Making War, Forging Revolution : Russia’s Continuum of Crisis, 1914-1921

Offering a fundamental reinterpretation of the emergence of the Soviet state, Peter Holquist situates the Bolshevik Revolution within the continuum of mobilization and violence that began with World War I and extended through Russia's civil war. In so doing, Holquist provides a new genealogy for Bolshevik political practices, one that places them clearly among Russian and European wartime measures. From this perspective, the Russian Revolution was no radical rupture with the past, but rather the fulcrum point in a continent-wide era of crisis and violence that began in 1914. While Tsarist and Revolutionary governments implemented policies for total mobilization common to other warring powers, they did so in a supercharged and concentrated form. Holquist highlights how the distinctive contours of Russian political life set its experience in these years apart from other wartime societies. In pursuit of revolution, statesmen carried over crisis-created measures into political life and then incorporated them into the postwar political structure. Focusing on three particular policies--state management of food; the employment of official violence for political ends; and state surveillance--Holquist demonstrates the interplay of state policy and local implementation, and its impact on the lives of ordinary citizens. __Making War, Forging Revolution__ casts a new light on Russia's revolution and boldly inserts it into the larger story of the Great War and twentieth-century European history. Peter Holquist Situates The Bolshevik Revolution Within The Continuum Of Mobilization And Violence That Began With World War I And Extended Through Russia's Civil War. In So Doing, Holquist Provides A New Genealogy For Bolshevik Political Practices, One That Places Them Clearly Among Russian And European Wartime Measures. From This Perspective, The Russian Revolution Was No Radical Rupture With The Past, But Rather The Fulcrum Point In A Continent-wide Era Of Crisis And Violence That Began In 1914. While Tsarist And Revolutionary Governments Implemented Policies For Total Mobilization Common To Other Warring Powers, They Did So In A Supercharged And Concentrated Form. Holquist Highlights How The Distinctive Contours Of Political Life In Russia Set Its Experience In These Years Apart From That Of Other Wartime Societies. In Pursuit Of Revolution, Statesmen Carried Over Crisis-created Measures Into Political Life And Then Incorporated Them Into The Postwar Political Structure. Focusing On Three Particular Policies - State Management Of Food; The Employment Of Official Violence For Political Ends; And State Surveillance - Holquist Demonstrates The Interplay Of State Policy And Local Implementation, And Its Impact On The Lives Of Ordinary Citizens. Making War, Forging Revolution Casts A New Light On Russia's Revolution And Boldly Inserts It Into The Larger Story Of The Great War And Twentieth-century European History.--jacket. 1. Russia At War -- 2. Radiant Days Of Freedom -- 3. Persuasion And Force -- 4. Toward Civil War -- 5. Forging A Social Movement -- 6. We Will Have To Exterminate The Cossacks -- 7. Psychological Consolidation -- 8. The Revolution As Orthodoxy -- Conclusion: The Emergence Of The Soviet State. Peter Holquist. Includes Bibliography (p. 299-351) And Index. Acknowledgments Contents Note on Usage Introduction 1 Russia at War War and the Food Supply The Food-Supply Crisis The Political Economy of Crisis Food Supply as a Prism of Russia at War 2 “Radiant Days of Freedom ” Revolution Comes to the Don Territory Popular Sovereignty Uses of the Social Theory of Representation 3 Persuasion and Force The Collapse of the Post-February Order How Cossacks Became Counterrevolutionaries From Persuasion to Compulsion The Provisional Government and the Political Culture of 1917 4 Toward Civil War The Collapse of the Cossack Government Centralized “Soviet Power” versus Local “Power of the Soviets” The “Two Soviet Parties” and the First Don Congress of Soviets The “Power of Soviets” as a Political Culture 5 Forging a Social Movement A “Cossack” Insurgency? Making Bolshevik Peasants and Anti-Soviet Cossacks Imposing a Counterrevolution Orthodoxy 6 “We Will Have to Exterminate the Cossacks” De-Cossackization: “Liquidating” the Cossackry Normalizing the Cossacks Political Violence as Political Culture 7 “Psychological Consolidation ” The Mobilization of Enthusiasm “Sociopolitical Enlightenment” “Surveillance and Agitation” under the Anti-Soviet Movements Soviet Surveillance The Culture of Revolutionary Enlightenment 8 The Revolution as Orthodoxy Extracting Grain “No Matter What” Judicial Coercion “Policies Conducted on the Principles of a Dictatorship” NEP in Theory and NEP in Practice Revolutionary Orthodoxy Conclusion: The Emergence of the Soviet State Note on Sources Archival Collections Cited in This Work Abbreviations Notes 112. II. (p. 10). Index