Chapter 2 —s10 Flashcards
Outline The growth of liberal opposition to 1905
-education spread, stronger middle class emerged
- number of liberals pressing for more representation and the rule of law grew
What did struve help found in 1903 that encouraged liberal opposition
- helped found the union of liberation
- this pushed for a constitutional system where urban workers could campaign legally to improve conditions
What aim did the liberals eventually achieve in 1905
State Duma was established
What did the great famine of 1891-92 highlight
The need to reform the rural economy
Who did the SR’s represent
Peasants and workers, focusing on land redistribution and social justice
Who was the biggest influence on the SR party
Most influential theorist - chernov, a law graduate and editor of the party journal
How did the SR’s operate
- attempted to stir up discontent in countryside and towns
- responsible for over 2000 political assassinations (including the PM stolypin in 1911)
Where did support for the SR’s come from
50% came from urban working class
Large peasant membership too
What eventually happened to the SR party
Secret police infiltrated the movement
Over 4000 were sentenced to death, little over half were actually executed
What was the influence of Marxism
More attractive to many Russian intellectuals as industrialisation took place
What was the SD’s main beliefs
Marxism - believed that the working class were and had always been exploited
Impetus for change had to come from the working men themselves
What happened at the second party congress in 1903
Lenin carried the vote in favour of having a centralised party structure and claimed his supporters were in the majority
How did the SD’s split in 1893
Into:
- the Bolshevik’s (majority - led by Lenin, favoured a disciplined centralised party)
- the Mensheviks (minority - led by Martin, wanted a broader mass movement)
What was the extent of opposition between 1905 and 1914 line in trade unions
- trade unions legalised after 1995 revolution but unable to achieve a lot
- hundreds closed down after 1906
- 1912 - shooting of unarmed demonstrators at Lena goldfields massacre triggered strikes
How did the concessions of 1905-06 help reduce opposition
After 1905 there was no single strong opposition among the nationalities
Between 1905-14 the revolutionary SDs and SRs were weakened by the exile of their leaders and their rivalry
