Yevgeniya Svatukhina on Vesti FM about perception of Soviet power by population of North Caucasus between February and October 1917

From February to October 1917, the territory of the once united state became the scene of a clash of civilizational projects, behind which there were various ideologies that presupposed the creation of opposing systems of the state power, the analyst of Vestnik Kavkaza, Yevgeniya Svatukhina told at the National Question program on Vest FM. She was telling about the perception of events that took place in Russia from February to October 1917, by the North Caucasus population.

The National Question is a weekly program on Vesti.FM, during which various aspects of national relations, primarily in Russia, are discussed. Today's program was dedicated to the modern challenges of national policy.

”In general, there was a clash of two projects for historical realization - ‘reversive’, aimed at recreating the traditional state, and ‘red’, trying to form a new socio-political reality," she said.

"In this context, not only the right alternative, but also the Provisional Government, shaken by the crises, was involved in this process, the activity of which, in the language of that time, ‘could not find support from the masses.’ The leader of the Socialist-Revolutionaries, Minister of Agriculture Viktor Chernov, later bitterly repented:" It was necessary …to give new provisional laws that would regulate all land use. ... Instead, we were late, late, and late again." And this was happening, when the crisis in the country intensified every week. That time the Bolsheviks with the clear and awaited slogans of ‘land, bread and peace’ came first’’, the analyst said.

The expert drew attention to the fact that the revolutionary metamorphosis, affecting the entire state, did not leave aside the North Caucasus, although the changes came here with a considerable delay, however, gaining momentum, they became no less radical than in the capitals. "During this period, supporters of the new ideology and, as a result of the new political power, appeared in the region. This part of the society (despite the fact that they were a minority of the population) became a conduit for change.This passionary minority began to rock the stagnant life. In spite of the different reaction of the Cossacks, mountaineers, ‘aliens’, indigenous peasantry and nonresidents to a large extent, the local Bolsheviks succeeded in this,” the analyst of Vestnik Kavkaza said, noting that the ideas of the Bolsheviks were finding approval in the region and were recognized even by the opponents of the new regime.

"Speaking about the perception of the new government by the majority of the population of the region at the initial period of active armed confrontation, it was rather passive-neutral, but as ‘practical Bolshevism’ spread and the Bolshevik policy was realized in the North Caucasus, this attitude began to change drastically with the features of a sharp confrontation, but this is the subject of a separate discussion, " Yevgeniya Svatukhina concluded.