Violence of 60s and Karakozov Flashcards
Give a high level timeline of the 60s movements / tinglings of revolutionary activity. (Part 1)
Overall very quiet following Great Reforms: PRE-KARAKOZOV
Nihilism:
- less of rev activity and more students and young people rejecting “abstractions” like tradition and government
- Prize sciences over philosophy -> evidenced by Bazarov’s interest in medicine in FaS
- Dress in manner to liken themselves to peasants, simpler clothing but renewed aesthetic. Women especially would have short hair, not look after fingernails and such
- BELIEVED -> change in society would come about if WE ALL ACT DIFFERENTLY TOGETHER
OPEN CULTURAL DISSENT
Student Groups (61-63):
- Universities have free reign for a lot of stuff. Nick(?)’s waiving of class requirements meant there were people of different classes at uni now
- Therefore set up study groups and clothing co ops and such to help poorer peeps.
- State REJECTS this -> sees students as constant threat
- Overreacts to first iteration of Land and Liberty (movement to exporpriate landowners and overthrow autocracy ) which was immediately shut down after publishing only 5 pamphlets in 1862 (student group)
- Also overreaction to fires -> shuts down Sunday school movement and suspends publication of the Contemporary journal
Chernyshevsky:
- EDITOR at the contemporary, involved in L/L 1862
- Writes what is to be done after 1862 arrest in P/P, leaked out
- Young people have positive response -> Rakhmetov as hardened revolutionary archetype cemented.
- Read by Karakozov and co, inspires nihilist women to emulate Pavlovna by setting up communes across SPB in ensuing decade
Polish Revolt of 63-64
- LONG uprising, causes state under Alex II to fear all kinds of revolts -> leading questions in Karakozov interview
- Deems them REVOLUTIONARIES -> thinks aided by students (why weary)
Explain the state response to Karakozov, how did it create the preconditions for terrorism, and what impact did it have on future rev movements?
Basically using Karakozov as an excuse to crackdown on potential rev movements and preserve autocracy (AND REPEAL GRETA REFORMS), even if links are only strenuous:
Uses: modern media and overstepping of old reforms
IN RESPONSE TO: severe Polish uprisings on 63/64
Direct interference in reformed courts
- Made it closed (illegally)
- Initial interrogation used torture and such
- Leading questions asking if Polish in response to 63-34 Polish uprising
- Alex II endorses Investigative commission’s report -> publishes in state papers BEFORE verdicts -> Polish element, removal of tsaricide as goal to paint revs as just wanting animalistic violence. _> MANIPULATE JURRIES
STATE MANIPULATES WHAT EVIDENCE GOES TO TRIAL
- Overall result of misleading public and controlling media narrative -> believe there IS an official organization after second verdicts released.
- Closed trial (withholding 6000 docs) results in most info laying in state hands -> control verdict info so “Hell” not confirmed to NOT exist, instead only prove /state that “organization” against state existed
- Leads to… (USE AS AN EXCUSE FOR CLAMPING DOWN ON SOCIETIES AND STUDENT ORGS SEEN AS SUBVERSIVE)
Expanding definition of societies and groups: -> basically in effort to ban student groups
- Now anyone conspiring against the state in anyway, intent enough to get harsher sentencing
- “whatever” relationship between two or more people acting in “whatever” way against the state = death
- Also makes it easier for KNOWLEDGE of rev movements to be prosecuted/sentenced
Creation of counter Rev narrative: -> SECURING PEASANT/TSAR RELATIONSHIP POWER BASE
- Harness nascent capitalism of printing presses, photography, and mass production
- Prop up Komissarov as peasant hero from “A Life for the Tsar”
- Constant production of this play, Poles booed
- MANUFACTURERS TAKE ADVANTAGE AND SELL IMAGE TO PUBLIC ->
- Brochures offer biography, account of details, much gossip and rumours, exaggerations about heroism, MASSIVELY POPULAR WITH MASSES -> mass publication of these -> ADS IN STATE PAPERS
- MODERN MEDIA WAS USED TO PROMOTE A COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY IMAGE
- THEREFORE -> media ready for a revolutionary image as well should the time come
- PORTRAITS OF KARAKOZOV, DECEMBRISTS, HERZEN AND CO
- Third dept finds photos of K in public sphere -> IMAGE IS CATAPAULTED AROUND DESPITE BEING LOCKED UP.
