“The main reason Lenin’s government was able to keep its grasps on
power between 1920-1922 was the introduction of the NEP”. Explain why
you agree or disagree with this view.
The main reason Lenin’s government was able to keep its grasps on power
between 1920-1922 was because of the introduction of the NEP, which led
to improvements in the deteriorating economic conditions of Russia.
However, the NEP wasn’t the only factor important in ensuring Lenin’s
government was able to keep its grasps on power, because the successes
of the Red Army during the Russian Civil War and its use in imposing
authority afterwards alongside the terror caused by the Cheka, ensured
Lenin’s government’s grasp on power was firm and ensured.
The introduction of the NEP was crucial for Lenin’s government’s
sustainment of power, as the new policy both showed that the
government was willing to make concessions when the country was in dire
need and also helped to alleviate the struggles of the Russian people,
providing them hope that an era of prosperity was soon to come. Before
the introduction of the NEP, there was a “strong current toward local
power, decentralisation, workers’ control of factories and regional armies”1
as workers and soldiers had become disillusioned towards the Bolshevik
government. This discontent was emphasised as the “food situation was
so serious that compulsory measures for its distribution by cooperatives
were intensified”1, people were starving and displeased with the progress
of the Bolsheviks. However, the NEP saw rapid improvements in the
economic situation of Russia as worker wages rose by 57.4% from 1920 to
1923, cereal production increased by 23% and factory outputs increased
by 200%. The NEP relaxed the strain put under the economy and workers
by War Communism as the ban on private trade was removed, small
businesses were reopened and grain requisitioning came to an end,
encouraging farmers to increase their production and thus support for
Lenin’s government grew as people, especially NEPmen, were beginning
to profit from the economic changes. The capitalist “elements would come
to dominate the market”2 and the economic progression in the early
1920s, primarily caused by the NEP, enabled Lenin’s government to keep
its grasp on power, because they were slowly regaining the support of
their largest supporters, the workers and soldiers, who had gotten them
into the power they were in. “war communism had failed”3 and weakened
Bolshevik support throughout Russia as people suffered, starved and had
their produce taken from them, however the NEP and “relaxed …
restrictions on piece-selling”3 meant that the Soviet economy was back in
1
Background of the New Economic Policy
2
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN RUSSIA on JSTOR
3
Wage Policy in the Transition to NEP
power between 1920-1922 was the introduction of the NEP”. Explain why
you agree or disagree with this view.
The main reason Lenin’s government was able to keep its grasps on power
between 1920-1922 was because of the introduction of the NEP, which led
to improvements in the deteriorating economic conditions of Russia.
However, the NEP wasn’t the only factor important in ensuring Lenin’s
government was able to keep its grasps on power, because the successes
of the Red Army during the Russian Civil War and its use in imposing
authority afterwards alongside the terror caused by the Cheka, ensured
Lenin’s government’s grasp on power was firm and ensured.
The introduction of the NEP was crucial for Lenin’s government’s
sustainment of power, as the new policy both showed that the
government was willing to make concessions when the country was in dire
need and also helped to alleviate the struggles of the Russian people,
providing them hope that an era of prosperity was soon to come. Before
the introduction of the NEP, there was a “strong current toward local
power, decentralisation, workers’ control of factories and regional armies”1
as workers and soldiers had become disillusioned towards the Bolshevik
government. This discontent was emphasised as the “food situation was
so serious that compulsory measures for its distribution by cooperatives
were intensified”1, people were starving and displeased with the progress
of the Bolsheviks. However, the NEP saw rapid improvements in the
economic situation of Russia as worker wages rose by 57.4% from 1920 to
1923, cereal production increased by 23% and factory outputs increased
by 200%. The NEP relaxed the strain put under the economy and workers
by War Communism as the ban on private trade was removed, small
businesses were reopened and grain requisitioning came to an end,
encouraging farmers to increase their production and thus support for
Lenin’s government grew as people, especially NEPmen, were beginning
to profit from the economic changes. The capitalist “elements would come
to dominate the market”2 and the economic progression in the early
1920s, primarily caused by the NEP, enabled Lenin’s government to keep
its grasp on power, because they were slowly regaining the support of
their largest supporters, the workers and soldiers, who had gotten them
into the power they were in. “war communism had failed”3 and weakened
Bolshevik support throughout Russia as people suffered, starved and had
their produce taken from them, however the NEP and “relaxed …
restrictions on piece-selling”3 meant that the Soviet economy was back in
1
Background of the New Economic Policy
2
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN RUSSIA on JSTOR
3
Wage Policy in the Transition to NEP
