Left-wing parties operating on the territory of Belarus in the late 19th century — 1930s

Years of existence

Name

Main information

1881–1884

Belarusian faction of the party “Narodnaya Volya”

Founded, according to certain data, by I. Hryniavicki; printed two issues of the magazine “Homon” and other publications, formulated provisions on the existence of the Belarusian nation and the demand for autonomy for Belarus in the future Russian Democratic Federative Republic; was sympathetic to Marxism; crushed by the police.

1882–1886

“Proletariat” (1st, Great)

The first Polish Marxist party; had organizations in Vilna, Vitebsk, and Pinsk; crushed by the police.

1883–1903

“Emancipation of Labour”

The first Russian Marxist organization; merged into the RSDLP.

1888–1893

“Proletariat” (2nd, Small)

Merged into the SDKP; some members joined the PPS.

1893–1918

Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania (SDKPiL)

Until 1900 – Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland (SDKP); SDKPiL after the merger with the RSL; in December 1918, together with the PPS-Lewica, it formed the Communist Workers' Party of Poland.

1893–1948

Polish Socialist Party (PPS)

In December 1948, it was forcibly merged with the Polish Workers' Party (communists); resumed activities in 1987.

1896–1900

Workers' Union of Lithuania (RSL)

Gave a mandate for the London (III) Congress of the II International to P. Axelrod, V. Zasulich, and G. Plekhanov; in January 1900, at a congress in Minsk, it merged with the Polish Social Democrats (SDKPiL was founded), some members joined the RSDLP.

1895

Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP)

Originally – Center of Lithuanian Social Democracy.

1897–1939

General Jewish Labour Bund in Russia and Poland (Bund)

From 1901, General Jewish Labour Bund in Lithuania, Poland, and Russia; from 1904 represented in the II International; in 1921 adopted a resolution on self-dissolution and transition to the RCP(b); continued activities in interwar Western Belarus and Poland, in 1930 admitted to the Socialist Workers' International, in 1939 crushed by Bolsheviks and Nazis.

1898, 1903

Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP)

In 1912 the RSDLP (Bolsheviks) was founded, in 1917 the Mensheviks created the RSDLP (United). G. Plekhanov's group remained outside the parties.

1899–1902

Workers' Party for the Political Liberation of Russia (RPPVR)

Created on the basis of Narodnik groups; crushed by the police; many party members moved to the PSR.

1901–1903

Jewish Independent Labour Party (JILP)

The creation of the party was inspired by the chief of the Moscow Okhrana department, Zubatov.

1901/1902–1923

Party of Socialist-Revolutionaries (PSR)

Created on the basis of Narodnik circles and remnants of the RPPVR; in 1904 maximalists left the party, in 1917 – Left SRs; in 1918 and later part of the PSR members moved to the BPSR; in the USSR the party self-dissolved in 1923; separate groups existed abroad.

1902–1903

Belarusian Revolutionary Party (BRP)

Had no program; in 1903 the Belarusian Revolutionary Hramada (BRH) was founded.

1902–1906

PPS in Lithuania

A branch of the PPS; merged with the LSDP.

1903–1918

Belarusian Revolutionary Hramada (BRH);

Belarusian Socialist Hramada (BSH)

Founded at the end of 1903 at a congress in Vilna; from the end of 1904 – BSH; in 1917–1918 it split into the BSDRP, BSDP, BPSR, and BPSF.

1904–1920

Union of Socialists-Revolutionaries Maximalists (Maximalists)

A current within the PSR, organizationally formed in 1906; in 1917 the Union cooperated with the Left SRs and Bolsheviks; after the conclusion of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the majority went into opposition to the RCP(b); the Union self-dissolved, some of its members joined the RCP(b).

1904–1905

Socialist Party of White Rus

Operated under the auspices of the PPS; self-dissolved.

1904–1917

Zionist-Socialist Workers Party (SSRP)

In 1917, together with the SERP, it created the United Jewish Socialist Workers Party.

1905–1917

Socialist Jewish Workers Party (SERP)

Member of the II International; in 1917, together with the SSRP, it created the United Jewish Socialist Workers Party.

