Intellectuals in Czarist Russia

During the late 1800's a small class of highly educated thinkers and students, called intellectuals, populated in Russia. These intellectuals would talk about ways to modernize Russia through making new ideas and sharing their meaning of Russia. At first intellectuals were made up of nobility who played an active part in government, but later intellectual groups were revolutionaries who were political activists. Intellectuals worked to change Russian society by brainstorming a new democracy and pushing industrialization. Because not all intellectuals agreed on a set way to change Russia, two groups were made: the Westerners who wanted to westernize and the slavophiles who focused on Russia's past. Then, another two groups of intellectuals formed through middle class people because czarist nobility abused their power. These groups were called the populists and marxists. Populists thought czars and nobility have exploited the peasants while marxist believed that lower class would overthrow the upper class. It was not very easy to being about the changes intellectuals wanted. Factos such as government policies, Siberia exilations, and campaigns of terror held everybody back.

Revolution or Not?

The idea of revolution would probably be supported by intellectuals because they wanted a change in Russia, and revolution would bring that. Also, most intellectuals thought that Russian czars abused their power so overthrowing them would be a good idea.