«THE UNION OF OCTOBER 17» AND POLITICAL TERROR OF EARLY XX CENTURY

Abstract

The essay analyzes the attitude of “theUnionof October17”to political terror under the Revolution of 1905-1907 and the Third of June Monarchy. The Octobrists did not conceal their opposition to the Revolution. Their eagerness “to fight with turmoil’ was an impetus for the emergence of many Octobrist departments. They condemned all the crimes associated with the Revolution, such as arsons, robberies, violence, and revolutionary propaganda calling for armed insurrection. By the end of 1905 there was a discrepancy between the Government and the Octobrists, because the question of legality, but not the expediency of the Government's actions against terrorists took a priority in many discussions among the Octobrists. In the 1st and 2d State Dumas, the Octobrists were trying to obtain the Duma’s condemnation of “political assassinations”. The discussion of the Octobrists’ attitude to terror continued at the 2d All-Russian Congress of the Party, and the censure of political assassination and robberies was an important decision of the Congress. The Third of June coup d'etat forced the Octobrist leaders to adjust their tactics. The Octobrists’ hopes for liberal reforms after the “pacification of the country” were unsuccessful, despite the support for the Government in the fight against the Revolution and the condemnation of radical terror. Of the Octobrist leaders’ special concern was the growing crisis of political life inRussia. They lost faith in the ability and willingness of the Government to carry out the promised reforms and stop the crisis. The Government, according to the Octobrists, could only lead to another surge of terror against the bureaucrats. Thus, the author concludes that the Octobrists were staunch opponents of any form of political terror. But “theUnionof October17”condemned the terror, trying to support the Government with hopes to make it execute liberal reforms. After the failure of reformist politics, the Octobrists switched to a confrontation with the Government which, as they thought, would cause new revolutionary violence.