RUDN Journal of Russian History (Dec 2015)
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION AND PROBLEM OF MODERNIZATION
Abstract
The article is devoted to the analysis of the concept of state modernization as a result of revolutions exemplified by the Russian revolution. There are considered researchers’ approaches to the problem of modernization of states after revolutions, analyzed the problem zones of the concept, in particular with respect to the Russian revolution. The author questions the historiography view that the reasons and consequences of revolutions are caused by problems of modernization in a state (which is incapable to solve these problems by reforms). These statements were fully applied to the Russian revolution. The author comes to the conclusion that the Russian revolution of 1917 was the first one the tasks of which purposefully included modernization of the state. From the author’s point of view, revolution certainly becomes the structural reason of further modernization of the state in which modernization processes (urbanization, industrialization and democratization) are structurally interconnected and interdependent, but are within a long time interval. According to the author, the only thing where the thesis of modernization during revolution can't be challenged is the change of the social structure of society.
