Opposition Parties Flashcards
Get to grips with the opposition parties and what they stood for during the time of the Tsar
Who were the Bolsheviks?
They were the ones who eventually took control of Russia for good after the end of the Civil war in 1917.
They were very radical and believed in a working class revolution ASAP.
They did not work with other parties and were very exclusive, violent, and disciplined.
Led by Lenin.
Stemmed originally from the Social Democrats
Who were the Mensheviks?
They stemmed from the Social Democrats (like the Bolsheviks) but they were far less violent and much more moderate.
They were open to everyone and had a more democratic leadership style within the party.
Follow all the stages or Marxism in order (feudalism, capitalism, socialism, communism)
Who were the Socialist Revolutionaries? (SR’s)
They were very radical and very violent.
They wanted to save the serfs by educating them and working with them.
They didn’t work as the serfs didn’t trust them
Who were the Kadets?
They were a Liberal party.
They wanted a monarch… But a constitutional one.
They wanted full democracy.
They wanted to give nationals their independence back.
They were the largest Liberal party.
Not very violent
Who were the Octobrists?
They were a Liberal party.
They respected the October Manifesto and didn’t want any more or any less than that.
They supported the Tsar and the Russian Empire.
Most members were in big business and very wealthy.
They were not at all radical
Why did the SR’s struggle so much to win over the peasantry?
The peasants had to compete for everything they owned and so giving up their possessions was unimaginable.
The peasants believed the SR’s had ulterior motives and so didn’t trust them
What were the SR’s tactics?
Propoganda - ‘going to the people’.
Live with the peasantry and learn from them.
Assassinate and terrorise to bend their opposition to their will.
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