In the second half of the 19th century, a movement was born, the main driving force of which was the intelligentsia. In any movement, currents begin to emerge at a certain moment. The reason is different views on methods of solving social problems.
Who are populists?
The main idea of populism is the search for the lost connection with the people. Ordinary people were seen as carriers of wisdom and truth. Adherents of the movement were looking for a path to socialism.
Within the framework of populism, revolutionary and liberal directions emerged. The first wanted to overthrow the existing government by violent means. The second insisted on reforms. In the 70s, the movement entered a new phase - the first terrorist organizations appeared within its framework. Their goal was to prepare assassination attempts on government officials.
One of the first organizations that proclaimed terror as the main way to achieve the goal - "Freedom or Death". On the basis of disagreements over the methods of conducting the revolutionary struggle, Land and Freedom, the most influential populist association, collapsed. On the basis of this organization, "Narodnaya Volya" and "Black Redistribution" were formed.
The development of the movement in the 80s XIXcentury
Populism as a political movement has changed over the years. Formed in 1879, the "Black Redistribution" was a minority of the former "Land and Freedom". "Narodnaya Volya" took the path of terrorism and radicalism. The adherents of this organization were in the majority. "Narodnaya Volya" and the collapsed "Freedom or Death" completely departed from the basis of the ideology of populism. They tried to use force to force the authorities to carry out reforms. Organized assassination attempts, terrorist attacks.
The minority in the form of the "Black Repartition" remained true to the ideas of the populists - reformism, socialism, peaceful forms of struggle. Politically, it is the Socialist-Federalist Party.
The organization was formed around the magazine of the same name. The name of the party was given by the so-called "black redistribution" of the land. This was due to the rumor about the general division of plots between peasants, which appeared after the abolition of serfdom in Russia.
Organization Ideas
"Black redistribution" retained the old ideals of the populists. It can be noted that the ideas of the organization have been preserved at the level of the 70s of the XIX century, the time of “going to the people”. Despite the fact that the basis of the ideology has been preserved, many of the goals and methods of achieving them have evolved.
In the organization of life, the community was considered the ideal. It must become the basis of socialist society. Land ownership must be collective, and the property of large owners must be expropriated. The Chernoperedelites form the idea of a class struggle, but it still looked ill-conceived. In many ways, the organization was close to the ideals of Bakunin. Attacks of terrorism, military actions as a form of political struggle were resolutely denied.
Emancipation of Labor
The ideological crisis experienced by the "Black Redistribution" affected the composition of the organization. The most influential persons were Georgy Plekhanov, Vasily Ignatov, Vera Zasulich, Lev Deutsch. But they refused to continue working in the organization and created the Emancipation of Labor group in Geneva, which stood on the positions of Marxism. Most of all, the founders were attracted by the idea of a proletarian revolution. The Narodniks also joined the International and supported the struggle against Bakunin.
The bourgeois-democratic revolution, which became the ideal of the organization, was to be developed thanks to the proletariat and the urban bourgeois. An important role was assigned to the peasants as a reactionary force. Gradually, the populists turned into social democrats. The "Black Repartition" (founded in 1879) existed until 1883, when the Emancipation of Labor group was founded.
Union leader
Georgy Plekhanov was a populist and leader of the Black Redistribution. In addition, he also became the founder of the Emancipation of Labor group. Having joined the "Earth and Freedom" back in 1876, Georgy Valentinovich was imbued with the ideas of the People's Will. He was the author of policy documents, journalism.
After the collapse of "Land and Freedom" and the assassination of Emperor Alexander II by terrorists, he condemned the activities of the radical wing and organized an association faithful to the ideals of populism. In the early 80s he had toemigrate to Switzerland and continue activities there. Gradually moves to Marxist views. He returned to Russia only after the 1917 revolution. Wrote many works on sociology, philosophy, ethics.
The evolution of views affected the choice of the path of development and methods of struggle. Ideological differences were caused by different views on the future of the country. The organization initially chose irrelevant goals, so it quickly disintegrated and transformed into new parties and groups. The collapse of the "Black Repartition" testified to the death of true populism. Many ideologists continued to work on writing scientific publications, research in the fields of sociology, cultural studies, philosophy.
