Victor
Chernov was
born in Novouzensk, Russia, in 1873. He studied law at Moscow University
where he quickly became leader of the illegal students union.
A follower of Paul
Lavrov, Chernov was arrested and imprisoned in the Peter-Paul
Fortress in St. Petersburg. Exiled to Tambov, Chernov began establishing
independent socialist peasant brotherhoods in the area.
In 1899 Chernov went to live in Switzerland
where he studied philosophy at Berne University. He returned in
1901 and joined with Catherine
Breshkovskaya, Nikolai Avksentiev,
Gregory Gershuni, Alexander
Kerensky and Evno Azef to establish
the Socialist
Revolutionary Party.
Chernov edited the SR journal, Revolutionary
Russia, where he argued against Marxists
who claimed that the peasants were a totally reactionary social
class.
After living in exile Chernov returned to Russia
during the 1905 Revolution. Although seen
as the leader of the party, Chernov was not directly involved in
the rising in support of the Potemkin
Mutiny and the St Petersburg Soviet.
Victor
Chernov
1.
Was highly critical of Nicholas
II
and the autocracy.
2.
Wanted Russia to have universal suffrage.
3. Wanted the
Russian government to allow freedom of expression and an end to
political censorship of newspapers and books.
4.
Believed that democracy could only be achieved in Russia by the
violent overthrow of Nicholas
II
and the autocracy.
5.
Was strongly opposed to Russia going to war with Austria-Hungary
and Germany.
6. Believed
that if Russia did go to war with
