What were the Mensheviks?

Answer 1

During the Russian Revolution in the early 1900's, the Mensheviks (which translated in Russian means the smaller ones or the tinier group). The Mensheviks were the rich elite of Russia and they fought against the Bolsheviks or the larger ones. The Bolsheviks were the serfs and peasants which rose up against the rich elite, similar to the earlier French Revolution. The Bolsheviks made up most of the Russian population and eventually won the civil war raging on in Russia based on their large numbers.

Answer 2

The Mensheviks were one wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, the other wing was the Bolsheviks. The Menshevik leader was Julius Martov (Kerensky was a Socialist Revolutionary). The difference between the Menshevik & Bolsheviks was a matter of hair-splitting over Marxist doctrine. The mensheviks believed that socialism could only be achieved as a result of the country becoming capitalist - Marx stated that history progresses through stages: hunter-gatherer, slavery, feudalism, capitalism, Imperialism, socialism finally communism. The Bolsheviks argued that stages could be "telescoped", and as Russia had been capitalist and imperialist (from 1905 or 1917 depending on when you asked them" then socialism could come about by revolution.

Answer 3

In 1903, the Russian Social Democratic Party split over a membership disagreement. The Mensheviks were more aligned with Marxist theory and believed membership should be all inclusive with uneducated farmers and peasants invited to join. They also believed change should come from evolution over a period of time rather than immediate revolution. The Bolsheviks, headed by Lenin favored a more elitist, educated group to lead the people in revolution. In the end, the Bolsheviks won control of Russia.

Answer 4

The Mensheviks were one wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, the other wing was the Bolsheviks.