The “Revolution” Paradigm in the Liberal Discourse of post-Soviet Russia

Abstract

In the early 1990s, the discourse of liberal reformers gives a very negative image of the Russian revolution of October 1917, described as a real national disaster. The entire Soviet experience is presented as a succession of wrong choices that have contributed to the consolidation of an inefficient political and economic system. This vision suits the reformers’ argumentation perfectly and helps to support their own political choices. All their decisions gain legitimacy through the necessity to do away with the inefficient Soviet communist institutions. From the early 2000s and in the context of authoritarian stabilization, the radical transformations of the late 20th century came under criticism and were often compared to those of the beginning of the century. The similarity between the utopian character of both the communist and liberal projects put forward in the public debate induces Russian liberals to rethink their experience and to ponder over the revolutionary potential of the liberal reforms. This article explores how the use of the “revolution” paradigm evolved in Russian liberal thought to define post-soviet reforms, from initial rejection to acceptance in a comparative perspective and by questioning its relevance.