How much political opposition did Tsarist Russia face

prior to 1905?
Aim: To describe Marxism as well as the many political threats facing
the Tsar

Starter:

1. Who is the man to the

right? What were some of
his key ideas?
 How much political opposition did Tsarist Russia face
prior to 1905?
Aim: To describe Marxism as well as the many political threats facing
the Tsar

Karl Marx - was a revolutionary, socialist,

historian, and economist who, with Friedrich
Engels, wrote the works that formed the basis
of communism.
Marxism - Marxism is a social, political, and
economic philosophy named after Karl Marx,
which examines the effect of capitalism on
labour, productivity, and economic development
and argues for a worker revolution to overturn
capitalism in favor of communism
Proletariat - working-class people regarded
collectively
Bourgeoisie - the capitalist class who own most
of society's wealth and means of production
Communism - a theory or system of social
organisation in which all property is owned by
the community and each person contributes and
receives according to their ability and needs.
 What is Marxism?
Communism is the
riddle of history
solved, and it
knows itself to be
this solution.
Under private property ... Each
tries to establish over the
other an alien power, so as
thereby to find satisfaction of
his own selfish need. The
increase in the quantity of
objects is therefore
accompanied by an extension of
the realm of the alien powers to
which man is subjected, and
every new product represents a
new potentiality of mutual
swindling and mutual plundering.
Political economy came into
being as a natural result of the
expansion of trade, and with its
appearance elementary,
unscientific huckstering was
replaced by a developed system
of licensed fraud, an entire
science of enrichment.
Accumulation of wealth at
one pole is, therefore, at the
same time accumulation of
misery, agony of toil slavery,
ignorance, brutality, mental
degradation, at the opposite
pole, i.e., on the side of the
class that produces its own
product in the form of
capital.
 What is Marxism?
1. Marx believed Capitalism, the economic system in Europe during the 19th century
and today, is fundamentally unequal, where the majority are exploited by a wealthy
minority. Marx instead championed a system in which inequality did not exist. I.e.
communism.
2. Marx believed it was the role of the workers, the proletariat, to rise up and
replace capitalism. He called for revolution and saw this almost as an inevitability,
preordained.
3. Marx emphasises ‘class struggle’ and deep rooted class divide - the haves and have
nots - He called for an abolition of this.
4. Internationalism - ‘Workers of the world, unite!’
5. Marx believed revolution and communism would first take place in less developed,
more autocratic capitalist states before spreading - Russia seemed a perfect place
for this.

Why do you think Communism and the work of Karl Marx would
appeal to the people of Russia in the late 19th century?
Key figures within the Russian Communist Movement

Vladimir Ilyich AKA Lenin was the
George Plekhanov leader of the Bolshevik faction of
the SDs. Later he would return to
established the
Social Democrats Russia from exile and become its
first Marxist leader. Lenin
(SDs) in 1898, and
believed the revolutionary party
was one of the first
should be highly centralised, which
Marxists in Russia. was small and made up of
He is seen as one of professional revolutionaries. He
the founding also believed it would lead the way
fathers of Russian for the working classes who he
Marxism despite believed would not attain
disagreeing with revolutionary consciousness
Lenin and his party, without the ‘revolutionary elite’.
the Bolsheviks
Lev Bronstein AKA Leon Trotsky
was the son of a wealthy Jewish
farmer from the Ukraine.
Trotsky was dissatisfied with
society, particularly its
treatment of Jews. He met
Lenin in London and quickly
became a great intellectual of
the movement famed for his
oratory and writing skills.
Trotsky feared Lenin’s views
would lead to dictatorship and
remained split in the SD.
Ultimately he joined Lenin’s
Bolsheviks and became crucial to
their success.
 The route to Communism
Read through the ‘route to communism.’ Create a similarities and
differences table and compare Marxist Theory to Leninism.

Comparison of Leninism and

Marxist Theory

Similarities Differences
 Comparison of Leninism and Marxist Theory

Similarities Differences

Revolution as a result of class Revolution undertaken by

struggle!! professionals (L)

Proletariat awakening Bourgeoisie and socialist

revolutions can be completed
together
 Different Political Groups in Russia
Complete the table below using pages 293-297 of the Textbook then:
1. What similarities can you find between the different groups?
2. Which group do you think the Tsar should be most fearful of?

Middle Class opposition & The The Socialist Revolutionaries The Social Democrats (SDs)
League of Liberation (SRs)

When and who established them? When and who established them? When and who established them?

What were their core What were their core What were their core
beliefs/principles? beliefs/principles? beliefs/principles?

How did they seek to achieve How did they seek to achieve How did they seek to achieve
their goals? their goals? their goals?

