Political Opponents of the Tsar

Liberals

• A moderate party (Constitutional Democrats)

• Also known as the Kadets

• Most were from the Intelligentsia section of society

• Supported by many middle class people

• Wanted a Parliament with free democratic elections like the British system

• Used peaceful protest.

Socialist Revolutionary Party

• Largest opposition group

• Supported by many peasants

• Demanded more land for those that worked the land

• Had developed the use of terror as a political weapon and employed it when necessary.

Social Democratic Party

• Smallest opposition group

• Most radical

• Believed in the ideas of the German Communist thinker, Karl Marx

• Believed the workers would start a revolution

• Split into two groups in 1903: the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks

Bolsheviks .vs. Mensheviks

• Bolsheviks (majority group)

• Led by Lenin• Committed Marxists• Waiting for the

revolution• Believed in a tight-knit

group of revolutionaries

• Mensheviks (minority group

• Led by Martov• Compete at elections• Campaign for reforms

now• Believed in a large

party of activists

Lenin

• Lenin was born Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov in Simbrisk on 22nd April 1870

• He studied law at university where he learned about western ideals

• He was expelled from university for his radical ideas• He moved to St Petersburg where he became a

professional revolutionary• He was arrested and exiled in Siberia where he adopted

his name “Lenin”• He travelled Europe where he became well known and

became the leader of the Bolshevik section of the Russian Social Democratic Worker’s party

Liberals/Kadets (Moderate – want Govt like Britain – supported by M/C)

Socialist Revolutionary Party(largest with support of peasants)

Bolsheviks

(Lenin - Marxists)

Mensheviks

(Martov)

Tsar as Autocrat

Russian Political Spectrum

LEFTRIGHT