisition and anti-peasant policies .
b. Revolutionary Pubertas up to the hilt socialist policies across the board.
Nationalization, plans for nationalization of agriculture, socialist family law, extreme
anti-clerical anti- religious stance unsettled attitude towards non-Russian
nationalities
c. Winter 1920-1921 peasant mutinies, famine, labour unrest, internal party fighting
Kronstadt Mutiny of naval garrison in Petrograd, (became Leningrad after Lenin’s
death in 1924. “Workers Opposition”-Alexandra Kollontai Alexander Shlyapnikov
(murdered by Stalin 1937) Democratic Centralists critics of NEP critics of
bureaucracy dictatorial powers of party, 10th congress banned factions as
destructive of new order . So first the stick of suppression and then the carrot of
compromise.
d The New Economic Policy NEP agriculture, light industry, retail trade. Partially
marketized NEP men “Commanding Heights” of economy controlled directly by the
new Soviet State- banking, transport, heavy industry (mining, steel armaments,
machine building) The point of departure for political debate over the next decade .
The principal spokesperson for NEP Nikolai Bukharin, principal opponent Leon Trotsky
dominant position of party membership Joseph Stalin non –committal at first. Main
problems slowness of modernization, in part because of difficulty in obtaining enough
food supply for urban expansion. By 1926 scissors crisis falling agricultural
prices and rising industrial prices fear of famine state kept bread prices low. In
industry need to rebuild infrastructure industrial goods nearly 300% higher than in
1913 agriculture 89% Built the case for more state involvement
e. Second policy Ukrainization part of a general programme indigenization. Stalin and Lenin on
Nationalities Question:
Theses on the National Question 1913 Lenin
Marxism and the national question 1913 Stalin became commissar for nationalities in soviet
government. Hailed as an important contribution.
i.
After adoption of the new policy Party and State cadres were given two years
to learn Ukrainian or recruit new Ukrainian speaking cadres
ii. Red army units where Ukrainian the language of command
iii. Support for non-communist cultural institutions Ukrainian academy of
, Sciences
iv. Education with Ukrainian as the language of instruction greatly expanded at all levels.
v. Ukraine a prestige culture and language.
The major effect was to De-Russify urban life: 1923-33 Ukrainian proportion of
population:
Kharkiv 38%-50%
Kyiv 27- 42
Dnipropetrovsk 16-48
Odessa 7-17
Workers as a percentage of ethnic Ukrainian population 1923-1933 26 -59. By 1931
Literacy rate 45% in 1926 census much lower in countryside 16% up from 11.7%
9.6 million Ukrainians were literate but of these only 6.5m literate in Ukrainian
32 88% of students in Ukrainian language schools 57% of workerforce in1930was Ukrainian.
44% claimed Ukrainian as mother tongue 48% of trade unionist Ukrainian in 1929 32% spoke
Ukrainian at home.