rylan’s Reviews > The Russian Revolution from Lenin to Stalin 1917-1929 > Status Update

Trotsky's open conflict with the troika results in his political defeat and demotion from military posts. Concurrently, the party is being remoulded; the 'Lenin enrolment' enlarged its ranks once again, and 'socialism in one country' is elucidated by Bukharin and Stalin. With these developments and a furious debate on 'industrialization vs NEP', the troika breaks as Stalin secures victory over Zinoviev and Kamenev.

Much like the chapter on the NEP, not much attention is actually devoted to Lenin's last days. A brief account of his physical ails is given, but only to contrast the narrative presented regarding Stalin's ascendancy to political power. Multiple quotes from Lenin's Testament are cited to excoriate the man, with some derision directed toward other Bolsheviks, before the troika begins their war against Trotsky.

Returning to this, as I've now covered all the books I had to present for my book club.

After an overview of the economic structure under the NEP, with its Vesenkhas and Glavkis, Carr describes the Scissors Crisis that struck the newly-formed USSR. Along the way, he highlights growing intra-party tensions, while letting some of his bias against the program and how it 'abandons the industrial worker' shine through.

With the ushering-in of the NEP, the shape of the USSR finally solidifies in December 1922, albeit under Moscow's shadow. Party power is also centralized under the increasing authority of the Politburo.

Concurrently, relations with Western Europe have been consolidated after some maneuvering. Trade has been re-established in London, and military collaboration with Germany began. Some attention is given to Turkey.

Despite the title of this chapter, the NEP itself is barely given any breathing space. Instead, Carr gives a post-mortem on war communism as the initial stages of the NEP's implementation occur. Much attention is given to recounting the 'Workers' Opposition' present throughout the pregnancy of the NEP. Carr concludes this section by drawing a through-line from the party's split on war communism to the NEP's genesis.

The effects of the civil war have wreaked havoc upon the economy, with the lack of state power in remote regions and the inability to enact financial structure accelerating its decline. In response, 'war communism' was enacted in the summer of 1918. Industries were nationalized, agricultural surpluses were seized from peasantry, and labour was conscripted. With the war done, the program was abandoned for the NEP.

With this chapter, the whirlwind events of 1917 are quickly left behind as Soviet Russia finds itself mired in civil war and wartime relations. Trotsky and co. reluctantly sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, as it trains up the newfound Red Army to fight off the Whites.

After some more details on the civil war's military aspects, attention is turned to the formation of the Comintern and its internal tensions.

Trying this out, since I had a decent enough time with 'October' and wanted to refresh on what happens next.

The summary of 1917 itself is particularly pointless for me since I just read an entire book covering the events of this chapter, but I can already see the emphasis on statecraft being teased out.

As an aside, the introduction by Carr's occasional collaborator R.W. Davies makes for riveting historiography.