“If the right of secession of territories belonging to Russia, will be interpreted in Moscow as an error, and will be there to assume that Lenin was wrong, then, in principle, there is a possibility of a new interpretation of the situation of Finland. But this is only in principle. In practice, nothing is pointing to that,” says the Professor of political history of Rentol Kimmo (Kimmo Rentola). On the issue of Rentol gave a lecture in the concert hall of Tampere-talo.
Russia’s return to greatness and honor. Are the two pillars of Putin’s policies, which indicates that, in modern Russia are for the shocks of 1917.
If the Soviet Union anniversaries of the overthrow of the tsarist regime and the coming to power of the Bolsheviks were widely celebrated in Putin’s Russia the situation is quite different. Anyway, at the moment, the events of a century ago is not marked in any way.
“Wrote the author of a book about Putin, journalist Mikhail Zygar, in 1917 there is nothing suitable for propaganda. Putin can not identify neither Nicholas II, nor Lenin, nor with Kerensky because of their place in Russian history can not be admired”, says Professor of political history from the University of Helsinki Kimmo of Rentol (Kimmo Rentola).
The split among the people
The rentol lectured on this issue in the concert hall Tarrega-talo.
According to Rentola, Putin assumed the positive that was in Soviet history, even something positive that was Stalin. For example, the victory in the Second world war. At the same time he emphasized inherited from tsarist Russia, the traditions and Orthodoxy.
“Often it is a good idea to combine these different components, but with the year 1917 is not impossible”.
The rentol remembers the historian Nikolai Sokolov, who has his own view on why Russia’s leaders are unable to acknowledge the events of 1917: “How come so and left. The leitmotif of the revolution was social justice. What is noteworthy, if in the country and now there is inequality”.
Without a doubt, the modesty of the celebration is influenced by the fact that the Putin administration is afraid of any overthrow of power in Russia, especially if it happens by a popular uprising. There are fears that the celebration of the anniversary of the revolution at the state level may increase divisions among people.
“According to the current Russian leadership, the only historical event that could unite the Russian people, and to make him believe in his greatness, is to win in world war II,” says Rentol.
Vladimir Putin is afraid of any attempt to overthrow the government in Russia. Therefore, the revolution of March 1917 not widely celebrated.
“The truth hurt”
Putin keeps the history of the country strong grip in a very concrete sense.
Almost a year ago, he moved Rashev directly subordinate to the President of the Russian Federation, and worked for a long time the head of the State archives (under the authority of Rosarkhiv) was forced to leave. He has published documents which show that 28 allegedly died heroically during the Second world war fighters actually ended his life in the Gulag camps as traitors.
“The truth was too painful. Director of the state Archives was accused of desecrating the memory of heroes.”
The rewriting of history in the national interest says, according to Rentola, and the fact that the events of 1917 in Russia began to be called new — namely “the great Russian revolution”.
“It covers all the stages of this period and all the parties that participated in the model of the great French revolution.”
The priority of Stalin to Lenin
Putin generally avoids to estimate Lenin and his actions, because Russia is a very controversial figure: some unconditionally respect Lenin, others think he is a man who gave the order to shoot the Royal family and marked the beginning of the abuses of the Bolsheviks.
Last year, Putin’s position against Lenin still clearer when he addressed this issue in one of his speeches at a public event.
They say that Putin still attracted to the ideas of communism and socialism. In the ideological legacy of Lenin he was not satisfied with the idea of world revolution and the right to secession of Soviet republics. This idea was expressed by Lenin at the level of promises, but with the collapse of the Soviet Union, it acquired a legal form.
“According to Putin, Stalin was right to oppose the right to secession of the republics in the Soviet Union. The proclamation of the superiority of Stalin before Lenin is almost sensational,” says Rentol.
The position of Finland will be revised?
According to Rentola, a new interpretation of Putin’s views of Lenin and his mistakes can, in principle, affect the position of Finland in relation to Russia.
President Urho Kekkonen (Urho Kekkonen) often emphasized the fact that the independence of Finland gave Lenin. In his opinion, succeeding rulers would not dare to demand back the leader of the revolution.
“If the right of secession of territories belonging to Russia, will be interpreted in Moscow as an error, and if there are to assume that Lenin was wrong, then, in principle, there is a possibility of a new interpretation of the situation of Finland. But this is only in principle. In practice, nothing is pointing to that,” notes Rentol.
