THE IMAGE OF DUAL RUSSIA,
Abstract
According to some pre-revolutionary sources, Russians began to talk of a 'thaw' at the close of the reign of Iron Tsar Nicholas I, who died in 1855. The thaw was manifested in a change of atmosphere, a relaxation of censorship, and other signs of softening of the bureaucratic regimentation of society which marked Nicholas' long reign. The image of the thaw projected the period lived through as a gray interminable Russian winter of despotism above and paralysis of society below. The incipient relaxation of state controls was seen as the harbinger of a coming 'spring' of liberalization. The comparison with the official terror of the last years of Stalin's reign, and with the atmosphere in Russia as felt in the early months after his death in 1953, is very striking. No knowledge of obscure history books was needed in order for the word 'thaw' to come back into circulation. For Russia had just lived through another long gray winter of despotism above and paralysis of society below, and was now, once again, awakening to hope for change.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 30, 1958
- Accession Number
- AD0606621
Entities
People
- Robert C. Tucker
Organizations
- RAND Corporation