Between Village and City: Radicals of “Revolutionary Breakthrough” Generation at beginning of 20th Century

Abstract

The article presents a reconstruction and analysis of the socio-psychological portrait of the radical generation of the “revolutionary turning point” of the early 20th century. It is noted that the basis of this generation consisted of young people of peasant origin who experienced the historical dynamic destabilization of society. Based on archival sources, the characteristic features of the problem are determined in a generational aspect. Historical sources, including autobiographies and memoirs of political prisoners, allowed tracing the process of formation of left-radical sentiments among young people of peasant origin. At the same time, a large part of archival documents is introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The social behavior of revolutionary radicals is considered in the context of accelerated modernization processes in the Russian Empire at the turn of the century. The authors conclude that it was precisely the peasant youth at the beginning of the 20th century that was in the vanguard of the revolutionary movement. It is claimed that many of its representatives carried “anarchistic” sentiments from the village, since during this period the authority of monarchical power was being questioned. It is emphasized that acquaintance with revolutionary ideas had a significant influence on the motivation of their social action and the degree of its radicalization.