On the separation of Neo-Populists and the formation of the Popular Socialist Party

Abstract

The article is devoted to the origins of the Popular Socialist Party, which is a question that has not been given a clear answer by modern historiography yet. It considers events and discussions during the founding congress of the Socialist Revolutionary Party (December 25, 1905 – January 2, 1906), where the final separation between Neo-Populists took place. The author identifies and analyses the main contradictions between the left-wing and right-wing Neo-Populists related to the party program and its tactics, which became especially acute during the congress. Main differences in the attitudes towards the illegal methods of political struggle that were accepted by the Socialist-Revolutionaries and rejected by the future Popular Socialists are pointed out. The author also analyses their program differences regarding the solution of the agrarian question in Russia: socialization among the Socialist-Revolutionaries and nationalization among the moderate Populists. The socio-psychological factors that hindered any constructive dialogue between the Socialist-Revolutionaries and the Russkoe bogatstvo group are revealed. The grounds for classifying the moderate Populists in the early 20th century as part of the Socialist Revolutionary community and the arguments in favor of the independent formation of the Popular Socialist Party are presented.