Popular Socialists (Russia)
Encyclopedia
The Popular Socialist Party (Narodno-Sotsialisticheskaya Partiya) emerged in Russia in the early twentieth century.
and Alexander Herzen
as ideological forerunners. The NSP was founded in 1906, by a number of dissidents from the Socialist-Revolutionary Party
(PSR). They objected to the PSR's adoption of political terrorism
and wanted to 'nationalize' the land (i.e., turn it over to the state), rather than 'socialize' it (i.e., make it common property of the peasantry), as the PSR proposed.
The Popular Socialists also wanted to indemnify landowners; the PSR did not. Furthermore, the Popular Socialists deplored the influence of Marxism
on the leading ideologues of the PSR, such as V.M. Chernov. Leading members of the NSP were N.F. Annensky
(1843-1912), V.A. Miakotin
(1867-1937) and A.V. Peshekhonov
(1867-1933). The latter was minister of agriculture in the Provisional Government of A.F. Kerensky
during the Russian Revolution of 1917
.
The Popular Socialists collaborated closely with the Trudoviks
(Labour party), Kerensky's party in the Duma
. After the February revolution of 1917 the Popular Socialist Party merged with the Trudoviks and actively supported the Provisional Government, in which it was represented.
The Popular Socialists opposed the October Revolution
. The party was dissolved during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922.
The party's Russian name is sometimes translated as 'National Socialist Party', but this is misleading, since that label is usually associated with Hitler's NSDAP. The Russian NSP was not anti-Semitic and advocated democracy and gradual reform.
History
The roots of the Popular Socialist Party (NSP) lay in the 'Legal Populist' movement of the 1890s, and its founders looked upon N.K. MikhailovskyNikolai Mikhailovsky
Nikolay Konstantinovich Mikhaylovsky was a Russian publicist, literary critic, sociologist and one of the theoreticians of the Narodniki movement.-Social philosophy:...
and Alexander Herzen
Alexander Herzen
Aleksandr Ivanovich Herzen was a Russian pro-Western writer and thinker known as the "father of Russian socialism", and one of the main fathers of agrarian populism...
as ideological forerunners. The NSP was founded in 1906, by a number of dissidents from 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...
(PSR). They objected to the PSR's adoption of political 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...
and wanted to 'nationalize' the land (i.e., turn it over to the state), rather than 'socialize' it (i.e., make it common property of the peasantry), as the PSR proposed.
The Popular Socialists also wanted to indemnify landowners; the PSR did not. Furthermore, the Popular Socialists deplored the influence of Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
on the leading ideologues of the PSR, such as V.M. Chernov. Leading members of the NSP were N.F. Annensky
Nikolai Annensky
Nikolai Feodorovich Annensky was a Russian economist, statistician and politician. He was a member of the populist movement and the Socialist-Revolutionary Party before becoming one of the founders of the Russian Popular Socialist Party in 1906.-Biography:Annensky was born in St. Petersburg and...
(1843-1912), V.A. Miakotin
Venedikt Miakotin
Venedikt Aleksandrovich Miakotin was a Russian historian and narodnik politician.-Life:V.A. Miakotin was born in Gatchina and educated at the Kronstadt gymnasium and the University of Saint Petersburg, where he studied history and philology. He subsequently became a professor of history at Saint...
(1867-1937) and A.V. Peshekhonov
Alexey Peshekhonov
Alexey Vasilyevich Peshekhonov was a Russian economist, publicist, and statistician. He was a member of the Russian provisional government as a minister of food supplies for some months in the summer of 1917.- Life :Peshekhonov was a self-educated social activist...
(1867-1933). The latter was minister of agriculture in the Provisional Government of A.F. Kerensky
Alexander Kerensky
Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky was a major political leader before and during the Russian Revolutions of 1917.Kerensky served as the second Prime Minister of the Russian Provisional Government until Vladimir Lenin was elected by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets following the October Revolution...
during the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
.
The Popular Socialists collaborated closely with the Trudoviks
Trudoviks
The Trudoviks were a moderate Labour party in early 20th Century Russia...
(Labour party), Kerensky's party in the Duma
Duma
A Duma is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history. The State Duma in the Russian Empire and Russian Federation corresponds to the lower house of the parliament. Simply it is a form of Russian governmental institution, that was formed during the reign of the...
. After the February revolution of 1917 the Popular Socialist Party merged with the Trudoviks and actively supported the Provisional Government, in which it was represented.
The Popular Socialists opposed the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
. The party was dissolved during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922.
The party's Russian name is sometimes translated as 'National Socialist Party', but this is misleading, since that label is usually associated with Hitler's NSDAP. The Russian NSP was not anti-Semitic and advocated democracy and gradual reform.
Further reading
- Hildermeier, M., Die Sozialrevolutionäre Partei Russlands. Cologne, 1978.
- The Great Soviet Encyclopedia. Moscow, 1978.