Like anarchism, nihilism has been unjustly regarded as a violent and even terroristic philosophy. Unjust as it may be, though, it is true that nihilism has been used in support of violence and many early nihilists were violent revolutionaries. The connection between nihilism and violence may not be necessary and inherent, but it is historical.
Russian Nihilists rejected that traditional political, ethical, and religious norms had any validity or binding force on them. They did not advocate simply the destruction of society, however; instead, they argued that by tearing down the invalid social structures of old, they would be able to establish a new and better society.
Those Russian Nihilists who were politically involved at first tried to make their case intellectually, publishing pamphlets about their ideas and urging others to throw off the chains of the past. Unfortunately, Russia at this time was ill-suited for such efforts. Most of the peasants couldn't even read in the first place, and the Nihilist propaganda only really appealed to the students and intellectual classes anyway.
If talking was not a feasible option for social revolution, then violence was the next choice. The primary object of revolutionary violence was the Czar, the symbol of hereditary privilege, political power, and even religious authority in Russia. Several attempts were made on the life of Czar Alexander II — he escaped a gun shot fired by Demetrius Karakozov on April 4, 1866, an attempt to wreck a train he was riding, and an attack in February, 1880. Finally, he was killed by a bomb thrown by Grineveckij on March 1, 1891.
The Nihilists were too few in number to pose a real threat to the stability of Russian society, but their violence was obviously a threat to the lives of those in power. General Strelnikov was assassinated at Odessa in 1882. The new Czar, Alexander III, had a number of attempts made on his life as well. Therefore, the Russian authorities engaged in extensive efforts to shut them down and jail the leaders. At one mass trial in 1877, 193 persons were charged but 94 were ultimately acquitted.
Czar Alexander III continued the reactionary efforts but it wasn't too long before the Nihilist movement simply ran out of steam. It wasn't popular with the masses of the people, so jailing and otherwise silencing various Nihilist leaders often went a long way towards achieving the political goals of the Russian leaders.
This is not to say, however, that the Russian Nihilists had no impact at all. Their emphasis on materialism as opposed to idealism probably helped pave the way for the later ascendancy of communism. It is also reasonable to conclude that the critiques of traditional culture helped Russians to shed past prejudices and assumptions, even if they didn't embrace the Nihilist philosophy entirely. Finally, the Nihilist willingness to resort to violence, like political assassination, in the pursuit of political and social goals may have also played a role in the similar willingness on the part of Russian Communists just a couple of decades later.
