Agrarian Socialist League
Encyclopedia
The Agrarian Socialist League was a revolutionary organization of Russia
n exiles. The organization was founded in 1900, in connection with the funeral of Pyotr Lavrov. The Agrarian Socialist League emerged as the most prominent of the revolutionary exile groups, as it gathered several prominent figures amongst its ranks. As the Agrarian Socialist League assembled both the older generation of narodnik
revolutionaries as well as younger Socialist-Revolutionaries, it became a key constituent in forming the Socialist-Revolutionary Party
. Members of the organization included Volkhovskii, Chaikovskii
, I. A. Rubanovich, Lazarev, Chaim Zhitlowsky
, Shishko, D. A. Khilkov
, D. A. Klements, S. M. Kliachko, Rappoport, Victor Chernov, M. R. Gots, Sletov and Serebriakov. The Agrarian Socialist League sought to form a socialist collective society based on the Russian peasantry, espousing a rather orthodox version of Russian populism
.
During 1900–1901 the Agrarian Socialist League issued various publications: two editions (1,000 copies each) of the manifesto "The immediate question of the revolutionary cause" and five propaganda pamphlets intended to be distributed amongst peasants ('How the Minister takes care for the peasants', 'How the Hungarian peasants are fighting for their rights', 'Peasant unions in Sicily', 'Sketches from Russian history' and 'Conversations about the land', each between 1,000 and 2,000 copies). This literature was well received in Russia (particularly amongst a group of Socialist-Revolutionary intellectuals in Saratov
), but smuggling the texts into the country was a hazardous task. By late 1901 the organization uncovered that the comrade in charge of the smuggling efforts (N. K. Pauli) was a police infiltrator and that most of the smuggled literature had been seized at the border.
In 1902 the Agrarian Socialist League and the Socialist-Revolutionary Party jointly published 80,000 copies of propaganda literature. In 1903 the two organizations jointly published 30,000 copies. The Agrarian Socialist League was able to make some profit from sales of literature in exile, for example in 1903 the organization made a profit of 3,500 roubles.
The Agrarian Socialist League held its first conference in July 1902. At the conference Zhitlowsky and Shishko proposed that the movement promote peasant terrorism
on 'political-moral' basis.
The Agrarian Socialist League retained a separate organizational identity from the Socialist-Revolutionary Party, maintaining that it should have full internal autonomy and would only be a federally connected to the party. However, in 1903 the League merged into the Foreign Organization of the party. When the Agrarian Socialist League affiliated itself to the Socialist-Revolutionary Party it accorded a historical legitimacy to the new party, enabling the party to mobilize a broad range of scattered populist groups.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n exiles. The organization was founded in 1900, in connection with the funeral of Pyotr Lavrov. The Agrarian Socialist League emerged as the most prominent of the revolutionary exile groups, as it gathered several prominent figures amongst its ranks. As the Agrarian Socialist League assembled both the older generation of narodnik
Narodnik
Narodniks was the name for Russian socially conscious members of the middle class in the 1860s and 1870s. Their ideas and actions were known as Narodnichestvo which can be translated as "Peopleism", though is more commonly rendered "populism"...
revolutionaries as well as younger Socialist-Revolutionaries, it became a key constituent in forming the Socialist-Revolutionary Party
Socialist-Revolutionary Party
thumb|right|200px|Socialist-Revolutionary election poster, 1917. The caption in red reads "партия соц-рев" , short for Party of the Socialist Revolutionaries...
. Members of the organization included Volkhovskii, Chaikovskii
Nikolai Tchaikovsky
Nikolai Vasilyevich Tchaikovsky was a Russian revolutionary.Tchaikovsky was born in Vyatka, and while studying in St. Petersburg joined a radical student group which would later be known as the Circle of Tchaikovsky after its most famous member...
, I. A. Rubanovich, Lazarev, Chaim Zhitlowsky
Chaim Zhitlowsky
Chaim Zhitlowsky was a Jewish socialist, philosopher, social and political thinker, writer and literary critic born in the Russian Empire ....
, Shishko, D. A. Khilkov
Dmitry Khilkov
Prince Dmitry Aleksandrovich Khilkoff went from being an officer in the Czar's Army to a Tolstoyan preaching Pacifism to a Socialist Revolutionary....
, D. A. Klements, S. M. Kliachko, Rappoport, Victor Chernov, M. R. Gots, Sletov and Serebriakov. The Agrarian Socialist League sought to form a socialist collective society based on the Russian peasantry, espousing a rather orthodox version of Russian populism
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
.
During 1900–1901 the Agrarian Socialist League issued various publications: two editions (1,000 copies each) of the manifesto "The immediate question of the revolutionary cause" and five propaganda pamphlets intended to be distributed amongst peasants ('How the Minister takes care for the peasants', 'How the Hungarian peasants are fighting for their rights', 'Peasant unions in Sicily', 'Sketches from Russian history' and 'Conversations about the land', each between 1,000 and 2,000 copies). This literature was well received in Russia (particularly amongst a group of Socialist-Revolutionary intellectuals in Saratov
Saratov
-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...
), but smuggling the texts into the country was a hazardous task. By late 1901 the organization uncovered that the comrade in charge of the smuggling efforts (N. K. Pauli) was a police infiltrator and that most of the smuggled literature had been seized at the border.
In 1902 the Agrarian Socialist League and the Socialist-Revolutionary Party jointly published 80,000 copies of propaganda literature. In 1903 the two organizations jointly published 30,000 copies. The Agrarian Socialist League was able to make some profit from sales of literature in exile, for example in 1903 the organization made a profit of 3,500 roubles.
The Agrarian Socialist League held its first conference in July 1902. At the conference Zhitlowsky and Shishko proposed that the movement promote peasant terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
on 'political-moral' basis.
The Agrarian Socialist League retained a separate organizational identity from the Socialist-Revolutionary Party, maintaining that it should have full internal autonomy and would only be a federally connected to the party. However, in 1903 the League merged into the Foreign Organization of the party. When the Agrarian Socialist League affiliated itself to the Socialist-Revolutionary Party it accorded a historical legitimacy to the new party, enabling the party to mobilize a broad range of scattered populist groups.