Question 1

In order to provide food for the urban hungry during the Russian Civil War, Lenin's regime:

Accepted Answer

During the Russian Civil War, Lenin's regime resorted to sending armed detachments into the countryside to procure food by force, a policy known as "War Communism." This was part of a broader set of measures aimed at maintaining the urban population and the Red Army during the conflict.

Question 2

During the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922, _____.

Accepted Answer

The Japanese occupied Vladivostok during the Russian Civil War as part of the Allied intervention in the conflict, aiming to support the White forces against the Bolsheviks.

Question 3

The Red Terror:

Accepted Answer

The Red Terror was a campaign of political repression and executions carried out by the Bolshevik government, particularly through the Cheka, in response to both internal and external threats during the Russian Civil War. It aimed at eliminating opposition to Lenin's regime and involved numerous atrocities.

Question 4

With the formation of the U.S.S.R., the Soviet authorities:

Accepted Answer

The formation of the U.S.S.R. involved concentrating all political and economic authority in the hands of the central government, rather than distributing power among the constituent republics or granting them sovereignty.

Question 5

Many of the new laws passed by the Soviet Union in 1920 did not have much immediate effect on the social or economic lives of most women. Although some were revoked in the later years, _____.

Accepted Answer

The Soviet Union prioritized education, and women and girls began to receive more educational opportunities, which was a significant change despite other laws having limited immediate impact.

Question 6

One of Trotsky's most important contributions to Marxist thought was:

Accepted Answer

Trotsky's theory of "permanent revolution" is one of his key contributions to Marxist thought. It suggests that in countries that have not achieved advanced capitalism, the bourgeoisie cannot carry out the tasks traditionally associated with the bourgeois revolutions. Therefore, the working class must lead the revolution and immediately begin implementing socialist policies, rather than first establishing a bourgeois democracy. This theory contrasts with the more traditional Marxist view that a country must pass through distinct stages of capitalist and then socialist development.

Question 7

Which of the following observations was the basis of Engels's centralized economy?

Accepted Answer

Engels observed that within each private enterprise, there was an internal harmony and order, which contrasted with the chaotic competition among enterprises in the broader capitalist economy. This observation led him to advocate for a centralized economy, where the principles of order within a single enterprise could be applied to society as a whole.

Question 8

Stalin's First Five-Year Plan:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Stalin's First Five-Year Plan:
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Question 9

The First and Second Five-Year Plans:

Accepted Answer

The First and Second Five-Year Plans in the Soviet Union indeed resulted in rapid industrial growth, brought industrialization to central Asia, and significantly improved the transportation infrastructure, making all the statements correct.

Question 10

Identify a true statement about the social costs and social effects of Stalin's Five-Year Plans.

Accepted Answer

Stalin's Five-Year Plans, while harsh and repressive, did not feature the same level of exploitation of women and children as seen in the early days of European industrialization, where such abuses were rampant and largely unchecked.

Question 11

Stalin's purges in the 1930s:

Accepted Answer

Stalin's purges, particularly during the Great Purge of the late 1930s, targeted a wide range of groups, including the Old Bolsheviks, who were part of the original revolutionaries that brought the Bolsheviks to power in 1917. Stalin viewed them as potential rivals and had many of them executed or imprisoned to consolidate his own power.

Question 12

In 1935, the U.S.S.R. through the Comintern instructed all Communist parties to enter into coalitions with socialists and activist liberals to:

Accepted Answer

The Comintern's directive for Communist parties to form coalitions with socialists and activist liberals in 1935 was primarily aimed at combating fascism and reactionary movements, as well as supporting the national defense of their own countries. This strategy was part of the broader effort to form a united front against the rising threat of fascism in Europe.

Question 13

Lenin's Twenty-One Points demanded that each national party must comply with all of the following rules except that the party:

Accepted Answer

Lenin's Twenty-One Points, which were conditions for membership in the Communist International, emphasized the need for revolutionary tactics and did not restrict parties to only using legal channels and methods. In fact, they encouraged a break from reformist and moderate socialist groups, advocating for more radical approaches to achieving communist goals.

Question 14

Describe the economic, social, and political reforms carried out in Russia from 1905 to 1914. If the First World War had not broken out, could these reforms have prevented the Russian Revolution?

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

What were the major reasons for the collapse of the tsarist regime in March 1917?

Accepted Answer

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Question 16

What were the reasons for the fall of Kerensky's provisional government in November 1917 and the triumph of the Bolsheviks?

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the different Russian revolutionary groups. Why did the Bolsheviks win over their other revolutionary rivals?

Accepted Answer

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Question 18

How was Stalin able to acquire unparalleled personal power in the Soviet Union by the 1930s?

Accepted Answer

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Question 19

How did Stalin transform the Soviet economy in the 1930s?

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

Despite the harshness and brutality of his policies, Stalin's power in the 1930s remained virtually unchallenged. Why?

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 18: The Russian Revolution and the Emergence of the Soviet Union