Intelligentsia and Revolution: Russian Views of Bolshevism, 1917-1922

by Jane Burbank

Over the five years following the Russian revolution of 1917 there occurred a brilliant outburst of theory and criticism among Russian intellectuals struggling to comprehend their country's vast social upheaval. Much of their intense speculation focused on issues that are still hotly Was this socialism? Why had the revolution happened in Russia? What did Bolshevik power mean for Russia and the Western world? This compelling study recovers these early responses to 1917 and analyzes the specific ideological context out of which they emerged. Jane Burbank explores the ideas and experiences of diverse prominent intellectuals, ranging from the monarchists on the right to the Mensheviks, Socialist revolutionaries, and Anarchists on the left. Following these thinkers through the turbulent years of civil war and rebuilding of state power, Burbank shows how revolution both revitalized their political culture and exposed the fragile basis of its existence.

Genres: History

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 1987

Reviews

[Jess Smith]

yeah toootttally read this

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

useful overview of some of the forgotten figures of the intellectual landscape around 1917. the method of the book was as interesting as the content, and it was pretty compelling writing (or as compelling as this field can get). however, by the end I didn't get a sense of what the overall point of the writing was beyond a collection of biographies. Ultimately skirting around the question of why the October revolution succeeded prevents us from placing these non-bolshevik thinkers in any kind of meaningful context.