10) Opposition: Ideas and Ideologies

Question 1

The growth of liberal opposition to 1905

Answer 1

• Spread of education + emergence of stronger middle class💼➡️⬆️in liberals pressing for more representation + rule of law👩🏻‍⚖️.
• Liberals limited political influence prior 1905 but contributed to pressure for change.
• Achieved one of their aims 1905 when State Duma established✅.

Question 2

The development of socialism and the emergence of the Social Revolutionary Party

Answer 2

• Great Famine 1891-92 highlighted need to reform rural economy➡️students🎓began to promote new form of Populism involving violent protest⚔️.
• 1899 SRs founded. Loose organisation. Variety of views. Led by Chernov in 2nd Duma (1907). Combined Marxism + Populist ideas.
• Tried to unite peasants👨🏼‍🌾+ workers👷🏼‍♀️against autocracy🤴🏻🚫+ for land redistribution. Attempted to stir up discontent in countryside + strikes in towns.
• Tried to disrupt govt by political assassinations (2,000 1901-05)💣.
• Played active role in 1905 Rev.
• Assassinated Stolypin 1911💣.
• 50% support from urban working class + large peasant membership.

❌Infiltrated by secret police🕵🏻‍♂️➡️4,000+ executed 1905-09☠️.

Question 3

The influence of Marxism and the development of the Social Democratic Party

Answer 3

• Industrialisation 1890s➡️Marxism attracted many R intellectuals.
• 1898 SDs created out of various Marxist groups. Shared basic principles w/ SRs but different approach.
• Believed working class exploited + future of R product of class struggle. Motivation for change had to come from working class.
• 1903 SDs split largely due to aggravation of Lenin; Bolsheviks🆚Mensheviks - roughly equal groups. Both accepted main principles of Marxism but split over role of party.
• Bolsheviks: Led by Lenin. Centralised + disciplined organisation of profesional revolutionaries. Would lead workers in rev. Lenenism - working class govt👷🏼‍♀️w/ support of peasants👨🏼‍🌾. 1900 published ‘Iskra’ newspaper to unite revolutionaries🗞.
• Mensheviks: Led by Martov + supported by Trotsky. Broad party w/ mass working class membership👷🏼‍♀️. Cooperation w/ liberal parties. Believed in long period of bourgeoise democratic govt🤵🏻while workers developed a class👷🏼‍♀️+ revolutionary consciousness until ready to take over in a socialist rev.

Question 4

Evidence that Russia was heading towards revolution in 1914❌

Answer 4

❌No significant steps towards democracy.

❌⬆️ worker unrest👷🏼‍♀️⚔️.

❌Loyalty of army uncertain after 1905-06 mutinies + subsequent reforms (⬇️service to 3 years➡️💂🏻‍♀️in contact w/ strains in civilian society).

❌⬆️ Bolshevik support, e.g. from Metal Workers Union⛏ (workers becoming radicalised).

❌⬆️ political assassinations🔫.

❌After Lena Goldfields Massacre 1912 (unarmed workers striking due to harsh working conditions shot; 270☠️ + 250 wounded), ⬆️ freq + scale of workers strikes👷🏼‍♀️ both political👑 🚫+ economic💶.

❌July 1914 general strike in St. Petersburg w/ barricades + street fighting⚔️.

❌40,000 Bs’ Pravda in national circulation🗞 (double Ms’).

❌Rural poverty severe some places💰🚫, Stolypin’s reforms divisive⚖️🚫, peasants not tied to Tsar🤴🏻🚫 + resentment over repression 1906-07👨🏼‍🌾😡.

❌Mensheviks used 1905 political freedoms to create legal labour movement➡️ ⬆️ support in TUs.

Question 5

Evidence that Russia was developing into a stable parliamentary democracy in 1914✅

Answer 5

✅Dumas = significant step towards democracy🗳.

✅Worker unrest not revolutionary - most of workers in larger factories not socialist, striking for pay💰 + working conditions🏭👷🏼‍♀️.

✅No significant rural unrest after Stolypin’s land reforms + good harvests👨🏼‍🌾.

✅Successful change made in 3rd Duma🟢.

✅R economy doing well💸.

✅Bolsheviks not significant threat - infiltrated by Okhrana🕵🏻‍♂️ (1909 Bs St. Petersburg Committee 4/5 = Okhrana) + leadership in exile or isolated abroad🛫.

✅Mensheviks not contemplating rev😎.

✅Ms’ labour movement ⬇️ after 1905 due to repression of TUs.

✅Liberal opposition not revolutionary: feared the masses.

✅Liberals weak + divided: Octobrists + Kadets distrusted each other; Kadets not recovered from consequences of Vyborg; Octobrists lost influence after 3rd Duma🟢.

✅SRs infiltrated by Okhrana🕵🏻‍♂️ + divisions among leadership + between leadership + rank.