Russia · Politics / SDP. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
Pro-Iskra delegates unexpectedly split into two factions, Lenin and his supporters (known as Bolsheviks) argued for a smaller but highly organized party, Martov and his supporters (known as Mensheviks) argued for a larger and less disciplined party.
The first congress went as planned, with Iskra supporters handily defeating the few "economist" delegates.
Trotsky and most of the Iskra editors supported Martov and the Mensheviks while Plekhanov supported Lenin and the Bolsheviks.
Appointed Member of RSDP, after meeting Lenin for the 1st time
The first Congress of the newly formed Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP) is held, and from then on Trotsky considered himself a member of the party
The first Congress of the newly formed Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP) is held, and from then on Trotsky considered himself a member of the party. After a period of secret police repression and internal confusion that followed the first party Congress in 1898, Iskra succeeded in convening the party's 2nd congress in London in August 1903, Trotsky and other Iskra editors attend
Trotsky left the Mensheviks in September 1904 over their insistence on an alliance with Russian liberals and their opposition to a reconciliation with Lenin and the Bolsheviks. During these years Trotsky began developing his theory of permanent revolution, which led to a close working relationship with Alexander Parvus in 1904-1907
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