RADICAL PARTIES AND GROUPS IN RUSSIA

Social Democrats

Socialist Revolutionaries

later split into Mensheviks and Bolsheviks

The Liberals

Octobrists

Members of the liberal class who wanted more political freedom.

They wanted to see Russia develop similar to Western States with parliamentary governments, such as Britain

Use peaceful means only to achieve their aims

Split into Octobrists and Kadets

Kadets

They regarded the October Manifesto as the basis of the Russian political system and the limit of constitutional change

Viewed the October Manifesto as the first step towards a parliamentary government

They wanted to redistribute the land to the peasantry, This made therm very popular as 80% of the population were peasants

Left Wing

Right Wing

Took inspiration from Western ideas about hoe society should develop.

They were Marxists who who wanted to overthrow the Tsar and establish a socialist society

They were willing to use violent means to achieve their objectives

Social democrat split

In the second party congress in London 1903, they split into two factions, the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks. This was due to a disagreement between Yuli Martov and Lenin on how the party should be run. They won a vote led by Lenin, but only after they excluded the Jewish faction. However, in reality the mensheviks outnumbered the bolsheviks.

Mensheviks

Bolsheviks

Believed the SDs should have a broad membership, admitting anyone in sympathy with their aims

Lenin wanted to limit the membership to dedicated revolutionaries