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With no outlet for political dissent, those who disagree or come into conflict with official power often have no choice but to leave.
Throughout history, Russian leaders have sought to suppress dissent by driving critics into exile – or worse
April 08 at 23:07 | James Marson
With no outlet for political dissent, those who disagree or come into conflict with official power often have no choice but to leave.
The phenomenon of Russians emigrating for political reasons or to escape persecution has a centuries-long history. Political opposition in Russia has mostly been seen as a state threat which must be suppressed. With no outlet for political dissent, those who disagree or come into conflict with official power often have no choice but to leave.
Prince Andrei Kurbsky is widely considered the first political emigre after he fled Russia, then known as Muscovy, in 1564 during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. He is best known for his subsequent correspondence with the czar, in which he attacked Ivan for his autocratic rule and cruelty.
The beginning of the 19th century saw a wave of emigration as intellectuals escaped the stifling autocratic atmosphere of Nicholas I’s Russia. Writers and revolutionaries such as Alexander Herzen and Mikhail Bakunin fled to the West in search of an outlet for their political activity.
Perhaps the most famous political emigre of all was Vladimir Lenin, who lived across Europe for several years at the beginning of the 20th century, before returning to Russia in 1917 to lead the October Revolution.
That Revolution set off a wave of departures of so-called White emigres, opponents of the Bolsheviks, who fled Russia from 1917 to 1920. These included members of the imperial family, commanders of the White Army that fought the Bolsheviks such as Pyotr Wrangel, political figures like Pavel Miliukov and writers such as Vladimir Nabokov. Historians estimate that between one and two million left the country.
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Kyiv Post staff writer James Marson can be reached at marson@kyivpost.com
