Skip to content

Questions about Russian Constituent Assembly

Short answers, pulled from the story.

What were the vote totals for each party in the Russian Constituent Assembly election of November 1917?

Socialist Revolutionaries won 17,943,000 votes representing 40.4 percent of the total while Bolsheviks secured 10,661,000 votes accounting for 24.0 percent of the vote share. Ukrainian SRs received 3,433,000 votes making up 7.7 percent and Constitutional Democrats known as Kadets obtained 2,088,000 votes equaling 4.7 percent.

When did Vladimir Lenin publish Theses on the Constituent Assembly to argue against its convening?

Lenin published Theses on the Constituent Assembly on the 29th of November 1917 arguing a republic of Soviets represented higher democracy than bourgeois constitutions. He claimed the Assembly did not truly represent Russian people because ballots failed to split Right SRs from pro-Bolshevik Left SRs.

How many votes did the Socialist-Revolutionary Party receive in the Russian Constituent Assembly election compared to other parties?

The Socialist-Revolutionary Party received around 57 to 58 percent including social democratic allies among rural peasants who constituted 80 percent of Russia's population. Total counted votes reached 40,034,000 representing 90 percent while unaccounted ballots numbered 4,543,000 making up the remaining 10 percent.

What happened during the meeting of the Russian Constituent Assembly on the morning of January 5 1918?

On the morning of the 5th of January 1918 soldiers loyal to the Bolshevik-Left SR Soviet government shot at demonstrators and dispersed them outside the Tauride Palace. The Assembly dominated by anti-Bolshevik Right SRs elected Victor Chernov Chairman with 244 votes against 153 for Maria Spiridonova of Left SRs before dispersing at 4:40 a.m.

When was the All-Russian Constituent Assembly Committee known as Komuch formed in Samara?

On the 8th of June 1918 five Constituent Assembly members formed All-Russian Constituent Assembly Committee known as Komuch declaring it supreme authority in Samara. The committee gained support from Czechoslovak Legions spreading authority over much Volga-Kama region until September 1918 when State Conference formed coalition All-Russian Supreme Authority called Ufa Directory.