The Lone Wolf and the Bear: Three Centuries of Chechen Défiance of Russian Rule by Moshe Gammer (review)

Abstract

REVIEWS 363 NizhniiNovgorodprovincial archivewhichincreasing numbersofWestern scholars(including the writer of thisreview)are exploring to considerable advantage. In allthree partsofthebook,Morrissey explores thelinks (or'nexus'- her preferred term)betweensuicideand manyothersocialphenomena.These includesuchdiversethemesas theduel as ritualized suicide,thegenderof suicides, thepolitics ofsocialorder,the'foreignness' ofsuicideas an 'English disease' (p. 71), churchattitudes, vodka and drunkenness, gamblingand indebtedness, domestic violence, despotism atschoolandsuicideamongschool children, and boredom(skuka). Some consideration ofNicholasFs paternalisticruleunexpectedly highlights thetsar'spersonalinterest in suicideamong armyofficers, sharedalso by his son,AlexanderII. In addition,Morrissey traces andilluminates: thecriminal regulation andlegalcodification ofsuicide; thedevelopment of itsstatistical studywhich,in 1882,revealedthat,while suicidein Russiashowedan upwardtrend, ratesremained amongthelowest inEurope;thegrowth ofmedicalintervention and ofpsychological interest in suicidein the nineteenth century which,fromthe 1880sonward,became firmly established as an objectofmedicalstudy. Somewritten representations of suicide are also fruitfully considered,among them the suicide note, thesentimental suicideofKaramzin'sPoorLiza, Gogol''s Nevskii Prospect as a parody of romanticsuicide,Tostoi's AnnaKarenina, and Ostrovskii'sThe Storm. Here the idea of suicide as a pathwayfromsin to insanity, or from crimeto socialproblemis rejectedin favourofthecultural politicsof selfdestruction . Thisemphasis emerges with particular clarity inPartThreewhere suicideislinked withrevolution through thesuggestion thattheprisonsuicide 'enactedtherevolutionary struggle in microcosm' (p. 276),typically affirming 'dignity in thefaceofrepression' (p. 279),and theprisoners' 'ultimate expressionoftheir ownautonomy and as an indictment ofthepolitics ofautocracy' (p. 281).Morrissey finds thatthesuiciderateincreasedafter1905,especially amongtheyoung;itbecamein theearlytwentieth century a highly political act and bythelate 1920san anti-Soviet act. This eruditeand penetrating studyrepresents an excellentcontribution bothto Russiansocialhistory and to thegrowing literature on thehistory of suicidein Europeas a whole. Department ofRussian Patrick O'Meara Durham University Gammer,Moshe. TheLoneWolf andthe Bear:Three Centuries ofChechen Défiance of Russian Rule.C. Hurst& Company.London.2006.xviii+ 252pp.Map. Glossary. Notes.Bibliography. Index.£16.95(paperback). Moshe Gammer's research on theCaucasus is wellknown.He has authored a numberofbooksand articles on thesubject,each ofwhichhas been pioneering in focusand substance, and thisbook is no lessso. Gammercovers in strongprose the threecenturiesof adversarialrelationsbetweenthe Chechen 'wolf and the Russian 'bear' over the 220 pages herein.From 364 SEER, 87, 2, APRIL 2OO9 gazavat ('holywar') to gazavate theChechenshave struggled againstRussian domination up to thepost-Soviet era,whenagain thesparkofconflict has beenallowedtoflourish. For thosewho findthesubjectinteresting, Gammer'sexploration ofthe roleofweaponsinChechensociety isparticularly stimulating. Partofbecominga man forChechenmales,as Gammeraccounts,is thepersonalization of theirweapons.Taking away an individual's weapons is to destroy the Chechensoul.Yet,throughout history and muchto itsownloss,Russiahas persisted in itsattempts to disarmvarioussections ofChechensociety. Prominently andperhapsthankfully (despite thetitle ofthebook),Gammer does not engage in excessiveromanticism about the Chechen movement, although thequestionofChechnya'severlasting struggle does beg a certain numberof questionswhichare necessaryin examiningthe current postSovietera : What are the Chechens aimingfor?Would theybe happy with an independent state?Wouldthatstatebe peaceful? Strictly accordingto contemporary issues,on thesequestions,Gammer paysverylittleattention. The Chechennationalist movement's attempts to builda secularstate,as envisioned bythefirst President ofChechnya, Johar Dudayev,aregivenonlya fewpages.As itwas,theChechenrebellion ofthe 1990sturned outto be onlya brief blipon theradarofChechen'freedom'. Gammerarguesthatin recentyearstheChechenstruggle has returned to its 'roots', that is, as a rebellionagainst state restrictions on Chechen cultural autonomy, based on Islam,as opposedto a rebellion in favour ofa nationalist state. Gammerdoes notfollowthisup extensively, however.Unfortunately, he fails tooffer anypossible'endgame'diagnosis, orindeedany basisfor finalizing theconflict thathe explainsso well,relevant as itiswithin thecontext ofthis book.As a history, itis excellent; Gammercharts pastrebellions and societal issuescompellingly. Nevertheless, thetopicnecessarily bringsto lightthecurrent warsofthe Caucasus,leavingthereaderto wonderhow,ifat all,thesituation can ever be resolved.Russia facesa dilemma:ifit does notinvade,theproblemof Chechnyaremains right on itsdoor-step, and thelikelihood ofitsforming an unpredictable stateveryreal.IfRussiadoesinvade,as ithas alreadydoneso, thenitrisks publicvilification. Such a policyis likely to result inthecontinuation of a conflict whichis doomed to perpetuate the divergent pathsof Russianand Chechen culturethathave coursedthroughout history. Also, earlyon in thebook,Gammersuggests thatifRussiahad been a little more constructive, or even 'creative', in itsresponseto Chechnya,thenrelations betweenthe two cultureswould have been quite different, and probably better. Neitheroftheseissuesare afforded extensive investigation in lightof current events. The fundamental strength of Gammer'sstudylies,therefore, in itscommentary on thepast(pre-1991) relationship between theRussianand Chechen cultures. Itisan excellent readon thistopic,and demonstrates writing worthy ofa championin hisfield, offering an essential accountofChechensociety's resistance to Russiaoverthecenturies. UCL SSEES J. Vaughn ...