The revolutionary populism the Ukraine and the problem of violence before and during the going to the people (original) (raw)

The article highlights the emergence and development of violence ideas in the first half of the 70’s of 19th century. It researches the influence on this process of the founders of narodnytstvo – Herzen A., Dobroliubov M. and Chernyshevsky M., of the prominent theorists of the ideological trend Lavrov P. and Bakunin M., and other popular authors of that time. There is described the formation and development of revolutionary centers of Dnieper Ukraine, training to the process of «going to the people» in the article. Traditionally, it is believed that this movement was peaceful. However, basing on the memoirs of the participants, the article proves that a lot of people had intention to provoke peasants to start the social revolution by organizing peasant revolts and uprisings. There is considered a gradual shift from peaceful views. The article shows the content of the main ideas used by revolutionary narodnykys to agitate peasantry. The movement’s reaction to the propagation of socialism, its weaknesses and reasons of failure are discussed. There is described «Chyhyryn conspiracy», that is a failing attempt of the members of «southern rebels» Kiev group to raise the peasants to revolt by deception through the way of showing them the rigged charter on behalf of the Emperor Alexander II.