The Pete Quiñones Show Reading Solzhenitsyn's '200 Years Together' w/ Dr Matthew Raphael Johnson - Part 85
Nov 12, 2025
Dr. Matthew Raphael Johnson, a researcher and former professor specialized in Russian history, dives deep into Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's '200 Years Together.' They discuss the motivations behind Jewish participation in the Bolshevik Revolution and the perception of Jewish authority in Soviet power. Johnson critiques the neglect of Jewish roles in mainstream history and links past grievances to modern political tensions. The conversation uncovers layers of societal dynamics and the complexities of Jewish influence in revolutionary contexts.
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Revolution Welcomed As Path To Power
- Many Jews welcomed the Bolshevik revolution as a path to power and modernity rather than from pure ideological conviction.
- Matthew Raphael Johnson argues Marxism served as a pretext for seizing power, not the sole motive for Jewish support.
Pragmatism Over Ideology
- Solzhenitsyn and guests note many Jews felt Bolshevism was a lesser evil and believed their position would be safer under it.
- That pragmatic sympathy often outweighed deep ideological commitment, according to the discussion.
Early Repression Was Not Initially Seen As Ethnic
- Early Soviet repression didn't immediately alarm many Jews because initial policies often didn't target them as Jews.
- Johnson stresses repression targeted opponents broadly, not people solely for being Jewish in the 1920s.
