the consolidation of communist control over Russia from the outbreak of the civil war to Lenin’s death in 1924

Lenin was clearly the main reason for the consolidation of communist control over Russia from the outbreak of the civil war to Lenin’s death in 1924. Lenin made key decisions during the period before the civil war, during and after, whereas Trotsky as only important until 1921, and divisions in the opposition during the civil war were of no importance before or after the civil war. In this sense Lenin was continually working to keep the communists in power and therefore the most important factor in their consolidation of power.

During the civil war, Lenin’s most crucial decision was to support the introduction of war communism. This economic policy allowed the communists to take over factories and ensure production kept the red army supplied with weapons and equipment during the civil war of 1918-21. Moreover, this economic policy requisitioned grain from the peasants, ensuring that the cities and the Red army continued to receive food supplies during the civil war. Clearly, Lenin’s support for war communism played a crucial role in the communist consolidation of power during the civil war in the sense that it prioritised supplying the army over the immediate popularity of the regime.

However, there were other important ways in which the communists consolidated their power,…