The Political Strategies and Ideological Transformation of Political Conservatism: Russian Monarchist Emigrant Organisations’ Political Activity in the 1920s

Abstract

Abstract The twentieth century may be characterised as an epoch dominated by migratory movements, marked particularly by the substantial human displacements precipitated by wars and revolutionary upheavals during its first half. Historiographical tendencies have often led to a narrowed concentration on select dimensions of political immigration, neglecting the broader spectrum of ideological currents that influenced these movements. A case in point is the insufficiently examined narrative of Russian monarchist factions in Western Europe during the 1920s and early 1930s, and the subsequent evolution or dissolution of their ideological tenets. This research undertakes a historiographical analysis, a comprehensive review of both domestic and international scholarly literature, and a thorough evaluation of ancillary sources concerning the activities of Russian monarchist entities in Western Europe throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The study specifically accentuates the chronological segment of the 1920s within the history of the Russian monarchist movement, illuminating their concerted efforts to formulate a political doctrine that not only aimed at the reinstatement of monarchical governance but also sought to present a counter-narrative to the communist manifesto propagated by the Bolsheviks, thereby attempting to establish a more compelling and pragmatic alternative.