That the idea of world revolution was crucial for the Bolshevik leaders in the years following the 1917 revolution is a well-known fact. But what did the party's rank and file make of it? How did it resonate with the general population? And what can a social history of international solidarity tell us about the transformation of Soviet society from NEP to Stalinism?
The Charisma of World Revolution undertakes the first in-depth analysis of the discourses and practices of internationalism in early Soviet society during the years of revolution, civil war and NEP, using forgotten archival materials and contemporary sources. What emerges is a well rounded and inspiring portrait that will help today's readers concretize what internationalism in an era of global struggle looked like.
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“Albert’s book forms a cornerstone for [...] future studies on revolutionary internationalism and deserves to be widely read by scholars of Soviet history and internationalism.”
—Kasper Braskén, Connections: A Journal for Historians and Area Specialists -
“Anyone interested in the Russian Revolution, or in world history of the twentieth century should read this book.”
—Theodore R. Weeks, EuropeNow