New Books in European Politics Eric Lee, "The August Uprising, 1924: The Georgian Anti-Soviet Revolt and the Birth of Democratic Socialism" (McFarland, 2025)
Nov 11, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Eric Lee, a historian and labour activist, delves into the 1924 anti-Soviet revolt in Georgia, a pivotal moment in the birth of democratic socialism. He highlights the rise of Mensheviks and the brutal Soviet response, detailing the uprising's planning and swift suppression. Lee reflects on the international implications, including the shifts in socialist ideologies and the lasting lessons for modern movements. Through personal anecdotes and rigorous research, he brings the forgotten Georgian experience into contemporary relevance.
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Uprising Redefined The Left
- The Georgian 1924 uprising reframed global left politics and catalyzed the split into democratic socialism versus communism.
- Karl Kautsky's drafted resolution at the Socialist meetings solidified democratic socialism as distinct from Bolshevism.
Georgia's Short Democratic Experiment
- Georgia's Social Democrats built a liberal-democratic model with strong public institutions and unions between 1918–1921.
- Stalin ordered the Red Army to invade and end that experiment, reversing Georgia's democratic path.
Cultural Repression Fueled Revolt
- Bolshevik attacks on church, language, and national institutions fueled Georgian resistance.
- Repression of cultural and religious life accelerated the decision to revolt by 1924.
