Mezhraiontsy
The Mezhraiontsy (Russian: межрайонцы, IPA:
The Mezhraiontsy merged with the Bolsheviks during the
Background
Russian social democrats had been split into
As a result of the developments, by late 1912 there were two separate social democratic organizations in
Formation
The Mezhraiontsy group was founded in November 1913 by three Bolsheviks (Konstantin Yurenev, A. M. Novosyolov and E. M. Adamovich) and one Menshevik (N. M. Yegorov). Yurenev was the informal leader of the organization until May 1917 except for one year between February 1915 and February 1916, which he spent in jail on charges of subversive activities.
Members occupied a centrist position between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks.
Growth during war
At the outbreak of World War I in July–August 1914 and the subsequent change of St. Petersburg's name to "Petrograd", the faction lines within the RSDLP were drastically redrawn over the issue of support for the war. Those who supported the war were called "Defensists", and those who were opposed to it were called "Defeatists". Most members of the Mezhraionka, as well as Lenin and some Mensheviks, adopted an anti-war position, and by late 1915, the organization had 60-80 members. Growing popular disillusionment with the war caused, by the time the February Revolution of 1917 broke out, the organization to have 400-500 members.
1917 Revolution
Mezhraionka members were active in Petrograd during the revolution by seizing a printing plant and publishing the first leaflet calling for an armed uprising on February 27
Although the Mezhraionka's original goal was to unite all Bolsheviks and Mensheviks in one party, the divisions over Russia's participation in the war proved to be too deep. On April 12, 1917, the Mezhraionka refused to participate in a Menshevik-sponsored unification conference because it would be dominated by the Defensist wing of the Mensheviks. From that point onward, their positions began to converge with the Bolshevik positions, which were becoming more radical after Lenin's return from abroad.
Merger with Bolsheviks
With the return of many anti-war social democratic émigrés from European exile in April to June 1917, the Mezhraionka was a natural place for them to join. A number of prominent social democrats like
The Mezhraionka, with about 4,000 members, merged with the Bolsheviks at the
Journal
The group published a journal of its own, Vperyod. One number was put out illegally in 1915, and publication was resumed in 1917, when it came out legally from June to August as the organ of the St. Petersburg Inter-District Committee of the United Social-Democrats (Internationalists). Eight issues were put out. After the Sixth Congress of the Party the editorial board was changed, and No. 9 of the journal appeared as the organ of the Central Committee of the RSDLP(b). Publication was discontinued in September 1917 by decision of the Central Committee.
See also
Notes
Sources
- Miller, Viktor Iosifovich."Konstantin Konstantinovich Yurenev," In Alʹbert Pavlovich Nenarokov (Ed.), RevvoensovetRespubliki: 6 sentiabria 1918 g.-28 avgusta 1923 g. Moscow: Politizdat, 1991.
- Yurenev, Konstantin K. "Mezhraioka (1911-1917 gg.)" in Proletarskaya Revolyutsiya, 1924, No. 1 and 2.
External links
- Inter-District Organisation of United Social-Democrats at Marxist Internet Archive