Essay On Disillusionment In Russia

During the 1860’s and 1870’s Russia had a growing underground movement of young, intelligent people growing discontent with the social and political disadvantages that the country was going through. Many in the government, especially the Tsar Alexander II was trying to curve revolutionary sentiment by reforming the government and introducing new measures to improve Russian society. To many young Russians that grew disaffected they saw the reforms as being too little too late and that further radical action was necessary. The writings of the Nihilist Girl show a profound disillusionment in young people during the reign of Alexander II and his reforms that also affected the nobility. This disillusionment would manifest itself in young people
They grew increasingly violent and even more radical. They eerily tried to convince themselves that what they were doing was right. “One could be interested only in choosing the shortest path that led to the achievement of the general goal. For a Russian, that could only be a social a political revolution. And no textbooks on political economy could provide an answer to. That’s how Vera reasoned with me.” The discontent that Vera and many Russians felt thought this way. They saw their cause as righteous and this was the only way to bring about change. They had this picture in their minds and they did anything they could to realize it however unfortunate it might be. “In practice, however, terrorism and assassination only repelled much of educated society, puzzled the peasants, and strengthened conservatives’ position and determination.” In reality, many people across Russia did not understand the increasing violent ways the revolutionaries were taking. The revolutionaries thought they were righteous and just, but thought they were pests and didn't understand why they were going this route. The revolutionaries tried to convince themselves what they were doing was right and didn't entertain the other