Essential Concepts of the Soviet Era Defined

Key Terms of the Russian Revolution and Soviet History

Bolsheviks

A faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party that split from the Mensheviks in 1903. Led by Lenin, they seized power during the October Revolution (1917) and later became the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Mensheviks

A faction of the Social Democratic Party that emerged in 1903 following a dispute with the Bolsheviks. Led by Martov, the name "Menshevik" translates to "minority."

October Manifesto

A document issued by Tsar Nicholas II in October 1905 in response to the 1905 Revolution. It included the creation of a Duma (parliament) and the introduction of universal male suffrage.

Okhrana

The secret police force of the Russian Empire.

Red Army

The military force created by Leon Trotsky to defend the communist government during the Russian Civil War.

Cheka

The secret police organization in communist Russia.

War Communism (1918–1921)

An economic system based on the nationalization of industry and the control of agriculture to supply the Red Army during the Civil War. It resulted in widespread famine and death among the peasantry.

NEP (New Economic Policy)

An economic policy introduced by Lenin, described as "state capitalism." It was a mixed system that allowed private individuals to own and operate their own enterprises.

Stalinism

The ideology created and implemented by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union, characterized by totalitarian and dictatorial policies.

Gulag

The Soviet government agency that administered forced labor camps during the Stalin era. It served as the primary instrument of political repression in the Soviet Union.

Cult of Personality

A phenomenon where an individual (such as Stalin) uses propaganda, mass media, and art to create an idealized, heroic public image.

Gosplan

The committee responsible for economic planning in the Soviet Union, tasked with the creation of the Five-Year Plans.

Five-Year Plans

A series of centralized economic plans implemented in the Soviet Union.

Soviet Agricultural Systems

• Kolkhoz: A collective farm in the Soviet Union managed by the peasants.
• Sovkhoz: A state-owned farm in the Soviet Union.