Booklet 1 - Opposition within Tsarist Russia Flashcards
1
Q
What were the 4 main opposition groups by 1905?
A
- Social Revolutionaries
- Social Democrats: Bolsheviks
- Social Democrats: Mensheviks
- Liberals
2
Q
Where did the Social Revolutionaries originate from?
A
- They grew out of the Narodniks
- Party formed in 1901 and divided into anarchists and revolutionaries
- Anarchists- continue policies of the Narodniks
- Revolutionaries- wanted to cooperate with other parties to bring about poltical change
- Led by Chernov
3
Q
What did the Anarchists do?
A
Between 1901 and 1905 they were responsible for 2000 political assasinations including the Tsar’s uncle and a minsiter
4
Q
Why was 1906 good for the SRs?
A
- They gained more support from professional classes, trade unions and peasants
- Their land policies of returning land to peasants from the bourgeoise allowed them to be the most popular party with the peasants
5
Q
What were the negatives of the Social Revolutionaries?
A
- The left wing broke away - the SRs focused too much on the peasants and ignored industry
- The right wing stated that the land policy was unworkable
- They had a lot of radical group’s support
6
Q
Explain the Social Democrats
A
- Formed in 1898 and was a Marxist party
- Led by Lenin
- Lenin formed a newspaper to communicate with the membership
- Lenin said the key to a revolution was intelligentsia and the undertanding of Marxism would lead a revolution to success
- In 1903 the party split into Mensheviks and Bolsheviks
7
Q
Explain the Mensheviks
A
- Led by Martov
- Russia is not yet ready for revolution as there had to be a bourgeoise stage before a proletariat stage
- Membership open to all revolutionaries
- Democratic discussions and desicions voted by members
- Alliance with all revolutionary and bourgeoise liberal parties - in support of better wages and conditions for workers
8
Q
Explain the Bolsheviks
A
- Led by Lenin
- Stages of bourgeoise and proletariat could be adapted into one to push for marxism
- Restricted membership of professional revolutionaries
- The central committee had authority in the party
- Didn’t cooperate with other parties, dismissed bad working conditions and aimed to turn workers into revolutionaries
9
Q
Explain the 3 Liberal groups
A
- Established through banquitting parties as political parties were banned (upper class)
- The League of Liberation
- The Octoberist party
- The Kadets
10
Q
Liberal
The League of Liberation
A
- Founded in 1904
- Wanted to replace the Tsar’s absolutism with a constitutional monarchy
- They wanted a vote for all Russian citizens
- Mainly supported by middle classes and believed in nationalism, many nationalists supported them
11
Q
Liberal
The Octoberists
A
- Founded in 1905
- Led by Guchkov
- Supported by businessmen
- Supported the Tsar and believed that the establishment of the Duma would be efficient and create reform
12
Q
Liberal
The Kadets
A
- Established 1905
- Emerged from the League of Liberation
- Led by Milyukov
- Largest Liberal group
- Wanted a constitutional monarchy and an elected national assembly to limit the Tsar’s powers
- Supported trade unions and wanted to end censorship as well as improve education
- Formed the provisional government after the February Revolution, 1917
13
Q
What was the job of the Okhrana?
A
- 1880- police established a special unit to deal with internal security (the okhrana)
- Formed in industrial cetres of St Petersburg and Moscow to tackle trade unions
- Worked undercover and exposed political crimes before they were committed
- 2500 full time Okhrana agents
- Joined revolutionary groups to spy on members but many agents ended up supporting their cause: they became double agents, supplying the okhrana and the revolutionary group
- Okhrana sections also based in London and Paris to deal with illegal organisations
- Okhrana killed 26,000 people without trial
- 1890s, 10,000 people exiled to Siberia each year
