Traditions and Prospects of Studying Mass Public Movements in the Russia of the 17th – 18th Centuries

Abstract

“The Peasant War in Russia in 17th – 18th Centuries” monograph, which was published in 1966, and “The Peasant War in Russia in 17th – 18th Centuries: Problems, Searches, Solutions” collection of articles , published in 1974, summed up the Soviet historiography study on the great issues of mass popular movements. Common outcomes include regarding them as peasant wars or the phenomena, which express the essence of public relations of antifeudal character in the era of serfdom. These works particularly noted their progressive significance. For the modern researcher the monographs give a general idea of the state of studying peasant wars in Soviet historical science and contain a clear indication to the controversial issues of the history of these movements. They make it possible to understand that modern studies of the problem are based on the cultural-anthropological approach, and put a person who participated in these events, his psychology and culture at the center of attention. Modern research on mass popular movements in Russia in the 17th and 18th centuries does not address the concept of peasant wars. They raised new problems, the solution of which allows to understand participants in these movements, the peculiarities of their consciousness and the role of unconscious beginnings in their actions. The works give a new, sociocultural sense to the traditional concept of the Russian revolt. But at the same time we should keep in mind that the achievements of our time, which are undoubted, are the result of rethinking what has been achieved by the Soviet historical science of peasant wars. We should also emphasize that the provisions and conclusions were made on the basis of colossal factual material. At the same time, we shouldn’t completely abandon the provision on the peasant war.