Mercy Amid Terror? The Role of Amnesties during Russia's Civil War
Rendle, M
Date: 1 July 2014
Article
Journal
Slavonic and East European Review
Publisher
Modern Humanities Research Association
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Russia's Civil War was a period of escalating violence as the Bolsheviks struggled to retain power, yet it was also a period of numerous amnesties. This article analyses the nature and impact of these amnesties, and explores their value to the Bolsheviks. These amnesties were not a sign of mercy; they never admitted mistakes or granted ...
Russia's Civil War was a period of escalating violence as the Bolsheviks struggled to retain power, yet it was also a period of numerous amnesties. This article analyses the nature and impact of these amnesties, and explores their value to the Bolsheviks. These amnesties were not a sign of mercy; they never admitted mistakes or granted innocence, but excused or underplayed crimes and their significance. Instead, amnesties had a range of practical and political functions for the state, not least of which was to act as a ‘safety valve’ to release burgeoning pressures on the fledgling justice system and tensions between state and society.
History
Collections of Former Colleges
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