I think it is so interesting how the Bolsheviks realized that in order to gain and maintain power, they would have to compromise their values. It’s almost like small scale foreshadowing of how much of the original Communist Manifesto would have to be sacrificed in order for the Soviet Union to come into being.
Author: A.Anthony
Comment on Trans-Siberian Railway by A.Anthony
That is a truly stunning photograph. I was unaware of all of the difficulties that Siberia posed for the Russian government, and I think it’s interesting how you connected those to the need for a railway. I would be interested to know if having a railroad did make any significant difference in that respect.
Comment on Snapshot of The Empire: Life of the Peasantry in Russia by A.Anthony
I also responded to a picture of construction on the Murmansk Railroad, and I thought it was really interesting that you were able to figure out approximately where along the route the picture was taken. I was not quite as lucky, unfortunately. Another thing I liked that you did was your inclusion of the photographic process he used, as that is something I find fascinating.
Comment on 1st stop: The Emir of Bukhara by A.Anthony
I think it’s really interesting how you wrote in the first person and included specific details about your prior fields of study. I think that gave your post a personal touch that made it stand out. I also liked how you traced the history of the guards coat, which I felt made me think of him more as a person and less just as the subject of a photo.
Comment on The Russian Cowboy and the Murmansk Railroad by A.Anthony
From what I understand, the Russian Revolution was kind of a perfect storm of grievances people had against the government, but I think his theory that the failure of the railroads to adapt to wartime needs seems like a plausible cause of food shortages and thus public anger. I do think it’s interesting that he introduces the contradictory theory at the end, but other sources I have read do lend credence to the idea of railway exhaustion, or at the very least, major problems with the project.
