Lenin's New Economic Policy

By 1921, Russia was in crisis. War Communism had won the Civil War but had devastated the economy, caused a famine that killed millions, and provoked dangerous unrest — including the Kronstadt Rebellion. In response, Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP), a dramatic U-turn that reintroduced some elements of capitalism. This lesson examines the NEP and its consequences for AQA GCSE History.

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Why Was the NEP Introduced?

Reason	Detail
Economic collapse	Industrial output had fallen to 20% of 1913 levels; agricultural production had halved
Famine	The 1921–1922 famine killed an estimated 5–7 million people
Peasant resistance	Peasants were hiding grain, reducing production, and rebelling (e.g. the Tambov Rebellion)
Kronstadt Rebellion (March 1921)	Sailors at the Kronstadt naval base mutinied, demanding free elections and an end to War Communism; the rebellion was crushed, but it showed that even loyal supporters were turning against the Bolsheviks
Urban depopulation	Workers were fleeing the cities to find food in the countryside