Socialist-Revolutionary Party

The Socialist-Revolutionary Party (SRs, or Esers; ?????? ???????????-?????????????? (???), ????? in Russian) were a Russian political party active in the early 20th century.

Related Topics:
Russian - 20th century

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The Party was established in 1901 under the leadership of Victor Chernov. Their programme was in the democratic socialist mold and garnered much support amongst Russia's rural peasantry who in particular supported their programme of land-socialisation as opposed to the Bolshevik programme of land-nationalisation. Their policy platform could be broadly described as left-wing, although more moderate than that of the Bolsheviks.

Related Topics:
1901 - Victor Chernov - Democratic socialist - Peasantry - Bolshevik

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They grew directly out of the populist oriented movement. With the economic spurt in Russia of the 1890s they attempted to broaden their basis of appeal in order to attract the rapidly growing urban workforce to their traditionally peasant orientated programme.

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The intention was to widen the concept of the 'people' so that it encompassed all those elements in society that had reason for wishing to see the destruction of the Tsarist system.

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The Russian Revolution of February, 1917 brought the SRs a more prolific political role, with one of their members Alexander Fedorovich Kerensky joining the liberal government, eventually becoming the head of government.

Related Topics:
Russian Revolution - February - 1917 - Alexander Fedorovich Kerensky - Liberal

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The Party also had the "SR Combat Organization", a terrorist group led by Gregory Gershuni which operated seperately from the party so as not to discredit the Socialist Revolutionaries. The SRCO was esencial to the workings of the Party, being responsible for the assasination of Minister of the Interior, D. S. Sipyagin, and later N. M. Bogdanovich, the Governor of Ufa. Later betrayed by his deputy, Yevno Azef, who was an agent for the Okhranka, Gershuni was arrested and tried for terrorism. Azef became the new leader of the SRCO, and continued working for the SRCO and the Okrhana, who thought he was entirely on their side.

Related Topics:
Terrorist - Gregory Gershuni - Yevno Azef - Okhranka

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The SR continued to play an important role in politics by boycotting elections, infiltrating the Okrhanka, and continued terrorism from the SR Combat Organization.

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In 1917 the SRs split between those who supported the Provisional Government, established after the February Revolution, and those who supported the Bolsheviks who favoured a communist revolution. Those who supported bolsheviks became known as Left Socialist-Revolutionaries (Left SRs) and in effect split from the main party, which has become known as "Right SRs".

Related Topics:
Provisional Government - February Revolution - Bolshevik - Communist - Left Socialist-Revolutionaries

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The SRs faded after the October Revolution brought the Bolsehviks to power although in the election to the Constituent Assembly they proved to be the most popular party across the country, gaining some 40% of the popular vote as opposed to the Bolsheviks 25%. However, the Bolsheviks disbanded the Assembly and thereafter the SRs become of less political significance, although some Left-SRs (including Victor Chernov, who became Minister of Agriculture) did become part of the government of the RSFSR, although they resigned their positions after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed. A few Left-SRs like Mikhail Kalinin joined the Communist Party.

Related Topics:
October Revolution - Election - Constituent Assembly - Victor Chernov - RSFSR - Treaty of Brest-Litovsk - Mikhail Kalinin - Communist Party

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The SR and other anti-bolshevik parties were banned in 1918 and most Party-members resorted to terrorism. A former SR, Fanya Kaplan tried to assassinate Lenin in response to proscription of SR members on August 30 1918.

Related Topics:
Bolshevik - 1918 - Fanya Kaplan - Lenin - August 30

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Many SRs fought for the Whites and Greens in the Russian Civil War alongside Mensheviks and other banned moderate socialist elements. The largest Tambov Rebellion against Bolsheviks was led by an SR Alexander Antonov.

Related Topics:
Whites - Greens - Russian Civil War - Mensheviks - Socialist - Tambov Rebellion - Alexander Antonov

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