Constitutional Democratic Party

Constitutional Democratic Party

 or Kadet

Russian political party advocating a radical change in Russian government toward a constitutional monarchy like Britain's. It was founded in October 1905 by the Union of Liberation and other liberals associated with the zemstvos. Its members, called Kadets, dominated the first Duma in 1906 but were less successful thereafter. After the Bolsheviks seized power in 1917, the party was outlawed and ceased to function.