On 17th
October, 1905, Nicholas II took the advice
of Sergi
Witte, his new Chief Minister, and published the October
Manifesto. The manifesto granted freedom of conscience, speech,
meeting and association. He also promised that in future people would
not be imprisoned without trial. Finally it promised that no law would
become operative without the approval of the State
Duma.
Soon
afterwards the Union of 17 October was established as a political
association for the purpose of assisting the Russian government to
implement the October
Manifesto.
Members of this association became known as Octobrists.
Led
by Alexander
Guchkov, the Octobrists commanded the greatest
number of seats during the Third Duma (1907-1912).
They initially supported Peter Stolypin
and his government but became increasingly disillusioned
by his reactionary policies.
During
the First World War the Octobrists were critical
of the way the country was run and in September, 1915, they joined
with the Constitutional
Democrat Party to advocate a comprehensive programme
of reforms.
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