White Terror:
- Explicit reforms post Karakozov
- Expanding definition of society (used 2nd verdict / abuse of information as an excuse for)
- Shut down of periodicals, ALL STUDENT GROUPS ( study groups, innocent organizations) shut down,
- traditional language based curriculum in schools - > renewed uni protests -> Nechaev
- Crackdown on nihilist fashion -> women and yellow cards (supposedly dressed as one despite not really -> Armiak, meant to blend in)
NECHAEV BONUS ROUND!
- After capture (ameteurs), state extradites him from Switzerland controversially (no treaty?)
- Releases Catechism to press, public outcry against revolutionaries (again, STATE CONTROLLING MEDIA AND MODERN OUTPUTS TO SECURE AUTOCRACY)
- TRIED AS CRIMINAL for MURDER (not political)
- Emperor intervenes for sentence -> siberia, now solitary confinement FOR LIFE in P/P -> MORE SECURE AREA
(CONTROL MEDIA AND INTERVENE LEGALLY)
Explain Verhoeven’s take on terrorism, what evidence does she employ to support her argument?
STANDARD take:
- Terrorism frst developed in Russia, yes, but only with successful assassination of Alex II by People’s Will
- Verhoeven argues that people then were not as shocked/didn’t feel as alien as when Karakozov fired his shot
- Happened after OIRA/PIRA split of Land and Liberty into People’s Will -> one adopts violence
- In fact, the split happened DEMOCRATICALLY -> so terrorism issued in w/ thunderous applause
- Doesn’t make sense -> state response and subsequent public reaction is what sets stage for People’s Will
- THESIS: terrorism is NOT just a “means to an end” for political goals, it is a method through which to BECOME MODERN POLITICAL ACTOR
- Therefore NEEDS CONTEXT and PRECONDITIONS OF MODERNITY
On Modernity:
- 1866 product of new things:
- nihilist education revolutionary attitude towards religion, greater allowance/tolerance of all classes in uni
- Nihilist ideas: disbelief in states, “isms” -> focus on natural world
- Technology disseminates info like trains and telegrams -> photography and nascent capitalism (EXPAND)
- New reformed courts, interplay between media and trials
- PRECONDITON for terrorism -> creation of historically conscious and politically sovereign person to act on history
On “the modern person”
- Modernity means community can be created and maintained regardless of distance because of tech
- Tech PRODUCES HISTORY and connects present to future / past -> feeding people info at all times, connecting to wider world, allowing them to decide on THEIR POSITION WITHIN THE WORLD/ACT ON THIS - Modernity implies action -> constant renewal of world like in Hegel (increasing tech, idea that world is improving somehow and needs to take action to accomplish this)
- Creates tension in individual, spring into violent action
Explain the background behind Karakozov’s trial and how the state meddled in it.
OVERALL: tailors public knowledge via report, withholding evidence -> this ISN’T a lone wolf act -> instead a broader conspiracy 11
Legal reforms:
- part of great reforms under Alex II
- 1864 finally ratify new judicial statutes:
- Trial by jury, independent judiciary, open to public
- FIRST STAGES (interrogation) remains same -> closed to defence and headed by state -> CONFESSION = GUILTY VERDICT
Paranoia of state:
- Hates student groups
- Alex II and others terrified of Polish uprisings (murev’ev) -> leading questions (are you Polish?)
