“Revolution at Crossroads:The Battle between the Tsarists and the Revolutionaries”

Bolshleviks, Mensheviks, and Anarchists, commonly referred to as the revolutionaries, have an important choice to make. As the Tsarists leadership begins to slip the revolutionaries have a chance to start a hopefully successful revolution. Differences between the Tsarists and the revolutionaries become apparent as anti-bolshevik leader Anton Denikin stumbles his way through interviews, letters, and commands.

On the other hand, esteemed journalist, writer, and politician Fyodor Raskolnikov has answered questions, and supplied comments with sophistication, grace, and ease. 

When Raskolnikov was asked, “ Who do you believe can be trusted with power and leadership?” They answered “First off, we have seen before that the Tsarists cannot be trusted. They are corrupt. They have spread lies about the Bolsheviks, they do not support people in this war that has been going on. The Japanese Russo War brought power away from the military. It brings food away from our citizens, and it just weakens the entire government. And now World War I, we don't see any support for the proletariat. We see the proletariat being diminished, being starved.” This long, thorough, and in-depth answer combining their answer to the second question asked only begins to prove the difference in intelligence.  When compared to Denikin he answered “ Me in power, me, me, me, me, me, me..” it's a wonder if they could even be comparable due to the sheer difference in vocabulary, and poise. 

The Bolsheviks seem to have bigger, better, and more put-together plans, though maybe the Tsarists can pull something together if they’re not too busy at the gin mill to come up with the vague idea of cohesive answers they call intellectual and scholarly.

Raskolnikov states “We’re trying to be more passive right now, so as to not incite anything major” while Denikin says “If you die, what’s going to happen?” The clear difference between the two shows that Denikin shouldn’t be able to have minor control with the very protruding superiority complex he has, let alone major power, leading policy statements and other acts of power.

How could someone so vulgar be left to his own devices? How can the Revolutionaries combat such immaturity when that seems to be the Tsarist's very foundation? And what will the future hold for the internal stability of Russia?

Georgia Harper

March 22, 2025

Sources: 

Fyodor Raskolnikov- JCC