Opposition: ideas and ideology by 1914 (6)

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  • Created by: MonsurAli
  • Created on: 03-06-17 16:53
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  • Opposition: ideas and ideology by 1914
    • Liberal opposition
      • Zemstva: Liberals were strongly represented in the Zemstva. They were educated and highly critical of the autocracy. Land Captains and removing Zemstva members only increased opposition.
        • Nicholas II rejected proposals for a national Duma ('senseless dream').
        • 1891-92 famine which they had to deal with, sparked more anger.
      • Other Liberals: Zubatov (head of Okhrana) favoured liberalisation and was given permission to legalise Trade Unions in 1900 (although it failed in 1903).
      • Some liberals created 'Beseda' in 1899 (first organised group). It merged with the Union of Liberation (founded by Struve). Struve was a Marxist who opposed violence. 50 banquets were held over 1904 to spread union's message.
        • They had limited influence before 1905, but were won over by the October manifesto and Duma. They were mainly represented by the Kadets.
      • The Tsar and the liberals
        • Tried to cooperate through the Dumas but the liberals were frustrated by the authority of the the regime.
        • Numerous Kadet leaders were arrested after dissolution of first Duma 1906. Then after the 2nd Duma, the electorate was reduced in size.
        • The Tsar constantly ignored or overruled the Dumas and there was little hope for a constitutional monarchy by 1914.
    • Radical opposition
      • SR's: established 1901; combined Marxism with Populist belief of land redistribution. Chernov edited the party journal (Revolutionary Russia) and wanted peasants and workers to challenge the autocracy.
        • They carried out 2000 political assassinations from 1901-05 and in 1911 they assassinated Peter Stolypin. Over 2000 SR's were executed.
      • SD's and Marxism: Marxism gained more support as industrialisation occurred. Plekhanov established first Russian Marxist association (EoL group); They smuggled Marxist literature in, encouraging collaboration to overthrow Tsardom.
        • Plekhanov believed the peasantry were not the right group to attract.
        • Lenin was attracted to Marxism when he was a law student. He was arrested and exiled to Siberia until 1900.
        • Social Democratic Workers' party (SD's) founded in 1898. Only 9 delegates attended, but they wrote a manifesto and elected a 3-man Central Committee. (2 of them were immediately arrested). Lenin created 'What is to be done?' pamphlet from Switzerland.
          • 51 delegates attended second congress in Brussels, then London. However disagreements with Martov split the party. Lenin's followers were known as Bolsheviks and, Martovs, Mensheviks after a crucial party vote.
            • Lenin: wanted a small centrally controlled, disciplined party of professional revolutionaries who would lead revolution for the workers. He refused to work with other parties and trade unions; and believed a bourgeoisie and proletarian revolution could happen at the same time.
            • Martov: wanted a democratic party open to all. He was willing to cooperate with other parties and trade unions. He believed workers should lead the revolution and that a proletarian revolution could only happen after a bourgeois one.
      • Trade unions: 1905 strikes showed how threatening they were. The govt were more fearful of the trade unions as the radical opposition did not seem to have any clear leader (Trotsky exiled to Serbia and Lenin fleeing to Finland).
        • This resulted in 497 Trade unions being shut down. However after a shooting of an unarmed demonstrator in 1912, they came back and used skilled workers to strike effectively.
        • However the strikes were limited as only 12% of enterprises experienced them. This was due to geographic issues.

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