While other historians have focused their examinations on the cataclysmic years. I doubt if there is anyone in the world who knows the revolution as well as he does. Figes russian revolution thus turns out to be the tragedy of a people produced by that people. Indeed, he offers one of the bleakest pictures of mother russia since tolstoys the power of. The russian revolution, 18911924 new ed by figes, orlando isbn. Figes first major book, a peoples tragedy, was published in 1996. None of its leaders expected it to happen how and when it did. A history of the russian revolution orlando figes a comprehensive, onevolume account of the russian revolution covers every moment, from the end of the nineteenth century to the death of lenin, and explores how russian pre revolution social forces were violently erased and replaced.
In this elegant and incisive account, orlando figes offers an. Figes purports to be scornful of the cold war historians who wrote. In january 1917, tsar nicholas ii ruled russia while bolshevik vladmir lenin lived in exile. Many consider the russian revolution to be the most significant event of the twentieth century.
The website is designed to be used in parallel with my book revolutionary russia, 18911991 pelican, 2014. Orlando figes, a peoples tragedy, lays out a panorama of russian society on the eve of the revolution, and then narrates the story of how these social forces are erased so violently. The russian people, however, seem to have learned one lesson from their tragedy that escapes mr. Boris kolonitskii is senior researcher at the institute of history of the academy of sciences in st. Vast in scope, exhaustive in original research, written with passion, narrative skill, and human sympathy, a peoples tragedy is a profound account of the russian revolution for a new generation. Isbn 0224041622 volume 41 issue 1 catherine merridale.
Orlando guy figes is a british historian and writer known for his works on russian and european history. Demonstration st petersburg, 23 february 1917, origins of the russian revolution, february revolution, 1917. Oct 11, 20 on thursday 10 th october the marxist student federation hosted a fiery debate between alan woods, editor of in defence of marxism, and orlando figes, professor of history at birkbeck, university of london, on the topic of the russian revolution. A comprehensive, onevolume account of the russian revolution covers every moment, from the end of the nineteenth century to the death of lenin, and explores how russian prerevolution social forces were violently erased and replaced. Unrivalled and wholly immersive, orlando figess a peoples tragedy is a panorama of russian society on the eve of the revolution and the story of its violent erasure. Revolutionary russia, 18911991, by orlando figes, pelican, rrp. Interpreting the russian revolution yale university press.
Oh, how the soviet leaders of the february 1917 revolution feared the masses. Revolutionary russia, 18911991 orlando figes macmillan. It succeeds handsomely as an engrossing account of the revolution, but falls short of its implicit goal of resolving this great historiographical debate. Orlando figes is university lecturer and fellow of trinity college, cambridge university. Figes credits his work with being the first attempt at producing a comprehensive history of the period of the revolution, beginning in 1891. A peoples tragedy is a work of magisterial scholarship. Figess first three books were on the russian revolution and the civil war. And what was more important in bringing it about the social grievances of the. He is professor of history at birkbeck college, university of london.
Historian orlando figes on revolutionary russia youtube. No subject of the tsar, regardless of his rank or class, could sleep securely in his bed in the knowledge that his house would not be subject to a search, or he himself to arrest. A new edition marking the centenary of the revolution is. Aug 26, 1996 vast in scope, exhaustive in original research, written with passion, narrative skill, and human sympathy, a peoples tragedy is a profound account of the russian revolution for a new generation. This evening leading historian orlando figes will look at the causes and ramifications of the current position and behavior of russia. Distinguished scholar orlando figes presents a panorama of russian society on the eve of that revolution, and then narrates the story of how these social forces were violently erased. Figes doctoral thesis studied the activities of peasants in the volga region in the first years of the russian revolution. The russian revolution of 1917 and its language in the village. The womens protest that sparked the russian revolution. In the last of our exciting series of events celebrating the. It was a government of national confidence, selfappointed during the feb. Revolutionary russia, 18911991, by orlando figes financial times. As well as being a stunning account of the russian revolution, the book doubles up as a doorstop.
While other historians have focused their examinations on the cataclysmic years immediately before and after 1917, figes shows how the revolution, while it changed in form and character, nevertheless retained the same idealistic goals throughout, from its origins in the famine. Norman stone, the sunday times london an engagingly written and wellresearched book. A peoples tragedy by orlando figes commentary magazine. The russian revolution is an interesting topic so i figured that one day id get around to reading this massive book. A british historian, orlando figes, has now entered the fray with a peoples tragedy, a 900page history of the russian debacle. While other historians have focused their examinations on the cataclysmic years immediately before and after 1917, figes shows how the revolution, while it changed in form and character, nevertheless retained the same idealistic goals throughout, from its origins. Orlando figes has written a marvelous account of one of historys greatest tragedies, and his book will stand for some time as a standard of historical scholarship. What are the after effects of the russian revolution. From the author of a peoples tragedy, an original reading of the russian revolution, examining it not as a single event but as a hundredyear cycle of violence in pursuit of utopian dreamsin this elegant and incisive account, orlando figes offers an illuminating new perspective on the russian revolution. The winner of several literary and history awards, it chronicles the history of russia from its devastating 1891 famine through to 1924. British academic orlando figes is one of the most prominent and prolific russian revolution historians of the current generation.