Investigative Commission Report:
- Published BEFORE trial verdicts -> ENDORSED BY ALEX II and published in state papers
- Used torture techniques (K made to stand for hours, no food)
- Main source of initial info is state’s warped perception
- “a reactionary’s synopsis of a highly complex and contradictory paper trail”
- Manipulation of what evidence goes to trial -> Polish, European links
Report finds:
- Belonged to a “society” (The Organization) bent on spreading socialism and revolting against the govt (land belonging to people)
- Society split along tsaricide for general unrest/peace lines -> “Hell” influenced by “European Council for Revolution”
- ADDED names of Polish interest (People’s Welfare Committee) allegedly involved with Organization
On Karakozov:
- State breaks own rules immediately.
- First stages the same -> use of torture to extract confession
Statement clearly cobbled together, bloodmarks on confession paper (no food, etc)
- Leading Polish questions
- INTERVENES to close trial to public (illegal)
- Publish Murev’ev’s Investigative Commission report BEFORE trial verdict to sway public opinion
FIRST VERDICT:
- K guilty and sentenced to death -> LOOKS like system works
- No word on whether or not there was a “Hell” -> need fate of other conspirators
- PUBLIC -> therefore doesn’t know whether Hell exists or not -> buys time for court to decide if it does or not
SECOND TRIAL:
- 25 members of Ishutin circle and beyond
- Despite finding no conclusive evidence of “Hell” existing, state tailors message to fit view that this is not a lone wolf act and is instead part of a wider revolutionary conspiracy
- Claimed they started posing draft regulations -> 1. social revolution, 2. freeing Chernyshevsky so he could lead them,
- Therefore paints picture of developing secret society who are organizing along cell lines and INTENTIONS were revolutionary
- “Organization” confirmed to exist by the court as a “secret, illegal, revolutionary society”
- DOESN’T state that Hell did not exist, most documents withheld because of closed trial
Rewriting “society”
- Some members thought “society” meant like a student/ tutor organization meant to help get jobs -> apparently “dupped” by Ishutin
- State tries to consolidate these terms to get more guilt for the “knowledge of a secret society” part make it easier to get harsher sentences/convict
- IT DOES THIS TO FEEL SECURE FROM EXISTENTIAL THREATS AND STUDENT ORGS LIKE KARAKOZOV DESPITE THERE BEING INCONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE IT WAS A CONSPIRACY -> doesn’t care, wants safety.
- THEREFORE -> “whatever” relationship between two or more people acting in “whatever” way against the state = death.
- Creates spectres of enemies everywhere
IN SUM:
- FIRST STAGE -> same rules of state investigation
- NEXT STAGES -> illegally closes doors to public -> witholds documentation, doesn’t confirm whether or not “Hell” SS existed, but there is an organization
- STATE -> rewrites laws to get broader definition of “society” to allow crack downs/sentencing easier
- MEDIA -> Publishes report and witholds documentation (CLOSED TRIAL) for second verdict -> DOES maintain there was a secret organization
- IMPACT: public FIRST sees Commission’s report by Murev’ev, THEN court verdicts -> effect is that vast majority of documentation not made available to public. Perception of case always based on limited info (over 6000 files damn)
- State gets to use society existing (despite inconclusiveness) to crack down on student groups and other subversive elements AND POSSIBLY HAVING POLISH/EURO CONNECTIONS
Briefly explain who Karakozov was and his reasoning and influences. What made him differenet from past revs/tsaricides?
