The creation and activities of local organizations
of the Bund Belarus
The formation of the Bund as the organization was laid union of the
circles of the Jewish workers and artisans western provinces of Russia
empire. Have them on the basis of traditionally existed in the trades
among mutual-aid funds (the Jewish craftsmen – hevres) for the benefit
of mass labor movement in terms of economic recovery and encouraging the
participation in the struggle to improve their conditions of workers and
artisans, as put forward demands to increase wages wages, and shorter
working hours, better working conditions were all clear and urgent.
Gradually, the union is “shop” Cass (a profession) in the city, and then
the district. Reason for this is was, firstly, the need for financial
support for strikers (especially if the strike was prepared in all
crafts), and secondly, the desire of the Social Democrats to establish a
network of closely related labor organizations, united by one goal. Cash
gatherings used the Social Democrats to promote Marxist ideas, and later
for the dissemination of revolutionary literature and training
facilitators in the working environment.
Benevolent Fund, were also formed on an occupational basis – the shop.
They were led by departmental gatherings that solve critical issues and
the organization of the strike (which was very timely in the wake of the
mass strike movement in the 90’s. This has enabled the Social Democrats
to use the mass workers’ movement for political agitation and klasovogo
education workers. Thus began the process of transformation mutual-aid
funds to fund the fight, which took place under the influence and direct
participation of the Jewish Social-Democrats, which have developed
active in the province at the turn of the 80 – 90 years of the XIX
century, and was most common in the mid 90’s. With the end of the period
promotion and transfer of Social Democrats to mass agitation in the
working environment. The first such ticket was founded in Vilna in 1888
at chulochnits. [2, pp. 56]. By Remark Martov “became the head of the
strike movement, helping to formulate the strikers their demands, the
Social Democrats have reached a short AREM noticeable effect on the
workers and Masa had to turn fragmented, the private struggle of
individual groups of workers in class struggle against the oppressor of
his poleiriata mass classes “[4, p.83].
This fund began to struggle not only at the head of the strike movement
in the province, but also a center of education workers. Craftsmen fund
set up everywhere and the Government as a source of antigovernment
propaganda. In 1896, in Minsk acted Booking artisans bench and
blacksmith shops of the 50 people on her needs met weekly for 10
kopecks. with the student and 20 kopecks. with apprentice [6, LL 2 on 9
on.]. The same cashier from 1894 existed at the tailors, cobblers,
schetochnikov etc. [6, pp. 12 on. – 13 on].
Thus against the background of the strike movement has developed and
matured a mass workers’ organization, has united a community economic
requirements for employers (increased wages, shorter hours, better
working conditions, etc.). In October 1897 took place on 1 congress of
representatives of 15 cities: Vilnius, Minsk, Warsaw, Dvinsk, Bialystok,
Bobruisk, Smorgon, Lodz, Kovno, Mogilev, Gomel, Vitebsk, Odessa,
Verzhbolova, Vilkovyshek [5, pp. 199]. Thus was created the Bund.
At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. basis of the organizational
structure of the Bund continued to be cash struggle (strike funds).
Their primary objectives are: to disseminate among the masses of social
democratic ideas, the development of class and political consciousness
of workers, improve their economic situation. The transition from
propaganda in small circles to the general agitation among the working
masses, marked changes in the tactics of the Social-Democrats, the
middle 90’s. XIX century., Demanded radical changes in prevailing before
the work and organization. The reform plan was scheduled for leaders of
the movement in Vilna, as follows: 1) the final conversion of shop
insurance funds in public resistance (cash counter), etching of them the
last remnants of peaceful mutual-aid funds, and 2) direct connection of
the Social Democratic Center with these insurers through the permanent
collections of prominent figures for each fund “with the center (meeting
facilitators), and 3) adaptation of the circles to the problem of making
the leaders of the mass movement of workers, so the clubs should be
taken only active workers are able and inclined to engage in propaganda;
classes in the groups must be free from academic and school nature,
closer to life, 4) classes in the groups should be conducted primarily
in the jargon, to make possible the participation of all capable of
propaganda work of the proletarians [2, pp. 57].
