Definition

1. Noun:
   • A member of the Menshevik faction: A Menshevik was a member of the moderate, non-Leninist wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP), which advocated for a more gradual, democratic path to socialism and opposed the revolutionary tactics of the Bolsheviks, especially before and during the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Julius Martov was a prominent Menshevik leader.
  • The Mensheviks believed in a broad-based workers' party, in contrast to the Bolsheviks' concept of a vanguard party.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The term "Menshevik" is almost exclusively used in historical and political discourse to describe the faction and its members during the late Russian Empire and early Soviet period.
  • After the October Revolution, many Mensheviks were persecuted by the new Bolshevik government.

Variants and Related Words

• Menshevism (n): The political ideology, principles, or practices associated with the Menshevik faction.
  • Menshevism was characterized by its commitment to democratic procedures within the socialist movement.

Synonyms

• Moderate socialist (in the specific context of early 20th-century Russia).
• Social democrat (historically, before the Bolshevik-Menshevik split solidified the distinction).

Notes on Meaning

• The word "Menshevik" originates from the Russian word "меньшеви́к" (), meaning "member of the minority," derived from "меньшинство" (), meaning "minority." This name was adopted after the 1903 party congress where they found themselves in the minority on a key vote, though they were often more numerous in actual membership later. It is a proper noun and is typically capitalized.

Noun

1. a Russian member of the liberal minority group that advocated gradual reform and opposed the Bolsheviks before and during the Russian Revolution