How accurate is it to say that the growth of reformist groups in the years from 1881 was the main cause of the 1905 Revolution?

Long Term Causes:

• growth of reformist groups-demand was growing but the reformers were a mixed  group, some wanted to share power with the Tsar whilst others wanted to overthrow him completely. The Social Revolutionaries wanted political power for the peasants and were willing to use violence to achieve their aims. They were responsible for over 2 thousand assassinations including the Tsar's Uncle, Grand Duke Sergei. The Social Democrats were extremely radical who were also willing to use violence to achieve their aims. They wanted to give power to the workers but most of the leaders were in exile. Once Bloody Sunday had occured, many who were exiled returned.

• social and economic causes- 80% of the population were peasants who lived in poverty and the peasants population was growing rapidly. The size of peasant landholdings fell to provide individual plots for every peasant family. They could survive as long as harvests were good but in 1892, 1898 and 1901 there were failures which caused famine…