THE DISSOLUTION OF THE RUSSIAN AND THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRES AND THE REVOLUTIONARY PROCESS (1917-1920): A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
THE DISSOLUTION OF THE RUSSIAN AND THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRES AND THE REVOLUTIONARY PROCESS (1917-1920): A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Summary/Abstract: The period of 1917-1920 in Central and Eastern Europe was characterized by the revolution-ary collapse of the Russian Empire and Austro-Hungary against the background of the final stage of the First World War, the emergence of Bolshevism as a new challenge to the world order, and the monarchist counter-revolution as a response to Bolshevism. It should be noted that the disintegration of the Russian and the Austro- Hungarian Empires (in both cases it was a dynastic statehood) was an organic process according to the principle of na-tional self-determination. However, at the same time, Bolshevism suddenly appeared as a new his-torical phenomenon and was trying to replace nation-state by the establishment of Soviet Power, i.e. the so-called dictatorship of the proletariat. After the downfall of the monarchies in Central and Eastern Europe, successful Bolsheviks’ coups took place in Russia (7 November 1917), Finland (27 January 1918), and Hungary ( 21 March 1919). The enlargement of Bolshevism in Central and East-ern Europe was stopped by the domestic counter-revolution under effective international support (in Finland and Hungary), but in Russia, the Bolsheviks managed to retain Soviet power.

• Details
• Contents