1906–1928

Jewish Social Democratic Labour Party (JSDLP)

From 1907, a member of the World Jewish Socialist Workers Union Poale Zion (Workers of Zion); from 1923 – Jewish Communist Labour Party; banned by the Bolsheviks.

1912–1991

Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks), RSDLP(b)

Created on the basis of the Bolshevik faction of the RSDLP; from 1918 Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks), RCP(b); from 1924 All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), AUCP(b); from 1952 Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU).

1917–1920

United Jewish Socialist Workers Party (UJSWP)

Created on the basis of the SSRP and SERP; merged with the Bund.

1917–1921

Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (United)

Founded in August 1917 on the basis of the Menshevik-Defencist and Menshevik-Internationalist factions; banned by the Bolsheviks; was represented in the Socialist Workers' International by emigrants.

1917–1918

Belarusian Social Democratic Labour Party (BSDRP)

Founded in the autumn of 1917 on the basis of the Narva organization of the BSH; in April 1918 transformed into the Belarusian section under the Peterhof District Committee of the RCP(b), which became the prototype for other Belarusian sections.

1917–1923

Left Socialist-Revolutionaries (LSR)

From 1914 an internationalist current in the PSR, from the summer of 1917 – a faction, from December 1917 – a party; until the conclusion of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk they were part of the Soviet government of Russia, in July 1918 they went into opposition to the RCP(b); the party self-liquidated.

1918–1919

Belarusian sections of the RCP(b)

Created in 1918 as integral parts of local RCP(b) organizations in Russia; at a conference in December 1918 they elected a Central Bureau, stood at the origins of the CP(b)B and the BSSR.

1918–1924

Belarusian Social Democratic Party (BSDP)

Created on the basis of the Marxist wing of the BSH; in the BSSR it ceased to exist in 1921; in Western Belarus it disintegrated due to the transition of prominent figures to the BNPS and KPZB.

1918–1924

Belarusian Party of Socialist-Revolutionaries (BPSR)

Created on the basis of the Narodnik wing of the BSH; in 1920 part of the BPSR members moved to the BKA; in the BSSR under pressure from the Bolsheviks it self-dissolved, some members joined the CP(b)B; separate groups existed outside the USSR; Left SRs of Western Belarus were united in the BRA.

1918–1921

Belarusian Party of Socialist-Federalists (BPSF)

Created on the basis of federalist groups within the BSH and outside it; in the BSSR it ceased to exist under pressure from the Bolsheviks; outside the USSR separate groups existed until the mid-1920s.

1918–1938

Communist Party of Poland (KPP)

Created on the basis of the SDKPiL and PPS-Lewica; until February 1925 – Communist Workers' Party of Poland (KRPP); the party included the KPZB and the Communist Party of Western Ukraine; dissolved by the Comintern.

1918–1991

Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus (CP(b)B)

Founded at the end of 1918 by resolution of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) on the basis of the regional organization in the Western Commune and Belarusian sections of the RCP(b); in 1920 the BKA joined the party, in 1921 – members of the Bund, in 1924 – the BPSR. From 1952 it was called the CPB. An integral part of the RCP(b), AUCP(b), and CPSU. Was part of the CP(b)LiB.

1919–1920

Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Lithuania and Belarus (CP(b)LiB)

Founded on the basis of a decision of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) through the merger of the CP(b)B and CP(b)L; ceased to exist in November 1920.

1920

Belarusian Communist Organization (BKA)

Created on the basis of the organization “Young Belarus”, which had been operating at the Minsk Teachers' Institute since 1917, and in 1918 was an autonomous part of the BPSR; on January 1, 1920, it was formed as an independent party, in August it joined the CP(b)B.

1922–1923

Belarusian Revolutionary Organization (BRA)

Created on the basis of the left wing of the BPSR in Western Belarus; at the end of 1923 it joined the KPZB.

1922–1925

Belarusian Party of Independent Socialists (BPNS)

Founded in Western Belarus as the left wing of the BSDP; in 1925 its prominent figures moved to the KPZB.

1923–1938

Communist Party of Western Belarus

Founded in October 1923 as an integral part of the KRPP; became an influential party thanks to the transition of the BRA and former members of the BSDP into its ranks; dissolved by the Comintern.