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The Mensheviks

The Mensheviks were a “sister party” to the Bolsheviks. Both parties emerged as a result of the 1903 split in the Russian Social-Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP). Over the period between the split and the February Revolution, there were a number of projects aimed at unifying the two parties, which ultimately weren’t successful.

The Mensheviks took a more moderate social democratic position compared to the Bolsheviks; they engaged in overt political action, participated in the work of the State Duma and advocated the continuation of the war. In their ideology and structure, the Mensheviks very much resembled the European social democratic parties.

Alexandra Domontovich-Kollontai, the first female minister and diplomat in history, sided with the Mensheviks since 1906. Sputnik

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After the February Revolution, the Mensheviks supported the Provisional Government and took part in its activities.

The Mensheviks, as well as the Right Socialist-Revolutionaries, proposed postponing reforms until the elections for the Constituent Assembly. The Mensheviks actively called for "class peace" between them and other political parties that held moderate views. But by the fall of 1917, especially after the Kornilov revolt, this view was completely discredited, and the Mensheviks were losing supporters. The leading positions in the Russian Social-Democratic movement passed to the Bolsheviks.