What is the Difference Between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks?

The Bolsheviks and Mensheviks were two factions that emerged within the Russian Social-Democratic Worker's Party in the early 1900s, with different approaches to revolution and social change. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, believed in a radical and elitist revolution, while the Mensheviks, led by Julius Martov, supported a more progressive change in collaboration with the middle class.

Key differences between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks include:

1. Revolutionary Approach: Bolsheviks favored armed violence and a more proactive revolutionary agenda, while Mensheviks argued for predominantly legal methods and trade union work.
2. Leadership: Lenin led the Bolsheviks, while Martov, Trotsky, and Plekhanov led the Mensheviks.
3. Support Base: Bolsheviks had more support among the working class in cities like Petrograd and Moscow, while Mensheviks drew more support from the non-Russian parts of the Russian Empire.
4. Collaboration with Middle Class: Mensheviks were more inclined to work with liberal bourgeois democratic parties, while Bolsheviks believed that these parties were not capable of sufficiently radical change.
5. Orthodox Marxism: Mensheviks took a more orthodox Marxist approach to revolution, believing that the overthrow of capitalism was part of a historical trend and not as interested in driving a revolution through the work of a revolutionary vanguard.

In 1917, the Bolshevik Party became the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks), and the Mensheviks eventually lost influence as the Bolsheviks gained power.

Comparative Table: Bolsheviks vs Mensheviks

The Bolsheviks and Mensheviks were two main factions within the Russian Socialist movement. Despite their common origins and similar political orientation, they divided due to their divergent opinions and discrepancies between their leaders. Here is a table comparing their differences:

The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, believed in the necessity of a revolution led and controlled by the working class, while the Mensheviks, led by Julius Martov, believed that a collaboration with the bourgeoisie was necessary. The Bolsheviks strived for the creation of a strictly organized party, whereas the Mensheviks remained truer to Marxist principles, preferring a broad-based party with open membership. The split between the two factions became permanent in 1912.