Looking two hundred years in the past, an enlightening study of the neglected liberal tradition in Russian political thought with resonance for today.
On December 14, 1825, a group of young Russian army officers led three thousand troops to Senate Square in St. Petersburg, aiming to force the senate to adopt a liberal constitution and transform the Russian Empire. The Decembrist Revolt—as it came to be known—was suppressed, with a second uprising in the south meeting the same fate. Five leaders were executed, and many others exiled to Siberia. Why did so many young noblemen risk their lives for regime change, what was their vision for an alternative society, and what were the consequences for participants and their families? This book highlights the often-neglected liberal tradition in Russian political thought and the experiences of Decembrist wives and fiancées, offering a fresh reinterpretation in the light of recent events in Russia.
On December 14, 1825, a group of young Russian army officers led three thousand troops to Senate Square in St. Petersburg, aiming to force the senate to adopt a liberal constitution and transform the Russian Empire. The Decembrist Revolt—as it came to be known—was suppressed, with a second uprising in the south meeting the same fate. Five leaders were executed, and many others exiled to Siberia. Why did so many young noblemen risk their lives for regime change, what was their vision for an alternative society, and what were the consequences for participants and their families? This book highlights the often-neglected liberal tradition in Russian political thought and the experiences of Decembrist wives and fiancées, offering a fresh reinterpretation in the light of recent events in Russia.
Table of Contents
Introduction Part One: Setting and actors 1. State and society 2. The Decembrists Part Two: Revolt against autocracy 3. Revolution in St Petersburg 4. Revolution in Ukraine Part Three: Decembrist visions and ideas 5. Liberty, rule of law and representative government 6. Republican thought Part Four: Incarceration and sentencing 7. Incarceration 8. Sentencing Part Five: Exile 9. To Siberia 10. Prison life Epilogue References Select Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index