Russia: Pre-1905 Growth of Opposition.

• Seeds of opposition sown well before reign of Alexander III

• Despite the reaction revolutionary activities continued- June 1888 332 mass disturbances

• Repression and especially Russification drove many into opposition either in Russia or abroad

• Turn of the century revolutionaries contained many Jews forced into opposition (e.g. Trotsky, Zinoviev)

• Four main opposition groups opposed to tsardom can be identified: The Populists, Social Revolutionaries, Social Democrats, the Liberals.

• Leadership drawn from the upper middle classes, Russian intelligentsia

Ideas:

• 1870s attempted to educate the peasantry through "Going to the people"- campaign failed

Impact:

• Split movement- Passive vs Violent- People's will assassinated Alex II turned to terrorism

• Revolution based on peasantry unrealistic.

• Populist leaders killed after assassination, but sowed the seeds of other revolutionary groups.

• Grew out of the populists
• Interest in social- economic issues
• Peasant orientated programme- lead by "Victor Chernov" 1901

Ideas:

• Wished to widen the concept of the people in order to attempt to overthrow the Tsarist regime with the works- this was appealing
• 
  

Impact:

• Attracted revolutionary youth similar to populists divided by anarchist vs peaceful
• Killed 2,000 (inc G Duke Sergei + Plehve)
• However terrorism dominated, dint encourage uprising and didn't overthrow the system

• Marxists (1895) from the emancipation of the labour party

Ideas:

• Committed to Marxism
• Looked to the proletariat to push forward Russia, excited by industrial spurt + growth of working class
• Bolsheviks-for immediate change/ Mensheviks- for strengthening of working class

Impact

• Progress slow, had small 'cells' in cities
• Played small role 1905

• Middle class industrialists, national minorities

Ideas

• Wanted independence + modernisation through social/political change by overthrowing tsardom
• Wanted independence from Russian control

Impact:

• Wanted to weaken system, not destroy