The Mensheviks (//The story construction thread)

[Tomtomrawr]

//Feedback Thread

The first Mensheviks (1903 A.D. - 1923 A.D.)

The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party was in disarray. Since the groups creation in 1900 they had been competing against other numerous ideologies in Russia. They believed that only the industrial working classes of Russia would be able to carry out a successful revolution. A revolution in the name of Marxism. But the group was in an endless argument over what their beliefs should be and where they should go to further them. They originally believed that they had to educate the people in the fundamentals of Marxism, so they would realise their position and overthrow the owners, or the bourgeoisie. Then a new communist state would be formed. But some were starting to question how they should carry out this.

One of the most committed members of the SD Party was Vladimir Lenin. He was tired of the countless arguments and wanted action. He saw the debates as never-ending without anything being resolved. So in response to the constant debates he wrote "What is to be done?". And to prove that there was no question or doubt to what he was proposing, he took the title from a revolutionary paper written decades before.

He immediately began to attack other party members who were content to wait while history took its predetermined course to a better future. But rather than wait for an event that may never happen, he was determined to kick-start the issue and move the revolution into gear before it was too late.

Marx had theorised a revolution. He had said in the Communist Manifesto that the downfall of capitalism was inevitable. He had theorised that eventually, the suffering that it brought upon the people would lead them to rise up in a revolution that would open the way to a new future. And Lenin believed that they would be waiting a very long time.

<div align="right]"I remember we were sitting at the oak table, again discussing the roads that our beliefs should take. And then Lenin walked in,
with excitement in his stride. He arrived at the table, and laid down a book in front of Julius Martov. And then he said, in as serious a voice as he
could muster: "This is the future, comrades." I was not sure what to do, what to say. But as I looked around the table, I could see, as he
explained his basic ideas, that some were already convinced that Lenin would be their way to the revolution."

Nikolai Dmitriev, "The Social Democrats" (//fictional book), written by Alek Ermakov in 1912

Orthodox Marxism:

• Eventually the workers will become educated, organised and angry at their conditions.

The peasants:

Lived in the countryside.
Were mostly illiterate.
Mostly farmers.
Superstitious.
Religious (Believing the current Czar to be a God).
Conservative (Do not like change).
Tended to make up the bulk of the Czar's Armies, and could be relied upon to crush any revolution.

The workers:

Lived in cities.
Literacy rates were growing.
Employed in the factories.
Former peasants who moved to the cities.
Have been through massive changes.
Open to ideas of chance.
Living conditions are very poor.
These points give the workers revolutionary potential.

• Then there will be a spontaneous uprising, sweeping capitalism away and a new, communist phase of history will begin.

Lenin:

• This will never happen in Russia, where 80% of the population are peasants. They haven't got a revolutionary consciousness.
• He believed a committed band of revolutionaries should make the revolution, then turn the people into communists afterwards.
• This is essentially the reverse of what Marx had said.

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[17:45:39] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): Tom, you have problems. Go kill yourself.
[19:25:12] Johnny (Jam): Tomtom, I will beat you with a spoon.
[14:22:56] Prarabdh Thakur: KILL HIM WITH A SHEEP.
[17:40:48] Eagle (Junes): Tom should be slapped with a spoon.
[11:32:18] Warspite: Thank you for being so awesome Tom. &lt;3
[18:17:36] Metano: I love you tomtom
[20:06:24] Warspite: I will seriously give you epic head.

Edit: also, Tomtomrawr, fappin' like a boss.