In Soviet Russia

Summary

In this installment of “In Soviet Russia,” the essay examines the New Economic Policy (NEP), introduced by Lenin in 1921. It presents the policy as a practical concession within a continuing socialist project: peasants must receive prices that allow them to purchase manufactured goods, while industrial production requires modern machinery, capital, and foreign credit. Private traders, or “nepmen,” remain necessary where state and cooperative stores cannot meet demand, but the essay argues that their role is steadily shrinking. It cites private trade falling from 15% of internal trade in 1923–24 to 8% in 1925–26, while cooperatives control 21% and state trading remains at approximately 70%.

Key points

• The NEP is described as a tactical concession rather than an abandonment of socialism.
• Russia seeks foreign credit and modern machinery to increase industrial production and reduce manufactured-goods prices.
• Private traders remain necessary because state and cooperative stores cannot satisfy consumer demand.
• The essay uses trade figures to argue that private enterprise is declining while state and cooperative control dominates the market.
• The Communist Party is presented as the Soviet Union’s only organised political party, with approximately 1.2 million members.
• Party membership is portrayed as financially restrictive because members’ salaries are capped below those of technical experts.
• The opposition led by Trotsky and Zinoviev is estimated at only 2–3% of the Party and is characterised as more doctrinaire and revolutionary.
• The conclusion argues that the Soviet Union is stronger and more united, and that peaceful socialist construction should be allowed to continue.