Peter
Struve was
born in Perm, Russia, in 1870. While studying at the University
of St. Petersburg he was converted to Marxism.
Over the next few years Struve wrote a series of articles on economics
for radical journals published abroad.
In 1897 moved to Switzerland where he joined
George Plekhanov, Pavel
Axelrod, Vera Zasulich and Lev
Deich and the rest of the Liberation
of Labour Group living in exile. Struve helped the group to
publish the newspaper, Rabochee Delo
(Worker's Cause). Struve also became editor of the Marxist
periodical, Novoe Slovo (New
Word).
Struve was a foundation member of the Social
Democratic Labour Party (SDLP) and in 1898 wrote the
party's manifesto. He also wrote Critical
Notes on the Economic Development of Russia and edited
Nachalo (Beginning)
In 1901 Struve was arrested during a visit to Russia. After a brief
spell in prison Struve was released and sent into exile. He settled
in Stuttgart, Germany, where he edited Osvobozhdenie
(Liberation).
Struve returned to Russia during the 1905
Revolution. Over the years his views had become more conservative
and he joined the Constitutional Democratic
Party (Cadets). A member of the party's Central Committee, Struve
was elected to the Second Duma in 1907.
Peter
Struve
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.
Thought Russia should support Serbia against the Triple
Alliance.
5.
Thought Russia should honour its obligations and support the Triple
Entente against the Triple Alliance.
6. As
the
Russian Army was the largest army in
the world he was convinced that Russia would defeat Austria-Hungary
and Germany
in a war.
(1)
As a student Alexander Kerensky
was deeply influenced by the writings of Peter Struve.
One
day in the fall of 1902, someone brought into the university the
second issue of the weekly publication Osvobozhdeniye (Liberation),
which had first been published in Stuttgart the year before and
was edited by the young Marxist, Peter Struve. We were amazed and
excited, because until that moment we had been completely unaware
of the secret work that had been going on since the mid-1890s to
organize the movement of which this journal was the official organ,
a movement which combined zemstvo liberalism with the ideas of the
intellectual, liberal, radical, and socialist circles.
(2)
Vladimir Lenin was an early critic of
Peter Struve's interpretation of Marxism. In 1899 he wrote to Alexander
Potresov about Struve's theories.
If
Struve ceased being a comrade (as a result of Lenin's criticisms),
so much the worse for him. This is a loss for all comrades, because
Struve is a very gifted and educated man. All the same, friendship
is friendship and duty is duty, and nothing can prevent the conflict.
(3)
David
Shub was a member of the Social Democratic
Labour Party who later wrote a biography of Vladimir
Lenin.
When
Peter Struve, who had written the manifesto for the First Congress
of the Social Democratic Party, deserted the Marxist ranks for the
Liberal Camp, Lenin wrote an article for Iskra calling him a renegade
and traitor. Takhtarev, who was then Lenin's close friend, asked
him how he could permit himself to use such vitriolic language,
since any worker who read the article might feel it was his duty
to kill Struve as a "traitor". "He deserves to die",
was Lenin's calm reply.
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