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Past Present Future

What If… The Russian Revolution Hadn’t Been Bolshevik?

Sep 8, 2024
Edward Acton, a prominent historian of Russia, dives into a thought-provoking alternate history of the Russian Revolution. He contemplates a scenario where the Left Socialist Revolutionaries triumphed over the Bolsheviks. Would Lenin have been marginalized? Could the repressive Terror have been avoided? Acton discusses the broader implications for global socialism had Marxist communism not taken root. The conversation uncovers missed opportunities and showcases the intricate dynamics that could have reshaped Russia and the world.
59:32

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The victory of the Left Socialist Revolutionaries could have steered Russia towards agrarian socialism, prioritizing peasant interests over radical Bolshevism.
  • If the Left SRs had taken power, the potential for a less violent political transition may have diminished the fear surrounding revolutionary socialism.

Deep dives

The February Revolution's Aftermath

After the February Revolution in 1917, Russia experienced a significant political shift as the czarist regime collapsed and was replaced by a liberal leadership that struggled for legitimacy. The constitutional democrats, despite their initial hopes, found themselves in a weak position without active support from the populace and faced a tidal wave of demands for change from socialist groups. Popular organizations emerged, creating pressure on the liberal factions, and the socialists, eager to maintain influence, pushed for a coalition government. Ultimately, the liberal government’s insistence on continuing the war led to its rapid collapse, paving the way for a rise in revolutionary sentiments among both workers and soldiers that would favor more radical socialist factions over the moderates.

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