Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party (Broad Socialists)
Encyclopedia
Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party (Broad Socialists) ) was a reformist socialist political party
in Bulgaria
. The party emerged out of a division at the Tenth Party Congress of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party held in 1903 (the other faction forming the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party (Narrow Socialists)
). The 'Broad Socialist' faction had appeared inside the pre-split party around 1900, when Yanko Sakazov
had started the magazine Obshto delo ('Common Action'). The Broad Socialists, analogous to the Menshevik
s in the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
, argued in favour a broad social base of the party and broad class alliances.
In 1909 the Social Democratic Union 'Proletarian'
of Dimitar Blagoev
(a group that had been expelled from the Narrow Socialists) merged into the Broad Socialist party. The grouping would function as a leftwing tendency inside the Broad Socialist party for the years to come.
The party was divided in right, centre and left factions. Its membership had a mixed social background. As of 1910 workers constituted about 35% of the party membership. Rural workers were generally absent in the party ranks.
The party published the daily newspaper Narod
between 1911 and 1934. The rightist tendency inside the party ran a newspaper of their own, Epoha
, between 1923 and 1925. The Socialist Youth Union
was the youth wing of the party. The Free Trade Unions
were politically close to the party.
The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist International
1923–1940. It was represented by Sakazov in the LSI Executive during the entire existence of the International (until August 1925 Sakazov's seat was shared with the Yugoslav
socialist leader Živko Topalović).
In 1948 the party merged into the Bulgarian Communist Party (into which the Narrow Socialists had developed). The process of verification of memberships began in June 1948, around half of the Broad Socialist party members were allowed to enter the Communist Party. The merger was finalized in December 1948.
Historiography
in Socialist Bulgaria generally downplayed the Broad Socialists, repeatedly denouncing the party as 'opportunists'. The first book to be published in Socialist Bulgaria about the Broad Socialist party came in 1981, Klara Pinkas' Reformistkata sotsialdemokratsia v Balgaria. Ideologia, politika, organizatsia, 1903–1917.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. The party emerged out of a division at the Tenth Party Congress of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party held in 1903 (the other faction forming the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party (Narrow Socialists)
Bulgarian Communist Party
The Bulgarian Communist Party was the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a communist state...
). The 'Broad Socialist' faction had appeared inside the pre-split party around 1900, when Yanko Sakazov
Yanko Sakazov
Yanko Ivanov Sakazov was a Bulgarian socialist politician.A native of the northeastern city of Shumen, Sakazov went abroad for studies during his youth, studying in Western Europe and Russia. He was a student of natural sciences, philosophy and history in Germany, biology in England and literature...
had started the magazine Obshto delo ('Common Action'). The Broad Socialists, analogous to the Menshevik
Menshevik
The Mensheviks were a faction of the Russian revolutionary movement that emerged in 1904 after a dispute between Vladimir Lenin and Julius Martov, both members of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party. The dispute originated at the Second Congress of that party, ostensibly over minor issues...
s in the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party , also known as Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party or Russian Social Democratic Party, was a revolutionary socialist Russian political party formed in 1898 in Minsk to unite the various revolutionary organizations into one party...
, argued in favour a broad social base of the party and broad class alliances.
In 1909 the Social Democratic Union 'Proletarian'
Social Democratic Union 'Proletarian'
Social Democratic Union 'Proletarian was a political party organization in Bulgaria 1906-1908. The organization was led by Dimitar Blagoev, who had been expelled from the Narrow Socialists for being an 'anarcho-liberal. 'Proletarian' merged with the Broad Socialists, and would represent the...
of Dimitar Blagoev
Dimitar Blagoev
Dimitar Blagoev Nikolov ; was a Bulgarian political leader, the founder of Bulgarian socialism and of the first social democratic party in the Balkans.-Biography:...
(a group that had been expelled from the Narrow Socialists) merged into the Broad Socialist party. The grouping would function as a leftwing tendency inside the Broad Socialist party for the years to come.
The party was divided in right, centre and left factions. Its membership had a mixed social background. As of 1910 workers constituted about 35% of the party membership. Rural workers were generally absent in the party ranks.
The party published the daily newspaper Narod
Narod (Bulgarian newspaper)
Narod was a Bulgarian socialist publication, which first appeared around 1897/1898. It became was published as a daily newspaper between 1911 and 1934, and functioned as the central organ of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party during this period....
between 1911 and 1934. The rightist tendency inside the party ran a newspaper of their own, Epoha
Epoha
Epoha was a Bulgarian daily newspaper, published between 1923 and 1925. Epoha functioned as a mouthpiece of the rightist tendency within the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party....
, between 1923 and 1925. The Socialist Youth Union
Socialist Youth Union
The Socialist Youth Union was a youth organization in Bulgaria, founded in 1921. SSM was the youth wing of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party....
was the youth wing of the party. The Free Trade Unions
Free Trade Unions (Bulgaria)
The Free Trade Unions was a central trade union organization in Bulgaria. SSS was founded in August 1904, and was politically tied to the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party . As of 1904, SSS had 1,188 members. By 1907 the membership had risen to 1,884....
were politically close to the party.
The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist International
Labour and Socialist International
The Labour and Socialist International was an international organization of socialist and labour parties, active between 1923 and 1940. The LSI was a forerunner of the present-day Socialist International....
1923–1940. It was represented by Sakazov in the LSI Executive during the entire existence of the International (until August 1925 Sakazov's seat was shared with the Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
socialist leader Živko Topalović).
In 1948 the party merged into the Bulgarian Communist Party (into which the Narrow Socialists had developed). The process of verification of memberships began in June 1948, around half of the Broad Socialist party members were allowed to enter the Communist Party. The merger was finalized in December 1948.
Historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
in Socialist Bulgaria generally downplayed the Broad Socialists, repeatedly denouncing the party as 'opportunists'. The first book to be published in Socialist Bulgaria about the Broad Socialist party came in 1981, Klara Pinkas' Reformistkata sotsialdemokratsia v Balgaria. Ideologia, politika, organizatsia, 1903–1917.