While both factions believed that a proletarian revolution was necessary, the Mensheviks generally tended to be more moderate, and more positive towards the liberal opposition and the peasant-based Socialist Revolutionary Party.
Mens begge fraktioner anså, at den proletariske revolution var nødvendig, havde menjevikkerne generelt tendens til at være mere moderate og mere positive over for den liberale opposition og det dominerende bondebaserede socialistrevolutionære parti.