Socialist-Revolutionary leaders, programs, tactics of struggle. Who was the leader of the Socialist Revolutionary Party (SR)?

At the beginning of the 20th century, in the colorful kaleidoscope of domestic political events in Russia, a special place was occupied by the party of socialist revolutionaries, or, as they are commonly called, the Socialist-Revolutionaries. Despite the fact that by 1917 they numbered more than a million people, they failed to realize their ideas. Subsequently, many Social Revolutionary leaders ended their days in exile, and those who did not want to leave Russia fell under the ruthless wheel

Development of a theoretical base

Viktor Chernov, the leader of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party, was the author of the program, which was first published in 1907 in the Revolutionary Russia newspaper. It was based on the theories of a number of classics of Russian and foreign socialist thought. As a working document, unchanged throughout the entire period of the existence of the party, this program was adopted at the first party congress, held in 1906.

Historically, the Social Revolutionaries were followers of the Narodniks and, just like them, preached the country's transition to socialism by peaceful means, bypassing the capitalist period of development. In their program they put forward the prospect of building a society of democratic socialism, in which the leading role was assigned to workers' trade unions and cooperative organizations. Its leadership was carried out by the parliament and local governments.

Basic principles for building a new society

Socialist-Revolutionary leaders at the beginning of the 20th century believed that the future society should be based on the socialization of agriculture. In their opinion, its construction will begin precisely in the countryside and will include, first of all, the prohibition of private ownership of land, but not its nationalization, but only its transfer to public ownership, excluding the right to buy and sell. Local councils, built on a democratic basis, should manage it, and wages will be made strictly in accordance with the real contribution of each employee or the whole team.

The Socialist-Revolutionary leaders considered democracy and political freedom in all forms to be the main condition for building the future. As for the state structure of Russia, the members of the AKP were supporters of the federal form. Also, one of the most important requirements was the proportional representation of all segments of the population in elected bodies of power and direct popular legislation.

Creation of a party

The first party cell of the Social Revolutionaries was formed in 1894 in Saratov and was in close connection with the local group of Narodnaya Volya. When they were liquidated, the Socialist-Revolutionaries began independent activities. It consisted mainly in developing its own program and issuing printed leaflets and brochures. The work of this circle was led by the leader of the party of socialist revolutionaries (Socialist-Revolutionaries) of those years, A. Argunov.

Over the years, their movement gained significant scope, and by the end of the nineties, its cells appeared in many large cities of the country. The beginning of the new century was marked by many structural changes in the composition of the party. Its independent branches were formed, such as the "Southern Party of the Socialist-Revolutionaries" and the "Socialist-Revolutionary Union" created in the northern regions of Russia. Over time, they merged with the central organization, creating a powerful structure capable of solving national problems. During these years, the leader (Socialist-Revolutionaries) was V. Chernov.

Terror as a Path to a "Bright Future"

One of the most important components of the party was their "Combat Organization", which first announced itself in 1902. The first victim was the Minister of the Interior. Since then, the revolutionary path to a "bright future" has been generously stained with the blood of political opponents. The terrorists, although they were members of the AKP, were in a completely autonomous and independent position.

The Central Committee, pointing to the next victim, only called the expected time for the execution of the sentence, leaving the militants complete organizational freedom of action. The leaders of this deeply conspiratorial part of the party were Gershuni and the provocateur, the secret agent of the Okhrana, Azef, who was later exposed.

The attitude of the Social Revolutionaries to the events of 1905

When the leaders of the Social Revolutionaries broke out in the country, they were very skeptical about it. In their opinion, it was neither bourgeois nor socialist, but was a kind of intermediate link between them. The transition to socialism, they argued, should be carried out in stages by peaceful means, and only the union of the peasantry, to which the leading position was given, as well as the proletariat and the working intelligentsia, could become its driving force. The Constituent Assembly was to become the highest legislative body, according to the Socialist-Revolutionaries. They chose the phrase "Land and Freedom" as their political slogan.

From 1904 to 1907, the party carried out extensive propaganda and agitation work. A number of legal print publications are published, which helps to attract even more members to their ranks. The dissolution of the terrorist group "Combat Organization" belongs to the same period. Since that time, the activities of militants have become decentralized, their number has increased significantly, and at the same time, political assassinations have become more frequent. The loudest of them in those years was the explosion of the carriage of the Moscow mayor, committed by I. Kalyaev. In total, there were 233 terrorist acts during this period.

Divisions within the party

In the same years, the process of separation from the party of independent structures that formed independent political organizations began. This subsequently led to a fragmentation of forces and eventually caused the collapse. Serious disagreements arose even within the ranks of the Central Committee. So, for example, the well-known Socialist-Revolutionary leader of 1905, Savinkov, proposed, despite the tsar's manifesto, which gave citizens certain freedoms, to intensify terror, and another prominent party figure, Azef, insisted on its termination.

When the First World War broke out, the so-called international trend appeared in the leadership of the party, supported primarily by representatives of the left wing.

It is characteristic that the leader of the Left SRs - Maria Spiridonova - later joined the Bolsheviks. During the February Revolution, the Socialist-Revolutionaries, having entered into a single bloc with the Menshevik defencists, became the largest party of that time. They had numerous representation in the Provisional Government. Many leaders of the Social Revolutionaries received leadership positions in it. It is enough to name such names as A. Kerensky, V. Chernov, N. Avksentiev and others.

The fight against the Bolsheviks

Already in October 1917, the Social Revolutionaries entered into a tough confrontation with the Bolsheviks. In their appeal to the peoples of Russia, they called the armed seizure of power committed by the latter madness and crime. The delegation of the Socialist-Revolutionaries left the meeting of people's deputies in protest. They even organized the Committee for the Salvation of the Motherland and the Revolution, which was headed by the well-known leader of the Socialist Revolutionary (SR) party of that period, Abram Gots.

In the elections to the All-Russian Socialist-Revolutionaries received the majority of votes, and the permanent leader of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party at the beginning of the 20th century, Viktor Chernov, was elected chairman. The Party Council defined the fight against Bolshevism as a top priority and urgent, which was carried out during the years of the Civil War.

However, a certain indecision in their actions was the reason for the defeat and arrests. Especially many members of the AKP were behind bars in 1919. As a result of intra-party disagreements, the disunity of its ranks continued. An example is the creation in Ukraine of its own independent party of socialist revolutionaries.

The end of the AKP

At the beginning of 1920, the Central Committee of the Party ceased its activities, and a year later a trial took place at which many of its members were convicted of "anti-people activities". A prominent leader of the Socialist Revolutionary Party (SRs) in those years was Vladimir Richter. He was arrested somewhat later than his comrades.

According to the verdict of the court, he was shot as a particularly dangerous enemy of the people. In 1923, the Socialist-Revolutionary Party practically ceased to exist on the territory of our country. For some time, only its members who were in exile continued their activities.