I had a thought
I had a thought
I don’t think it’s unique but I’ve had it for a while and figured it’d be good to share.
I’ve been thinking about the Bolshevik revolution and the subsequent communist revolutions that followed and it baffled me how demonized they are. Yes, I know it’s due to rampant anticommunism but taking away that aspect it feels no different from the French Revolution that is way less hated.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a weird small uptick in people defending the French monarchy, Marie Antoinette specifically, but for the most part people seem way less opposed to the French lobbing off heads with a guillotine versus the Bolsheviks gunning down the Romanovs. Is it because there were children killed? But children were killed by the French revolutionaries too, so what gives? Not for nothing but getting shot to death seems a little less brutal than getting your head cut off. I’m not judging the French for this decision either, I understand why it needed to happen and so does history, at least the history I learned in school.
Is this hypocrisy because the Bolshevik revolution happened in more recent history? Again, I know anticommunism is the major factor it’s just hard to rationalize the hatred outside of red scare propaganda.
It’s just so wild to me that nobody really cares about the French monarchy dying via guillotine but weep real tears for the Tsar. I mean, my mom watches history shows (those dramatized ones, mostly) and she came to me about how sad their deaths were and how good of a dad Nicholas II was, how he seemed like such a nice man. It was, and still is, jarring as hell but I didn’t know what to say at the time considering I was less educated and a high schooler. I know that damn Anastasia movie did major damage as well. Sucks that the songs are bangers.
Anyway I think that’s my whole thought on this subject. Please share any insights any of you have on this as I’d love to hear it and perhaps learn more!
It's because of what happened after. It's not the violent overthrow of the monarchy in itself, it's the fact that the French replaced their monarchy with a liberal dictatorship of capital, and the Soviets replaced their monarchy with a revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat. It just looks like plain old anti-communism to me.
I’m aware of that aspect, I’m just baffled by the sympathy given to the Romanovs compared to the French monarchy. Maybe I’m not articulating myself well so for that I apologize.
On the whole, westerners aren't nearly as anti-monarchy as they say they are. Remember when Queen Elizabeth died? Tons of people that weren't even British were crying tears for her. I don't get it either
It’s weird here in Canada because people don’t care about the monarchy until you bring up leaving it, then everyone starts screeching about the constitution.
It boils down to "russia bad" and antibolshevism thanks to the red scare propaganda. I've heard my grandma say she hates bolsheviks because her father told her to do so (she is 90yo) and they come from a very backwards town lol, you can bet antibolshevism was on every damn newspaper during those years.
As others have said, France became a liberal dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, while the Bolsheviks created a workers state.
Keep in mind, if you look into french history, the more radical elements are denounced. For instance, decrying purges done by the Jacobins, while the monarchy slaughtered many more. French schools actually condem many aspects of the revolution, even though the system is content with the end result.
Another point: guillotines where actually conceived as a humaine alternative to hangings. You don't feel much when decapitated in a fraction of a second, even if the end result is macabre. On the other hand, if you are shot, hopefully a bullet finds its way somewhere that will end you quickly. Either way, good riddance to the monarchs; both dynasties oppersed their people and perpetuated systemic harm.
The French revolutionaries were hated by much of Europe's population back in their time too. Spain is the example that better comes to my mind but I bet in other places they were seen in a similar light as well.