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