The Bolsheviks and Mensheviks of the Social Democratic Labour Party were two important factions in politics at the beginning of the 20th century. Although they both originated from the same party, there are clear differences in ideology, tactics, and goals. These distinctions eventually led to two factions that had a significant impact on the revolution and the history of the world in the 20th century.
The word Bolshevik is derived from the Russian word "which means "majority". The Bolshevik faction, led by Lenin, gradually rose in the party and eventually became the dominant force in the Social Democratic Labour Party. In contrast, the word Menshevik derives from the Russian word "minority." The Menshevik faction was led by Plekhanov, who had a relatively weak position in the party.
There were differences between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks in many ways. First, they are ideologically divided. The Bolsheviks advocated the realization of the proletarian revolution and the overthrow of the bourgeois regime through armed uprising. They stressed the importance of the independent organization and leadership of the proletariat and advocated the establishment of a socialist regime composed of workers and peasants. On the contrary, the Mensheviks were more inclined to gradual reforms, believing that the bourgeois revolution should precede the proletarian revolution and advocating cooperation with the bourgeoisie to achieve democracy and reform.
Secondly, the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks also differed in strategy and organization. The Bolsheviks advocated a centralist organizational model, emphasizing party discipline and vertical leadership. They believed that the success of the revolution required a highly organized and tightly united party. In contrast, the Mensheviks were more inclined towards decentralization and democracy, emphasizing tolerance and pluralism of dissenting opinions within the party. They advocate reform and democracy through legitimate political activity.
In addition, there were differences between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks in terms of goals and strategies. What the Bolsheviks pursued was the proletariat and the establishment of socialism. They believed that it was only through the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat that the capitalist system could be overthrown and socialism could be realized. On the contrary, the Mensheviks were more concerned with democracy and the protection of human rights, and they advocated reform and progress through legitimate political means, avoiding overly radical actions.
The differences between the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks culminated in the Program Conference of 1912, at which there was a bitter internal argument between the two factions. The Bolshevik faction eventually acquired the name and assets of the party, which later became the core of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Mensheviks, on the other hand, were gradually marginalized and gradually lost their influence in the political situation after the revolution.
The differences between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks had a profound impact on the ** revolution and the history of the world in the 20th century. The October Revolution, led by the Bolsheviks, overthrew the tsarist system and established the world's first socialist state, the Soviet Union. Subsequently, the Bolsheviks nationalized and collectivized through a series of political and economic measures, promoting industrialization and agricultural reform in the Soviet Union. However, the Bolsheviks' centralized rule and economic policies also sparked many controversies and criticisms.
The Menshevik faction was gradually marginalized in the post-revolutionary political situation. Their disagreements with the Bolsheviks led to civil war and political repression, which eventually led to the loss of influence of the Mensheviks in Soviet politics. Many members of the Mensheviks were forced into exile or were **, and their ideas and ideas were rarely mentioned within the Soviet Union.