In the late XIX-early XX centuries. in each city with a notable labor
movement has established local committees of the Bund. Initially, their
role was more of a coordinating and directing: equipment for the study
circles of socialist literature and political readings, distributing
illegal literature and issue proclamations supporting the strikers with
money and formulation of requirements in the strikes, etc. To do this,
the committees were needed streamlined communication among themselves
and with the Central Committee for the supply of literature,
organization of illegal libraries on the ground, a network of safe
houses for the organization of meetings. For the Central Committee sets
forth the general leadership of the movement, liaison between the local
committees, supply of literature and publishing activities [3, pp.
85-86.].
Analysis of the economic situation during the economic downturn of the
late XIX century. forced the Bund to its 4 th Congress in 1901 to
introduce a limited offensive strikes [1, pp. V]. first place in the
activities of organizations out political struggle. As the nature and
expanding forms of fighting organization became grow the necessary
specialized branches (the editorial group and printing for the
publication of proclamations and other revolutionary literature; Red
Cross, helping prisoner and exile, etc.).
Evolution of the organizational structure of the Bund was a parallel
evolution of the main ideological principles and, accordingly, the goals
and objectives put forward by the Bund at the turn of XIX – XX
centuries.
Thus, at the head of the labor movement of every city in fact there were
two centers – the workers and intellectuals, who possessed a high degree
of autonomy. The confrontation of these centers, the reluctance to
restructure work circles of education led to the Workers’ Opposition in
many centers of motion.
But at the beginning of XX century, аs the exhaustion of the prospects
for purely economic struggle, anti-government protests intensify
political and retaliatory government repression against Zubatovism and
impact of such vocational-revolutionary organizations, like Iskra begin
centralistic growth trends in the Bund and the corresponding
restructuring of its structure. It was expressed primarily in the
expansion of the competence of local committees of the Bund and
strengthening the leadership role of the Central Committee on the basis
of strict party discipline.
At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. basis of the organizational
structure of the Bund continued to be cash struggle (strike funds).
Their primary objectives are: to disseminate among the masses of social
democratic ideas, the development of class and political consciousness
of workers, improve their economic situation. The transition from
propaganda in small circles to the general agitation among the working
masses, marked changes in the tactics of the Social-Democrats, the
middle 90’s. XIX century, Demanded radical changes in prevailing before
the work and organization. The reform plan was scheduled for leaders of
the movement in Vilna, as follows: 1) the final conversion of shop
insurance funds in public resistance (cash counter), etching of them the
last remnants of peaceful mutual-aid funds, and 2) direct connection of
the Social Democratic Center with these insurers through the permanent
collections of prominent figures for each fund “with the center (meeting
facilitators), and 3) adaptation of the circles to the problem of making
the leaders of the mass movement of workers, so the clubs should be
taken only active workers are able and inclined to engage in propaganda;
classes in the groups must be free from academic and school nature,
closer to life, 4) classes in the groups should be conducted primarily
in the jargon, to make possible the participation of all capable of
propaganda work of the proletarians [2, pp. 57].
In the conduct of local committees, and also took over stewardship of
the surrounding villages to the city. Under the direct supervision
committee meetings were agitators who had carried out the decisions of
the Committee. In addition to these institutions, headed by general
revolutionary work throughout the city, there were also craft centers
for the same work in certain crafts. Thus, the cash gradually replaced
the rallies from 80-ies of XIX century. workers’ circles, where the
Social Democrats trained workers in literacy and аbility to consider,
the beginnings of political economy, gradually turned into numerous
organization, which became the head of a numerically increased the labor
movement. Thus were created the conditions for creating one of the
oldest and most influential in the territory of Belarus Social
Democratic Party – the Bund.
Sources and literature
1. 1905 in Belarus. Collection of articles, memoirs and Materials, Ed.
M. Schulman / Commission CEC of the BSSR in the commemoration of the 20
th anniversary of the revolution. – Mn., 1925. – 131 pp.
2. Buchbinder NA History of the Jewish labor movement in Russia. In
unpublished archival material. – L.: Academic Publishers, 1925
3. Report on the Russian Social-Democratic movement to the International
Socialist Congress in Paris. History of the Jewish labor movement in
Russia and Poland. – Geneva, 1901
4. Martov L. proletarian struggle in Russia. – 2-nd edition, revised and
expanded. – Spb., Publishing RG Glagolev, 1906
5. NARB, fax. 60, op. 3, d. 91.
6. NIAB, fond. 705, op. 1, d. 1.
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