Activities of the all-Russian Union for women’s equality (1905-1907)

Abstract

The paper deals with the issue of the political activity of Russian society at the beginning of the 20th century. An important direction of this process was the strengthening of the womens movement, which sought to expand civil and political rights. The position of the opposition parties is shown: the Cadets, Social Democrats, Socialist-Revolutionaries, Trudoviks, peoples socialists who advocated womens suffrage. In the years of the first Russian revolution, new public organizations appeared where the All-Russian Union of Womens Equality took a prominent place. The story of the foundation of the union is told. The main forms of the unions work in the struggle for womens right to vote are shown: participation in rallies and meetings, preparation of petitions and leaflets, agitation and propaganda work, collection of instructions among peasant women. Particular attention is paid to the agitation work of the members of the Union. The statistics of the signatures collected under the punishments in the State Duma with the demand of womens suffrage for certain regions of Russia are shown. The contacts of the All-Russian Union of Womens Equality with the Duma Opposition, especially with the fraction of the socialist parties and constitutional democrats, are highlighted, their close interaction is shown. Specific deputies of the State Duma most actively cooperating with the All-Russian Union of Womens Equality are indicated.