Black Hundred: The Rise of the Extreme Right in Russia

Laqueur, a leading authority on Russia and fascism, is currently associated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and with the Journal of Contemporary History . He warns of a growing extreme right-wing presence in Russia, backed by the old communist establishment, traces its origins and manifestations, and considers the implications for Russia and the world of its current strength. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

With the collapse of communism, Russia's rightwing extremists have made a comeback. Political analyst Laqueur ( The Age of Terrorism ) combed Russian journals, manifestos, booklets, leaflets and other sources to produce the first in-depth, comprehensive look at an alarming phenomenon. An essential source for Russia-watchers, his meticulous study profiles anti-Western ultra-nationalists, the openly fascistic and anti-Semitic Pamyat movement, fanatical sects within the Orthodox church, various monarchist factions and the reemerging Cossacks. These groups espouse militarism and a belief that Russia can function only if led by an authoritarian government. Laqueur documents the close collaboration of the Russian Orthodox church with the Communist Party leadership and the KGB. He traces the far right's origins to 19th-century Slavophiles and to the Black Hundred, a xenophobic movement which flourished between 1904 and 1917. His chilling report sounds a warning to the West. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From prolific Russian scholar Laqueur (Stalin and Soviet Union 2000, both 1990, etc): a path-breaking analysis of the extreme right in Russia, including a thoughtful and plausible prediction of its role in that country's future. Laqueur first looks to the origins of the Russian right, initially at its 19th-century roots and then at the ``Black Hundred,'' an amorphous extreme-right organization that emerged between 1900 and 1917. This mindlessly anti-Semitic group--probably never representative of more than 20% of the Russian population- -influenced national affairs even while Stalin's own nationalist socialism was dominant. The importance of Russia's extreme right, Laqueur says, now lies in its alliance of convenience with former Communist and security-apparatus bureaucrats who are against glasnost and perestroika. The right has been given a boost by the dismay felt even outside more extreme circles over the breakup of the Soviet empire, by Russia's catastrophic economic decline, and by recent damage to veteran institutions of Russian life. Laqueur doesn't predict any rise to power of a far-right government- -Hitler's invasion and Stalin's rule, he contends, have inoculated the Russian people against fascism--but he thinks that ``an authoritarian system based on some nationalist populism appears more probable.'' Help, he adds, can come ``only through the Russian people's own efforts, their good sense, and their fortitude in adversity.'' Laqueur brings to this study an incomparable knowledge, sureness of touch, and deftness of judgment that make it far more than just an analysis of the role of the Russian right. (Sixteen pages of b&w photographs) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Laqueur is among the most prolific historians of modern Europe, and his book chronicles one of its most important movements: Russian nationalism. The author demonstrates a prodigious command of individuals and organizations in 20th - century Russia. This array ranges from conservative monarchists through rabid antiSemites; typically, Laqueur reveals the well-known group Pamyat (memory) as a ramshackle group of factious personalities. Yet too often throughout the book, Laqueur gives equal weight to the viewpoints supported by a few individuals as opposed to those shared by millions of Russians. However penetrating, Laqueur's concluding reflections do not help us understand the right within a broader political spectrum nor the durable popularity of Boris Yeltsin. Nevertheless, as accessible history, Laqueur's book can be confidently recommended to public and academic libraries.
- Zachary T. Irwin, Pennsylvania State Univ.-Erie
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.