Monarchist Organizations of the Vladimir Province during the First World War

Abstract

In the territory of the Vladimir province in 1905–1914 there were thirty local organizations of the “Union of the Russian People.” However, after the end of the First Russian Revolution, activists of monarchist organizations, having considered their mission accomplished, began to leave the party. The beginning of the First World War and the patriotic movement that accompanied it literally awakened monarchist organizations from the “lethargic sleep” of the previous two to three 3 years. This tendency was fully manifested in the Vladimir province. The main activity of monarchist organizations, in accordance with the principle of “sacred unity,” was to assist the front, help sick, wounded, and injured soldiers, and care for families of mobilized citizens. However, the lack of money did not allow them to compete with the liberal parties operating in the formats of Zemgor and Military- Industrial Committees, and who also received generous state funding. Failures at the front and the socio-economic difficulties of wartime, associated in the public consciousness with the autocracy, did not contribute to the popularity of monarchist ideology. The situation was aggravated by the destructive work of the opposition, which launched a massive propaganda campaign against the Right. The number of monarchists began to decline sharply, and many local departments were closed—of thirty right-wing organizations operating in 1905–1914 in the Vladimir province, only nine remained by March 1916. By the autumn of 1916, all political activity of the provincial Right had ceased.