Zionist Socialist Workers Party
Encyclopedia
Zionist Socialist Workers Party , often referred to simply as 'Zionist-Socialists' or 'S.S.' by their Russian
initials, was a Jewish socialist territorialist
political party
in the Russian Empire
and Poland
, that emerged out of the Vozrozhdenie (Renaissance) group in 1904. The party held its founding conference in Odessa
in 1905. The party favoured the idea of a Jewish territorial autonomy, outside of Palestine
. However, whilst territorial autonomy was the goal of the party, it dedicated most of its energy into revolutionary activities in Russia. Like other Russian revolutionary groups such as the Narodniks, the party was positive towards using terrorism
as a means of struggle against the establishment.
Nachman Syrkin
, Jacob Lestchinsky, Volf Latsky-Bartoldi and Shmuel Niger were amongst the leading figures of the party.
The party played an active role in the 1905 revolution
.
At the 7th congress of the World Zionist Organization
in 1905, the WZO formally rejected the 'Uganda Plan' (a proposal to resettle Jews in East Africa
) after sharp debates. In response, the party and other territorialists withdrew from the WZO.
The party grew rapidly, and became the second largest Jewish labour party after the Bund. The party organized 'neutral' trade union
s, in opposition to the Bundist unions. In the end of 1906, the party claimed a membership of 27 000. However, after 1906 the influence of the party began to decline sharply. Many leaders went into exile in Western Europe. The central organ of the party was the weekly Yiddish newspaper Der nayer veg, published from Vilna 1906–1907. The newspaper was closed down by the authorities in 1907.
During the 1907 Stuttgart
congress of the Second International
, the International Socialist Bureau
decided to give a consultative vote to the party at the congress. The decision was, however, overturned a year later.
In 1911 party, the Jewish Socialist Workers Party
and Poalei Zion signed a joint appeal to the International Socialist Bureau
, asking the International to recognize the national character of the Jewish people.
In 1917 the party merged with the Jewish Socialist Workers Party, forming the United Jewish Socialist Workers Party
.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
initials, was a Jewish socialist territorialist
Territorialism
Territorialism, also known as Statism , was a Jewish political movement calling for creation of a sufficiently large and compact Jewish territory , not necessarily in the Land of Israel and not necessarily fully autonomous.-Development of territorialism:Before 1905 some Zionist leaders took...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, that emerged out of the Vozrozhdenie (Renaissance) group in 1904. The party held its founding conference in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
in 1905. The party favoured the idea of a Jewish territorial autonomy, outside of Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. However, whilst territorial autonomy was the goal of the party, it dedicated most of its energy into revolutionary activities in Russia. Like other Russian revolutionary groups such as the Narodniks, the party was positive towards using terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
as a means of struggle against the establishment.
Nachman Syrkin
Nachman Syrkin
Nachman Syrkin was a political theorist, founder of Labour Zionism and a prolific writer in Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, German and English language....
, Jacob Lestchinsky, Volf Latsky-Bartoldi and Shmuel Niger were amongst the leading figures of the party.
The party played an active role in the 1905 revolution
Russian Revolution of 1905
The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. Some of it was directed against the government, while some was undirected. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies...
.
At the 7th congress of the World Zionist Organization
World Zionist Organization
The World Zionist Organization , or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization , or ZO, in 1897 at the First Zionist Congress, held from August 29 to August 31 in Basel, Switzerland...
in 1905, the WZO formally rejected the 'Uganda Plan' (a proposal to resettle Jews in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
) after sharp debates. In response, the party and other territorialists withdrew from the WZO.
The party grew rapidly, and became the second largest Jewish labour party after the Bund. The party organized 'neutral' trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s, in opposition to the Bundist unions. In the end of 1906, the party claimed a membership of 27 000. However, after 1906 the influence of the party began to decline sharply. Many leaders went into exile in Western Europe. The central organ of the party was the weekly Yiddish newspaper Der nayer veg, published from Vilna 1906–1907. The newspaper was closed down by the authorities in 1907.
During the 1907 Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
congress of the Second International
Second International
The Second International , the original Socialist International, was an organization of socialist and labour parties formed in Paris on July 14, 1889. At the Paris meeting delegations from 20 countries participated...
, the International Socialist Bureau
International Socialist Bureau
The International Socialist Bureau was the permanent organization of the Second International, established at the Paris congress of 1900. Before this there was no organizational infrastructure to the "Second International" beyond a series of periodical congresses, which weren't even given a...
decided to give a consultative vote to the party at the congress. The decision was, however, overturned a year later.
In 1911 party, the Jewish Socialist Workers Party
Jewish Socialist Workers Party
The Jewish Socialist Workers Party , often nicknamed Seymists, was a Jewish socialist political party in the Russian Empire. The party was founded in April 1906, emerging out of the Vozrozhdenie circles. The Vozrozhdenie was a non-Marxist tendency which was led by the nonmarxist thinker and...
and Poalei Zion signed a joint appeal to the International Socialist Bureau
International Socialist Bureau
The International Socialist Bureau was the permanent organization of the Second International, established at the Paris congress of 1900. Before this there was no organizational infrastructure to the "Second International" beyond a series of periodical congresses, which weren't even given a...
, asking the International to recognize the national character of the Jewish people.
In 1917 the party merged with the Jewish Socialist Workers Party, forming the United Jewish Socialist Workers Party
United Jewish Socialist Workers Party
United Jewish Socialist Workers Party was a political party in Poland and certain regions of the Russian Empire . Its followers were generally known simply for the first portion of the name Fareynikte - 'United'. Politically the party favored national personal autonomy for the Jewish community...
.