Equality and Revolution: Women’s Rights in the Russian Empire, 1905–1917 (Russian and East European Studies)

On July 20, 1917, Russia became the world’s first major power to grant women the right to vote and hold public office. Yet in the wake of the October Revolution later that year, the foundational organizations and individuals who pioneered the suffragist cause were all but erased from Russian history. The women’s movement, when mentioned at all, is portrayed as meaningless to proletariat and peasant women, based in elitist and bourgeoisie culture of the tsarist era, and counter to socialist ideology. In this groundbreaking book, Rochelle Goldberg Ruthchild reveals that Russian feminists in fact appealed to all classes and were an integral force for revolution and social change, particularly during the monumental uprisings of 1905–1917. Ruthchild offers a telling examination of the dynamics present in imperialist Russia that fostered a growing feminist movement. Based upon extensive archival research in six countries, she analyzes the backgrounds, motivations, methods, activism, and organizational networks of early Russian feminists, revealing the foundations of a powerful feminist intelligentsia that came to challenge, and eventually bring down, the patriarchal tsarist regime. Ruthchild profiles the individual women (and a few men) who were vital to the feminist struggle, as well as the major conferences, publications, and organizations that promoted the cause. She documents political party debates on the acceptance of women’s suffrage and rights, and follows each party’s attempt to woo feminist constituencies despite their fear of women gaining too much political power. Ruthchild also compares and contrasts the Russian movement to those in Britain, China, Germany, France, and the United States. Equality and Revolution offers an original and revisionist study of the struggle for women’s political rights in late imperial Russia, and presents a significant reinterpretation of a decisive period of Russian—and world—history. On July 20, 1917, Russia became the world's first major power to grant women the right to vote and hold public office. Yet in the wake of the October Revolution later that year, the foundational organizations and individuals who pioneered the suffragist cause were all but erased from Russian history. The women's movement, when mentioned at all, is portrayed as rooted in the elitist and bourgeois culture of the tsarist era, meaningless to proletarian and peasant women, and counter to socialist ideology. Rochelle Goldberg Ruthchild reveals that Russian feminists in fact appealed to all classes and were an integral force for revolution and social change, particularly during the monumental uprisings of 1905-1917. Ruthchild offers a telling examination of the social dynamics in imperialist Russia that fostered a growing feminist movement. Based upon extensive archival research in six countries, she analyzes the backgrounds, motivations, methods, activism, and organizational networks of early Russian feminists, revealing the foundations of a powerful feminist intelligentsia that came to challenge, and eventually bring down, the patriarchal tsarist regime.Ruthchild profiles the individual women (and a few men) who were vital to the feminist struggle, as well as the major conferences, publications, and organizations that promoted the cause. She documents political debates on the acceptance of women's suffrage and rights, and follows each party's attempt to woo feminist constituencies despite their fear of women gaining too much political power. Ruthchild also compares and contrasts the Russian movement to those in Britain, China, Germany, France, and the United States. Equality and Revolution offers an original and revisionist study of the struggle for women's political rights in late imperial Russia, and presents a significant reinterpretation of a decisive period of Russian-and world-history. On July 20, 1917, Russia became the first major power to grant women the right to vote and hold public office. But after the October Revolution and the establishment of the Soviet Union, those who had pioneered the suffragist cause were all but erased from accounts of Russian history. The women's movement, when mentioned at all, was portrayed as rooted in the elitist and bourgeois culture of the tsarist era, meaningless to proletarian and peasant women, and even counter to socialist ideology. Ruthchild reveals that in fact Russian feminists appealed to all classes and were an integral force for revolution and social change. She profiles the individuals and organizations that were vital to the feminist struggle, particularly during the monumental uprisings of 1905-1917, and presents a significant reinterpretation of a decisive period of Russian---and world---history. Derived from jacket Contents Preface Note on Transliterations and Dates Chronology of Women’s Rights in the Russian Empire, 1895-1918 1. The Meaning of Equality 2. Consciousness Raised 3. The Limits of Liberation 4. The Fight for Equal Rights in the Russian Dumas and Finland 5. The First All-Russian Women’s Congress: The Women’s Parliament (Zhenskii Parlament) 6. “And Who Will Tend the Geese?” 7. War, Revolution, Victory? 8. Twelve Years of Struggle Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index On July 20, 1917, Russia became the world's major power to grant women the right to vote. This book reveals how Russian feminists appealed to all classes and were an integral force for revolution and social change, particularly during the monumental uprisings of 1905-1917. It analyzes the backgrounds and motivations of early Russian feminists. The meaning of equality Consciousness raised The limits of liberation The fight for equal rights in the Russian dumas and Finland The first all-Russian women's congress: the Women's Parliament (Zhenskii Parlament) "And who will tend the geese?" War, revolution, and victory Twelve years of struggle. Rochelle Goldberg Ruthchild. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 317-345) And Index.