What was the doctrine, the teaching, the concept of Leo Tolstoy?
Probably, a perspective exist - the perspective of an appearance of a hundreds of doctoral dissertations on this subject. And, still, even after such an appearance, a directions and a sectors for a new, next researches will be.
We plan to show our understanding of the topic.
The most important were not a concrete ideas, but a general understanding by a Russial society of the literary works and behavior and activity of Leo Tolstoy - a man of noble origins and a rich person.
The general message of Leo Tolstoy, according to my subjective opinion, consisted in a call for the consolidation of society, and, possibly, in a call for his, society, a solidarity activity, a civilized behavior - a cultural behavior according European tradition.
The most influence, power, impact was resulted by a 'general message' - the message of Leo Tolstoy to a Russial society.
Tolstoy was sending a signal to the noble and wealthy strata of society: 'Stop and think! Go to the people and be among the people! Live and act in conditions of a political equality and with concern for all segments of the population - including not a noble and not a rich members of society.'
Tolstoy was informing a poor and a disadvantaged fellow countrymen: 'Not all a rich and noble people are parasites, exploiters and bloodsuckers. We, many noble and wealthy people, wish for equality, harmonious development and, if possible, happiness to everyone. Let's go, together, along a way of development and improvement.'
It possible to state that this general message of Leo Tolstoy, broadcast to all stratas of society, led to the October general political strike (October 12 - 18, 1905), and to the Manifesto of 17 October 1905.
It is probably obvious that both the general strike (the October general political strike of October 12-18, 1905) and the Manifesto of 17 October 1905 radically differ from the events of 1917-1918 by relative bloodlessness and civilization (civility).
Who was 'on the side' of Leo Tolstoy?
One person is not able to initiate colossal social changes.
Supporters, allies of Leo Tolstoy were (in fact):
1) Relatively educated workers and, in particular, trade unions and other social movements capable of organizing a general nationwide strike. A special role was played by the 'The Soviet of Workers 'Delegates' - 'The Soviet of Workers' Deputies' - 'The Saint Petersburg Soviet' (Georgi Khrustalyov-Nossar [Хрусталёв-Носарь, Георгий Степанович]).
2) Representatives of the Reigning Dinasty and the emperor bureaucracy. In this judgment, one can rely on the memoirs of Sergei Witte ('Grand Prince Nikolai Nikolaevich, imbued with the thoroughness of the explanations given by Count Witte, expressed his full sympathy for the draft of Count Witte and reported on the impossibility, due to lack of troops, to resort to a military dictatorship.').
The views and moods of the ruling circles 'came into interaction' with the views and moods of the participants in the general strike and the situation ended with the relatively bloodless and civilized result - the October Manifesto of 1905.
There is no doubt that the personality, activities and appeals of Leo Tolstoy influenced public sentiment, public moods, views, directed public views towards peaceful actions and compromises.
Who was the 'opponent' of Leo Tolstoy?
There were probably not so many of obvious and convinced opponents ...
We will not talk about 'opponents'. Let's speak about fatal events and actions, and about their driving forces.
1) The December Moscow uprising (of 1905) and other armed uprisings in December 1905. The Moscow uprising was initiated by the Moscow Soviet of Workers' Deputies, by a radical political circles. There is an opinion that the radical parties (who rejected the October Manifesto of 1905) were funded by a certain Moscow industrial and merchant layers.
2) The provocative behavior of certain representatives of the government and of the State Duma, aimed at intensifying the conflict between the executive branch and the Duma,
3) Armed actions and non-adequate support of the tsarist administration from the side of the so-called the Union of the Russian People ... (It's curious: there is the opinion in Wikipedia that the majority of the members of the Union of the Russian People were not Russian by nationality).
4) The coup of June 1907, which cancelled, disavowed some principles and some the most important provisions of the October Manifesto of 1905. The driving forces of this coup were the most conservative circles of the tsarist administration, of the executive branch and of the nobility.
The Russial traditions of a political violence and of a lack of control upon the executive branch were called into question by the efforts of Leo Tolstoy, his activities, behavior, creativity, and the relatively peaceful outcome of the events of October 1905.
The subsequent contra events were not perceived by the executive branch as obstacles on the right path to a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, but as a reason, occasion for a returning of powers in favour of the executive vertical, led by the Emperor.
Leo Tolstoy, his activities, ideas, and creativity continued to influence political processes throughout the world. However, in Russia, the Coup of June 1907 had a devastating effect on a mentality of all sectors of society. A violence, - but not a trust, - was - more and more - a base, a fundament of the executive branch. Although Tolstoy's moral authority was recognized, his authority did not exert the former influence on the political situation. The attention of society turned to the most radical ideas. Events started to move towards 1917 - 1918.
'A shamefuly, a disgusting' - perhaps these moods and assessments dominated in Leo Tolstoy's mood when he was looking at the course, at the development of political events after June 3, 1907 - and these moods, and such an emotions reached a maximum in 1910.
With this understanding, Leo Tolstoy's actions in November 1910 are an expression of his position - not to be an unwitting accomplice in political processes, not to express passive sympathy or an approval to (towards) a general political development of Russia in a nearest historical period after 1907. But to 'separate' himself, to distance himself from the ruling privileged layer.
October 31, 2019 23:16.
Translation from Russian into English: November 2, 2019 09:27.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Учение и сторонники Льва Толстого'.