Constitutionalism in the ‘Public Movement’ 1900–1904

Abstract

The formation of a broad opposition without any definite programme had taken, place within the existing communications channels of ‘society’. As we have seen, this was also reflected upon by the constitutionalist programme, which at first aimed at organizing public opinion. Long-standing family connections, school friendships and student contacts played an equally important part in this operation as professional friendships, social intercourse with municipal notables, neighbourly relations with noble landowners and common work in scientific and philanthropic associations, in journalism or in the zemstvo. The social institutions within which the political socialization of ‘society’ was taking place formed the basis for the Constitutionalists’ informal organization. During this phase, however, hardly anything was laid down in programmes, and the borders between the developing political groupings were still in flux. But the crisis at the turn of the century had intensified receptiveness for the various projects discussed either in secret or in public. Communications in the form of railway, telegraph, postal services and telephone, which had been improved considerably during the 1890s, made constant interregional communication much easier. These blessings of civilization had, admittedly, hardly extended into the countryside, but they were already of obvious benefit to urban life.