P. Buldakov V.

AUGUST 1914: A NATURE OF «PATRIOTIC» TEMPERS

Authors

P. Buldakov V.

Keywords:

World War I, power, intelligentsia, mass psychology, patriotism, nationalism, chauvinism, emotions, propaganda, revolution.

Abstract

The author analyzes the nature of the social mood of August 1914 in Russia, which is commonly identified with patriotism. In his opinion, the Russian “patriotism” was a more complex psychosocial phenomenon, significantly different from the European pattern. To talk about sustainable “national unity” in this case is not correct. In Russia the beginning of the war was perceived in the context of a forthcoming revolution. This image of the “internal enemy” was sometimes obscured a view of the external antagonist. On the other hand, in mind of educated classes the successful end of the war was tied with unjus-tified hopes. For their part, traditional population perceived the war as a total disaster. However, the peasants had hoped for a far-reaching agrarian trans-formation. Such patriotism may easily be perverted in revolutionary passion.

AUGUST 1914: A NATURE OF «PATRIOTIC» TEMPERS