The Decembrists and the Americans’ Perception of Russia’s Modernization Prospects in the Context of the 1820s Revolutionary Wave

Panov A.S.

Abstract

The article considers the problem of the Americans’ perception of the Decembrist revolt in Russia on December 14, 1825 through the prism of the revolutionary movements in Europe and Latin America of that period. The North American society was closely observing the unfolding events in the world, trying to compare them with their own revolutionary experience. In this context the Decembrist revolt in Russia is perceived in the USA as a part of the worldwide revolutionary trend, requiring comprehension. Together with other countries where revolts or revolutions took place, Russia should be tested for its modernization abilities.

Keywords

the Decembrist revolt, images of the Other, modernization, orientalism, the national character.

DOI: 10.31249/rsm/2018.01.02

Download text