What was the difference between

 Different Political Groups in Russia
Complete the table below using pages 293-297 of the Textbook
Middle Class opposition & The
League of Liberation
When and who established
them?
1899
Est by middle class, students
at Unis
What were their core
beliefs/principles?
End autocracy - constitution
which includes freedom of
speech, private enterprise
How did they seek to achieve
their goals?
The Socialist Revolutionaries
(SRs)
When and who established them?
1902 - by middle class opposition
What were their core
beliefs/principles?
Chevnov - Russia had to take its
own path to socialism. Peasant
based instead of worker based
How did they seek to achieve
their goals?
Violence - but not all (moderates)
agreed wholeheartedly
The Social Democrats (SDs)
When and who established them?
End of 19th C - inspired by Marxist thought,
est by Lenin, Martov
What were their core beliefs/principles?
Socialist uprising, freedom for the workers
How did they seek to achieve their goals?
Lenin – Russia already capitalist, revolution
of the workers
Other said trade unions were key
What was the difference between
Bolsheviks and Mensheviks?
 Different Political Groups in Russia

Social Democrats (SDs)

Mainly agreed but were split in 1903 on the role of
the party

Bolsheviks (meaning Majority) Mensheviks (meaning minority)

- Led by Lenin
- Thought the party should be
made up of a small number of
professional revolutionaries
- Centralised leadership
- System of small groups making
it harder for police to
infiltrate.
- Party should be broad and
include everyone
- Have a democratic system where
workers could have their say in
policy
- Emphasis on trade unions
- Thought there would be a long
time before revolution due to
the need to undergo the
capitalist stage
 Reasons for limited success from opposition groups
before 1905
Read through the different factors limiting the success of opposition groups. Organise them within
their heading from biggest obstacle to success to smallest obstacle to success.
Then - decide which factor (Social, Repression, Division) had the biggest impact and explain your
answer.

Many revolutionary leaders were
forced to live in exile due to fear of
capture this included Lenin, Martov &
Cherbov. The Okhrana continued to
monitor revolutionary leaders even
after they had fled Russia.
Prior to 1905 opposition parties were The leaders of the socialist
illegal forcing them to work movements were themselves middle
‘underground’. class which made persuading the
working and peasant class difficult.

Getting Russia’s peasantry on board The Okhrana (Secret Police) were The Okhrana also had the support of
was a gargantuan task as they were skilled at disrupting and destroying the Army who were regularly
widely spread throughout Russia with revolutionary networks. brought in to break up strikes &
little communication between them. demonstrations.

Socialists and Liberals were so Even amongst the socialists (SRs & Event within individual groups there
ideologically different they could SDs) there was significant were divisions! See Mensheviks and
never form a coalition. differences. Bolsheviks.

In 1897 only 21% of the population The working class who many of the
could read this made traditional groups relied on only mad up 2% of
forms of propaganda (pamphlets, the population
newspapers etc) ineffective.
 Reasons for limited success from opposition groups
before 1905
Read through the different factors limiting the success of opposition groups. Organise them within
their heading from biggest obstacle to success to smallest obstacle to success. You can do this just
by labelling them 1-4.
Then - decide which factor (Social, Repression, Division) had the biggest impact and explain your
answer.

Social Factors Repression Division

The working class who many of the Prior to 1905 opposition parties were Socialists and Liberals were so
groups relied on only mad up 2% of illegal forcing them to work ideologically different they could
the population ‘underground’. never form a coalition.

Getting Russia’s peasantry on board The Okhrana (Secret Police) were Even amongst the socialists (SRs &
was a gargantuan task as they were skilled at disrupting and destroying SDs) there was significant
widely spread throughout Russia with revolutionary networks. differences.
little communication between them.

In 1897 only 21% of the population
could read this made traditional
forms of propaganda (pamphlets,
newspapers etc) ineffective.
Many revolutionary leaders were Event within individual groups there
forced to live in exile due to fear of were divisions! See Mensheviks and
capture this included Lenin, Martov & Bolsheviks.
Cherbov. The Okhrana continued to
monitor revolutionary leaders even
after they had fled Russia.

The leaders of the socialist The Okhrana also had the support of
movements were themselves middle the Army who were regularly
 Russian Social Democrat Labour Party (RSDLP)

The Social Democrats met for their first Congress in

Minsk . The party was illegal in Russia and very quickly
this congress (which was due to last several weeks)
was shut down by the Okhrana.

All 9 members of the first congress were arrested.

When the party came to run their

2nd Congress they moved first to
Belgium, then to London. The 51
members were debating the process
by which they could undertake
revolution in Russia.

But there was an issue…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=biWgjDVsNGw
What is the be done?
Lenin’s pamphlet entitled What is the be done?,
published in 1902 was the basis for much argument at
the congress.

In it, Lenin argued that only way to achieve revolution

was through the work of a small group of professional
revolutionaries. He felt that the working class should
be left to their work and building the conditions for a
future socialist utopia.

He was strongly opposed by

Julius Martov and his close
friend Leon Trotsky. They
instead thought that all the
members should have a say in
the revolutionary process.

The party split on 17th Nov

1903
 How much of a threat were political groups to the Tsar
in 1905 ?

They pose They a great

very little to threat and could
no threat overthrow him
What was the biggest threat to the Tsar before 1905?

The Urban Workers

The national minorities

Political opponents

The Peasants