ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrated that the discussions of parliament and parliamentarism were crucial during the Revolution of 1905–1907, with the “representation of the people” (a vernacular term for parliament) being a widely shared goal. During its first two convocations, the State Duma did not become a potent legislature, but it did not become a demonstration of loyalty to the throne either. The First and Second Dumas acted as revolutionary forums, politicizing categories of difference and also seeking to assemble an inclusionary Russian civic nation in a bottom-up manner. Although the goal of building a political community was not fully achieved, it became a tangible possibility and a future political goal. Serving as political rallies, the first two Dumas also amplified oppositional discourse, contributed to the development of mass politics, and helped consolidate the goal of an imperial revolution. However, antiparliamentary sentiments were also strong, and opponents of parliamentarism saw the Duma's performance as proof that the Russian Empire did not require a parliament due to its exceptional character or that parliament was a thing of the past and the global society needed other forms of self-organization.
