One way in which the Bolsheviks and Lenin were able to consolidate their power and make Russia a totalitarian state was the Dissolution of the constituent assembly. This was a key-establishing move made by Lenin and the Bolsheviks to consolidate their power because it outlawed all other political parties meaning that Russia’s political system was completely controlled by the Bolsheviks and Lenin. However, the effects of the dissolution of the constituent assembly were not all positive. It was the trigger for the start of the civil war, which temporarily halted the Bolsheviks ability to consolidate their power. Lenin and the Bolsheviks had to patiently wait three years to be able to consolidate their power, which was a huge test for the Bolsheviks. Overall, the Dissolution of the constituent assembly was a key factor in helping the Bolsheviks consolidate their power by 1924. The civil war preceded the dissolution of the constituent assembly.
The Civil War between 1918-1921 was another key contributing factor concerning the Bolsheviks ability to consolidate their power in Russia. Outraged by the dissolution of the constituent assembly, opponents and opposition to Lenin and the Bolsheviks began to revolt against the new Bolshevik government. soon their was a full blown civil war in Russia between the Bolsheviks and all the non-Bolshevik parties. The war ended with a Bolshevik victory in 1921, this ended the threat of any other Russian political parties challenging the Bolsheviks and also importantly consolidated their power. Trotsky helped the Bolshevik party effectively spread the Bolshevik ideology across the nation by using propaganda and presented the party positively, building a strong following and support from the Russian population. The Bolsheviks were now portrayed as the defenders of Russia, which was pivotal in helping the Bolsheviks to consolidate their power because the people have the power in politics. Not everything was beneficial for the Bolsheviks. A Marxist utopia was the key objective for the Bolsheviks and Lenin but the civil war had consumed all the party’s efforts and time, therefore their ability to consolidate their power was somewhat compromised. Also, the use of the CHEKA did not help the Bolsheviks build a strong and positive relationship with the Russian people during the civil war because of the brutal violence used on any opposition to the Bolsheviks, which did not completely manage to keep Russia under absolute Bolshevik control. The civil war helped the Bolsheviks to consolidate their power.
The Bolsheviks were able to consolidate their power by 1924 by using the Bolsheviks secret police, the CHEKA. The CHEKA were the driving force behind the period of time called ‘red terror’, this period of time was effective in helping the Bolsheviks to consolidate their power because it consisted of the elimination of any political and social opponents to the party. Also, the CHEKA played a huge role in capturing and executing the tsar and his family to make sure the political playing field was completely open for the Bolsheviks to consolidate their power. Striking fear amongst the Russian population was effective in helping the consolidation of the Bolsheviks power because the people lived in fear therefore did not step out of line and were controlled by the Bolsheviks. On the other hand, the CHEKA worked to the detriment of the Bolsheviks who were trying to consolidate their power because the extremely violent and inhumane actions taken by the CHEKA demonized them from the public perspective in Russia. This somewhat worked against the Bolsheviks when attempting to consolidate their power, however they managed to by using a number of key strategies including the CHEKA.
To conclude, the Bolsheviks were able to consolidate their power by 1924 because of the clever combination of several methods put in place to ensure the Bolsheviks would rule Russia in a one party state. A well strategized, thought out plan to ensure the Bolsheviks would have total power over the people politically and physically was put in to practice, resulting in the consolidation of the Bolsheviks power by 1924.
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