The Influence Of Marxism + The Development Of The Social Democratic Workers Party Flashcards
What helped Marxism become more attractive?
-the Ind takeoff made Marxist theories more attractive to Russian intellectuals from lat 1890s
What types of groups were attracted to Marxism?
-discussion circles, workers organisations, illegal TUs
What was common to SRs + SD? (Social Democratic workers party)
-the socialism was common to both
-but despite sharing similar principles their approaches differ markedly
When did SD emerge?
-1898 as an amalgam of various Marxist groups
When was the first congress of SD held?
-1898 held in Minsk marking launch of new party welding Marxist groups together
-but only 9 delegated present
What happened at SD first congress?
-chose name, elected three man central committee + produced manifesto drawn up by Struve
What did this manifesto assert?
-working classes being exploited by masters
-furtive of Rus be product of the class struggle
What did the manifesto make clear?
-the impetus for change had to come from the working class themselves
What happened to the Congress?
-broken up by Okhrana who promptly arrested two of newly elected committee
-not promising start
When was the second party congress?
-1903 in Brussels with 51 voting delegates
-they insidered variety of propositions to how party move forward
What did Lenin argue in favour of?
-Lenin converted to Marxist ideas as student from 1887
-argued for strict disciplined organisation of professional rev’s to lead proletariat
Who countered this?
-Julius Martov argues their task should be to develop broad party with mass working classes membership
How did Lenin + martov differ?
-martov saw members cooperating with other liberal parties
-Lenin wanted total dedication to rev only
How did Lenin win the divide?
-only won when number representatives withdrew + Lenin won more centralised party structure
What did Lenin claim following this?
-his supporters were the majority (bolshevik)
-his opponents led by Martov + supported by Trotsky were the minority (Mensheviks)
What happened in the party over the following years?
-continued argument + rivalry within embryonic party about nature, timing + organisation of rev
What happened with the divide in the party?
-Bolshevik + Menshevik division hardened so by 1906 effectively two social democratic workers parties
What were the consequences of this split?
-1903-04 many members changed sides e.g. Plekhanov abandoned B’viks
-Trotsky left M’viks Sept 1904 over alliance with Russian liberals
What was a key divide in the party between B’viks + M’viks?
-M’viks wanted follow democratic procedures + feared B’vik approach lead to dictatorship
-B’viks favoured control in the hands of a central committee