The website is designed to support courses at all levels from gcse to alevel, ib, undergraduate degree at university and postgraduate studies. Apr 17, 2019 orlando figess work, a peoples tragedy. As i watched our socialists speaking to the crowds i could feel their nauseating fear i felt the inner trembling, and the effort. The three russian revolutions orlando figes has given us an excellent history of the russian revolution and, to give the necessary background to explain what happened and why, starts this book by looking at the state of both russia and the russian people in the years leading up to the start of the 20th century.
Orlando figes narrative flair carries the reader throughout his. The conventional narrative is that the russian revolution took place in october 1917, and launched the worlds first. Aug 15, 2018 a peoples tragedy is a work of magisterial scholarship. On thursday 10 th october the marxist student federation hosted a fiery debate between alan woods, editor of in defence of marxism, and orlando figes, professor of history at birkbeck, university of london, on the topic of the russian revolution. Figes is best known for his works on russian history, such as a peoples tragedy, natashas dance, the whisperers, crimea and just send me word, as well as books on european history, such as the europeans. The conventional narrative is that the russian revolution took place in. Nobody could fail to be impressed by orlando figes a peoples tragedy. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The russian revolution was long expected but came as a surprise in february 1917. Some great quotes from orlando figes history of the russian revolution endorsed by communist eric hobsbawm, no less.
Unrivalled and wholly immersive, orlando figess a peoples tragedy is a panorama of russian society on the eve of the revolution and the story of its violent erasure 100th anniversary edition includes new introduction in this acclaimed account, figes follows workers, soldiers and peasants as their world is consumed by revolution. I finally read it over christmas break, and i must say that this is an excellent history book. Orlando figes was enlisted by the bbc to trash the history of the russian revolution. In the runup to saturdays revolution 1917 event, chris nineham corrects some matters of fact revolutions lead to takeover by demagogues the great bourgeois revolutions were the drivers of democracy. It succeeds handsomely as an engrossing account of the revolution, but falls short of its implicit. These ideas have been developed over thirty years of teaching at university.
The russian revolution 18911924, is full of sentences in which he crafts counter arguments to previous works on the russian revolution. He did it with the russian revolution in a peoples tragedy, and he does it again in the europeans. Mar 08, 2017 the womens protest that sparked the russian revolution. This is the first book in any language to offer a comprehensive analysis of the political culture of the russian revolution. The russian revolution of 1917 and its language in the village orlando figes r he provisional government was a government of persuasion. In this elegant and incisive account, orlando figes offers an illuminating new perspective on the russian revolution.
A brilliant history of the russian revolution from the onset of the revolutionary crisis to the period when the basic institutions of the stalinist regime were in place. At a time when russian foreign policy is causing headlines around the world we will discuss the causes of the current crisis in light of historic events. Historian orlando figes on revolutionary russia the rsa. To accompany revolutionary russia there are two websites designed by orlando figes to help teachers and students study the russian revolution and soviet history. Figes takes you on an incredible and incredibly disturbing, even sickening, tour of soviet society from before the russian revolution, through lenins. Jun 02, 2014 so orlando figes revolutionary russia, 18911991. In the last of our exciting series of events celebrating the return of the. Within the broad stokes of war and revolution are miniature histories of individuals. Not having been elected by the people, it depended largely on the power of the word to establish its authority. This free website brings together my ideas about how to teach and study the russian revolution and soviet history. A peoples tragedy will do more to help us undersand the russian revolution than any other book i know. Orlando figes and boris kolonitskii examine the diverse ways that language and other symbols including flags and emblems, public rituals, songs, and codes of dress were used to identify competing sides and to create new meanings in the political. Figes argues rationally that the russian revolution was possible in russia because of the countrys position at the beginning of this century. Jun 11, 2014 historian orlando figes on revolutionary russia the rsa.
Orlando figes is professor of history at birkbeck college, london and author of a peoples tragedy. Addressing a packed hall of 180 people, woods opened the debate by pointing out that. Are we still dealing with the consequences of the russian revolution. Orlando figes and boris kolonitskii examine the diverse ways that language and other symbols including flags and emblems, public rituals, songs, and codes of dress were used to identify competing sides and to create new meanings in the political struggles of 1917. Orlando figes is a professor at birkbeck college, university of london, and former university lecturer in history at cambridge. They draw from my books on the russian revolution and soviet history, and bring together some of my ideas from thirty years of teaching at university. From the author of a peoples tragedy, an original reading of the russian revolution, examining it not as a single event but as a hundredyear cycle of violence in pursuit of utopian dreams. Orlando figes is an outstanding historian and writer, he brings distant history so close that you could feel its heartbeat.
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