Agrarian socialist Romania in the 1930s

[NotDavidSoslan]

Marian Anderescu: Early life and background

Marian Anderescu was born in Tunari, Ilfov County, Romania, on 15 March 1887, to a peasant family. His father, Alexandru Anderescu, owned 5 acres of farmland, and has been described by biographers as a harsh disciplinarian and "martinet" who treated his children poorly.

The Anderescu family was ethnically Romanian, with his ancestry being traced back to the 17th century; during his political career, Anderescu would claim his family was involved in the country's struggle for independence, but research has failed to prove this, and it is more likely they were simply farmers.

Anderescu was devoutly religious and frequently attended St. Nicholas Church in Tunari, at one point surprising clergy with his martinet personality and precocious mind. He was homeschooled by his mother, who taught him history, mathematics, Romanian and arithmetics, and would later remember her fondly.

In 1903, Anderescu moved to Bucharest, escaping from his strict and abusive father, and becoming a shoeshine boy downtown. There, he noticed the poverty of the average Romanian, which he compared to the luxury and immorality of the court, thus shaping his agrarian socialist beliefs, based on a return to an idealized, romanticized pre-capitalist past.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

Anderescu's participation in WW1 was mostly unremarkable, and nothing indicates he was particularly brave and distinguished in battle.

However, he would exaggerate details of his military service during his career in politics, claiming to have been wounded by Austro-Hungarian troops, and buying several medals.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

Marian Anderescu's early political career


In 1919, Anderescu joined the National Peasants' Party, only to be expelled from it the following year.

Anderescu retired from the Romanian military in 1919 in order to focus on politics and achieving his goal of turning Romania into an agrarian socialist commonwealth. To this effect, he joined the National Peasants' Party (PNT), which he viewed as an useful way to achieve this goal.

In October 1919, Anderescu submitted an article calling for the mandating of farm cooperatives, nationalisation of oil, redistribution of oil profits to the average citizen, abolition of the Senate and the privileges of the aristocracy, and large-scale literacy programs, ending the article by praising the October 1917 Revolution and calling for Romania to align itself with the Soviet Union once the revolution was successful. This viewpoint was enough for the anti-communist, pan-Balkan PNT to expel him and his small coterie of followers from the party the following year, and they founded the Romanian Farmers' Party (Romanian: Partidul Fermielior Români, PFR), which supported all of these things plus the expansion of medical care, predominance of credit unions on Romania's economic system, and anti-Semitic and anti-Romani measures.

The PFR later developed a strong following among intellectuals, the peasantry and some military veterans, owning a party newspaper and paramilitary organization and counting on Anderescu's charisma, but was outlawed by the Romanian government following a strong showing in the 1922 elections, and went underground.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

This result made the PFR the third-largest party in the Chamber of Deputies, but the second-smallest in the Senate.

The Romanian National Party and the Romanian Farmers' Party refused to take part in the works of the newly elected Parliament, causing the latter to be outlawed, ostensibly on the grounds of national security, and the Siguranta Statul was deployed to break up PFR rallies; Anderescu was imprisoned a second time in 17 October 1922, but acquitted after a high-profile trial, due to lack of evidence he had broken the law; during his trial, Anderescu said the elections were "barbaric and medieval" and said the tactics the National Liberais used during the election were something Romania "needed to get over if it wanted to become a prosperous nation". l

(Also, Anderescu joining the PNT is voided, since it didn't exist until 1926, so he joined the PT and was kicked from it instead due to his radical rethoric and desire to form a separate base from the party)

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

During the 1927 and 1928 elections, the PNB's strongest showings were among peasants in Wallachia and Transylvania, but it also did well among university students and war veterans.

National Liberal and National Peasant newspapers accused the PFR of hipocrisy for electing five Senators after calling for the abolition of the Senate, and they weren't even abstentionist. In the Chamber of Deputies, the PNB MPs abstained on the PNT's proposed labour legislation, arguing it did not go far enough, while voting against all conservative legislation advanced by PNL.

After the Great Depression began, the PFR increasingly focused on paramilitary and charity activity instead of participating in elections, hoping to develop a mass movement instead of taking power through the ballot box. This was successful, and between April and June 1931, Romania saw a civil war between the government and the socialists that resulted in the latter's victory.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

After taking office, Anderescu gave an impassioned speech from the balcony of the former royal palace; witnesses said it was impossible not to notice the tears in his eyes.

In the speech, he said centuries of foreign oppression of Romania be were over, and promised to nationalize Romanian oil while using its wealth to alleviate poverty in Romania, a promise that was followed.

