Peoples Will

Almost everyone has been inspired by a good book at one point in their lives.  At times, books can give us ideas and motivate us to change things we see as being unjust.  Well, a book by the name of Catechism of a Revolutionist, which was written by Mikhail Bakunin and Sergi Nechayer, certainly inspired many Russians during the 19^th Century.  The most prominent message in this book was that the peasants in Russia should be given Russian land and that the state should be destroyed.  This book promoted revolutions and stated that anything hindering a revolution should be considered immoral.  This book caused a revolutionists group named Land and Liberty to form.  Later a faction would break away from this group and form their own terrorist group, which became known as the People’s Will. 

            So, the People’s Will was a revolutionary organization in Russia that felt that terrorist activities were the best means of forcing reform and overthrowing the tsarist society.  The People’s Will was sick of fighting wars for stupid reasons.  This was a group that demanded that a new constitution be written in Russia providing for free elections and an end to censorship.  They demanded that the Russian Empire be dissolved.  The People’s Will also wanted two thirds of the land to be transferred to peasants where it would be organized in self-governing communities.  This group believed the Russian peasant was by nature inclined to Socialism.  However, they knew Socialism could not be established for some time, so they instead went for the immediate goal, which was to acquire civil liberties.  However, the group did not begin their forces against the Tsar in particularly, but instead against the governor-generals in Russia, but later decided to focus all of their concentration on bringing down the Tsar.  And, this goal would be accomplished.

This group went as far as attempting to assassinate Alexander II two times, before Alexander would even consider writing a new constitution However, the group promised to end their terrorist attacks if a new constitution would be written.  Even though Alexander proclaimed that a new constitution would be considered, he did not act quickly enough to establish the new constitution.  So, the People’s Will started again to make plans to assassinate Alexander II. 

            While traveling to St. Petersburg on March 1, 1881, Alexander II found chaos.  Bombs were being thrown at his carriage.  The People’s Will had formed a terrorist attack, and were trying to murder Alexander.  However, the first few bombs thrown missed Alexander’s carriage and instead hit the Cossacks behind him.  When this happened Alexander stepped out of his carriage so he could check on the injured.  This was not the wisest move on his part, because once out of the carriage, Ignatei Grinevitski, a member of the People’s Will threw a bomb at Alexander and killed him instantly. 

            Even though the People’s Will finally accomplished their goal of killing the Tsar in a revolutionary attempt, they of course did not escape the punishment that was inevitable after killing the Tsar.  On April 3, 1881, five members of the People’s Will were hung.  However, the People’s Will remained underground even after this terrorist attack.  And, in 1887 another member of the group, Aleksander Ul’yanov made an attempt to assassinate Alexander III.  Alexander III was obviously disliked, and one reason was because he always chose to go the military autocratic route.  It was his way or nothing.  Like his father, he did not want to write a constitution to benefit the beliefs held by the People’s Will.  He also held a grudge because this socialist terrorist group had assassinated his father.  However, even though Alexander III had these qualities, he still kept Russia at peace during his thirteen year rule. 

So, one can see that the People’s Will felt very strongly in their beliefs in reforming the Russian government.  They were desperate to see that free elections would take place and that censorship would end.  They wanted the state to end as they knew it.  They were making a loud cry for civil liberties.