Who:
- son of noble, Russian
- Suicidal, failed student
- Read Chernyshevsky -> Gets warped view of ascetic who sacrifices everything and INSTIGATES modern intervention in history
- Rakhmetov actually not, actually an ironic take who loves and thinks revolution will arrive according to the clock
Ishutin:
- circle of revs
- Koblyn, etc
- Had joked about Tsaricide, Karakozov actually lone wolf -> wants to redeem pointless life
- Overall inconclusive if they have revolutionary INTENT or not
Modern individual:
- Contrast to Chernyshevsky (and Lenin’s) assertions that revolution will happen like a clock and there are no “preconditions” for revolution
- Contrasts to K’s and others’ REV VIEW ON TERRORISM: always timely -> potential for revolution is not fixed, there is opportunity in every moment
- Nihil” -> remove tsar as SYSTEM / illustrate its pointlessness instead of personal or moral endeavour against specific Tsar. Therefore against all of autocracy -> asnwered “nothing” when asked directly what he wanted
Strategy:
- BECAUSE OF THIS SUDDEN NATURE -> NEED TO BLEND IN -> why he chooses to remain anonymous in crowd and dress like a peasant in Armiak
- Still UNPROFESSIONAL -> no network of underground revs, imperfect clothing (stands out because of mannerisms, awkward dress, just a gun)
- WANTS ABOLISHMENT OF ENTIRE SYSTEM -> like further revs and People’s Will, NOT like Decs, etc
Give a high level timeline of the 60s movements / tinglings of revolutionary activity. (PART 2) What caused the shift to populism/peace in the 70s?
Karakozov (1866)
- Attempts to assassinate Alex II, fails when Komissarov intervenes. member of Ishutin circle
- Had wanted to replace Tsarist system and incite revolt -> answered “nothing” when asked what he wants by Tsar -> meant breaking of the wheel
- Possibly inspired by Chernyshevsky and image of hardened and ascetic Rakhmetov who slept on a bed of nails
- State response creates image of revolutionary -> models off of Rakhmetov despite not intended to be pure ascetic (falls in love)
White Terror (66-68)
- Special council on “harmful influences” on youth. Broad definition -> can apply to wherever
- Expand definition of what constitutes a “revolutionary group” (specific
- Shut down of periodicals, ALL STUDENT GROUPS (remember, even study groups, innocent organizations) shut down, nihilist fashion cracked down upon
- THEREFORE -> “whatever” relationship between two or more people acting in “whatever” way against the state = death.
- No more student say in uni governance, state language/orthodox curriculumn
- CREATES RENEWED STUDENT PROTEST MOVEMENT -> enter Nechaev
Sergei Nechaev: 1868/69 student disturbances
- CREATES MODERN BLUEPRINT OF MODERN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
- FIRST INSTANCE OF CELL STRUCTURE> anonymity between cells, only one known connection
- All written in Catechism
- Student, wants to influence history, chronic lier
- Lies about size of group, retains hierarchy, instigates cell structure but only 80 people (lied about international connections)
- Greatly inspired by Rakhmetov -> no social connections, must completely devote self to cause (again, state’s version of Rakhmetov)
- Broad targets of govt officials, anyone associated w/ state Reject TRADITIONAL WORLD / LAWS / MORALITY in pursuit of destruction -> overall nightmarish image
- Will increase suffering of peasantry in order to instigate revolt (via state crackdown)
- Ivanov assertions of disbelief / quitting seen as threat -> murdered by other members.
- Police went to uni, asked who Ivanov hung out with -> Uni gave them a list. Discovered library card on friend’s pants
Impact of Nechaev: (CATECHISM LEAKED TO PRESS BY STATE)
- Before this, some sympathy for nihilists and students, but terrified this could be end point
- “CONTACT CRIMINAL ELEMENT”
- Mood in favour of terrorism and violence shifts, funding dries up because puplic is horrified
- Again, doc outlines plans to exterminate state officials and higher ups
- Nechaev flees, extradited -> new department in senate to try political cases. Solitary in P/P for life (keep tabs on him, paranoid)
Populism:
- Figures like Karakozov and Nechaev create unwelcome environment for revolutionaries.
- State leaking of catechism to press creates unwelcome atmosphere -> had broadly targeted state officials and sought contacts w/ criminals.
- Karakozov unites people around Tsar -> shows of support like Komissarov on postcards.