The main leaders of the National Peasant and National Liberal parties were exiled to France, while the Iron Guard launched a terrorism and sabotage campaign against the new government due to the Guard's fanatic anti-communism.

Historiographical research has revealed that the Front had secretly contacted the Soviet government, seeking financial support; Stalin did not answer, although the Soviet Union immediately recognized the new government and sent advisors to create a secret police network similar to the one in the USSR.

Anderescu would rule Romania until 1941, when the German, Hungarian and Bulgarian armies launched an attack into Romania and successfully overthrew him.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

1931 Romanian reforms


On 25 June 1931, Marian Anderescu decreed the foundation of the National Petroleum Company (Compania Nationala du Petrol, CNP) as a state-owned oil company with a monopoly over the extraction and export of oil (but not its distribution), and decreed Romania's natural resources, including forests and water, belonged to the State.

Anderescu created a National Cooperative Commonwealth, to be a national network of farm cooperatives, and started using the oil revenues to mechanize agriculture, importing 1,500 Fordson tractors from the Ford Motor Company. Unused land was nationalised and absentee ownership banned, while the estates of the former royal family were nationalised.

The new government also began a literacy campaign, founding night schools in hundreds of villages, and romanticizing Romanian history by tracing the country's founding back to 40 BC.

Urban workers also benefitted from those reforms, as Anderescu legalised and recognized unions, implemented paid sick leave, and introduced unemployment benefits, albeit at low levels. Those reforms soon brought the Peasants' Party government immense popularity, especially among the poor and students, who were finally able to find employment due to the Republic's public works starting in December 1931.

In June 1931, the Romanian People's Front defeated the National Peasant Party, as well as the LANC, by a landslide, due to its popular measures, harassment of opposition candidates and a ban being placed on the National Liberals. Prime Minister and famous writer Cezar Petrescu was actively involved in the education reform, while Nicolae Lupu oversaw land reform and Leon Ghelerter implemented workers' rights.

 

[Yokai Man]

Oof.

Okay,a few criticisms:

1) That’s not how you write Andreescu. No one has Anderescu as a name.

2) The RFP replacing the Iron Guard in popularity is not only implausible,but down right silly. Codreanu had moree backing than Anderescu would ever have and definitely more resources.

3) The way you describe,Anderescu would have fitted more in Averescu’s People’s Party and started his way in politics that way,not join PNȚ.

4) Nicolae Lupu would have never joined such a movement or backed the violent overthrown of the government,he believed in democracy and the rule of law. Same with Leon.

5) Hell,Lupu is the best example of why such a movement wouldn’t succeed. PNȚ simply has more resources and support than its splinter parties during this time. At best Anderescu would just be a leader of micro party with a 5-6 MPs.

6) You can’t just have Anderescu steal Codreanu’s nickname without any consequences. It’s like if Strasser started calling himself Fuhrer,you can’t do that and not expect violent consequences.

7) “Famous“ is a bit generous for Petrescu to put it lightly.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

Oof.

Okay,a few criticisms:

1) That’s not how you write Andreescu. No one has Anderescu as a name.

2) The RFP replacing the Iron Guard in popularity is not only implausible,but down right silly. Codreanu had moree backing than Anderescu would ever have and definitely more resources.

3) The way you describe,Anderescu would have fitted more in Averescu’s People’s Party and started his way in politics that way,not join PNȚ.

4) Nicolae Lupu would have never joined such a movement or backed the violent overthrown of the government,he believed in democracy and the rule of law. Same with Leon.

5) Hell,Lupu is the best example of why such a movement wouldn’t succeed. PNȚ simply has more resources and support than its splinter parties during this time. At best Anderescu would just be a leader of micro party with a 5-6 MPs.

6) You can’t just have Anderescu steal Codreanu’s nickname without any consequences. It’s like if Strasser started calling himself Fuhrer,you can’t do that and not expect violent consequences.

7) “Famous“ is a bit generous for Petrescu to put it lightly.

I'll leave this alt-hist website then, or write another genre of fiction. I strongly hate it when my entire timelines are nitpicked this way, so I should find another hobby.

 

[Yokai Man]

I'll leave this alt-hist website then, or write another genre of fiction. I strongly hate it when my entire timelines are nitpicked this way, so I should find another hobby.

I mean,it’s not nit picking,I just believe you’re misrepresenting/misunderstanding the political figures of Interwar Romania and how it operated.

You shouldn’t abandon writting alt history,just do a little more research and spell checking. Practice makes progress.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

I mean,it’s not nit picking,I just believe you’re misrepresenting/misunderstanding the political figures of Interwar Romania and how it operated.

