Page:The Spirit of Russia by T G Masaryk, volume 2.pdf/133

Rh and man of the people, had a mentality alien from that of the peasant (and in early days the Russian operative was no more than a peasant). Despite its socialistic and democratic program, the revolution was essentially political; it was an aristocratic struggle for freedom waged against tsarist absolutism. The aristocratic revolutionary had an individualist conception of his task; it was to him a point of honour. Not being habituated to daily physical toil, he aspired to distinguish himself by deeds of personal heroism. In a word, he was strongly individualist.

The Russian terrorist was young. In Italy, in Germany, etc., revolution was the work of Young Italy, Young Germany, and so on; but Young Russia was much younger than Young Europe. The papers were full of news items about revolts among schoolboys and girls. Pisarev began authorship at his school desk; Herzen was barely thirteen when he joined with Ogarev in a vow to take vengeance for the executed decabrists.

The youthful terrorist had a fine enthusiasm, but he was green in judgment, he lacked knowledge of men and things, he knew little of political and administrative institutions. For these reasons, his enmity was concentrated upon individuals, and was frequently directed against the tsar alone. Owing to this political anthropomorphism (it might even be termed fetichism), the young terrorists were in social and political matters utopian, unpractical, and negative.

The boyish nihilist, in his inexperience and simplicity, was naïve also in the ethical and political fields; he was frank and straightforward, devoid of understanding for compromise, and with no fears concerning the consequences of his logic. Thus the "children" made their "fathers" very uncomfortable. Ščedrin, who at first condemned the nihilists, subsequently expressed his respect for these "nestlings," discerning in their callowness a great welling up of energy.

Russian women and girls played a prominent part in the terrorist revolution. The wives of the decabrists were renowned for the devotion and tenacity with which they clung to their husbands' ideals. Nihilism and the revolutionary movement secured from women and girls a notable contingent of persons of fearless temperament and indomitable will. We may recall the high estimate placed by Bakunin and Nečaev upon feminine cooperation in the revolution; and the Russian