You shouldn’t abandon writting alt history,just do a little more research and spell checking. Practice makes progress.

I should abandon it and find a hobby that doesn't require realism. And you flat-out said the socialist regime would never come to power, which is nitpicking by definition. Less people would want to read a timeline about a political movement that failed to come to power.
There are several actual historical periods and figures that are important, but I don't know much about them. I should look into these instead of making up people.

 

[Yokai Man]

I should abandon it and find a hobby that doesn't require realism. And you flat-out said the socialist regime would never come to power, which is nitpicking by definition. Less people would want to read a timeline about a political movement that failed to come to power.
There are several actual historical periods and figures that are important, but I don't know much about them. I should look into these instead of making up people.

Well no,several people on this site would disagree with that statement.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

Well no,several people on this site would disagree with that statement.

And some people disagree with the statement the earth is round. Doesn't mean it's not true.

 

[Yokai Man]

And some people disagree with the statement the earth is round. Doesn't mean it's not true.

That’s not the same thing. Like,at all.

People can have different preferences in fiction and how it is told,as well as how to respond. I have nothing against you,if you want to write more timelines like this go for it,I won’t stop you.

I was just voicing my criticism to a lack of research.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

I feel better now and might continue tomorrow, with a few changes

Criticism also upsets me in real life, for instance, when I do chores for my grandmother. I hope everyone had a happy christmas.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

Marian Andreescu joined the People's Party (PP) in 1919, but soon left it due to opposing Averescu's repression of labour demands, instead founding the Romanian Farmers' Party in April 1920.

Left-wing politicians Nicolae L. Lupu and Leon Ghelerter would only come out in support of the First Romanian Republic after it did not turn out to be as violent and authoritarian as they expected, due to their belief in democracy and peaceful reforms.

From the time the Iron Guard was founded onwards, there were violent street clashes between the group and the PFR, due to both Andreescu and Codreanu calling themselves Capitanul and each considering himself to be the legitimate holder of the title. After the Revolution, the Legion and the LANC formed a fractious alliance against the new regime, but they hated each other and it soon broke down, leaving the groups to fight the other instead of just the Republic.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

In spite of the Romanian revolutionaires' socialist radicalism, admiration towards the USSR, and anti-Western rethoric, negotiations for a Soviet-Romanian Treaty of Friendship collapsed in early 1932.

The reason was the Romanian refusal to transfer Moldova and Bessarabia to the Soviets, due to Marian Andreescu's support for "Greater Romania", the overall anti-communism of the Romanian populace, and the fact giving up on a fundamental part of Romanian nationalism would easily lead to a counter-revolution.

The USSR would later annex these two regions after its victory in WWII, having little influence in Romania, which, as a result, remained in the French sphere of influence until the Fall of France.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

Much of Bucharest's wider infrastructure was devastated by the fighting, as the Legion framed their rebellion as a struggle against Bolshevism.

Important Romanian businessmen, notably Nicolae Malaxa, had not seen their assets nationalized following the Revolution; as such, they provided the LANC with funding it used to finance their participation in the revolt, but the League had virtually no mass appeal, especially when compared with the messianic Legion, so their participation was small and unimportant. The LANC disbanded shortly after getting outlawed.

The antisemitic laws passed by the FPR banned Jewish businesses from employing over 50 workers, and nationalised the ones over that threshold; they also imposed a Jewish quota from universities, and ordered the forceful assimilation of Romani.

Starting in 1934, the Romanian economy experienced growth, especially as the FPR partly abandoned their emphasis on the peasantry to follow an industrialisation policy modeled after the USSR's First Five-Year Plan, although small business were not nationalised and Romania continued to allow private investment in a limited scale.

 

[NotDavidSoslan]

The Constitution provided that, from 1934 onwards, one-fifth of the deputies of Romania's unicameral parliament would represent the various professions.

It also codified several benefits for workers, both urban and rural; paid sick leave, paid vacations, unemployment benefits, and the right to unionize, although, by the late 1930s, Romanian unions were effectively under state control as part of the First Five-Year Plan.

This constitution abolished the death penalty, except for treason during wartime, but denounced contracts between Romanian political forces and outside patrons, and declared the "common good" to be above individual liberty.

Mihai Ralea, the author of the new Constitution, was a far-left, agrarian socialist philosopher who strongly supported the Revolution in spite of disagreeing with its traditionalist bent and strong support for Orthodoxy. He later served as Minister of Education and Ambassador to Yugoslavia.

The Constitution remained in effect until a joint German-Bulgarian force captured Bucharest, causing Marian Andreescu to commit suicide in order to avoid getting captured by Axis forces.