Dan, Fedor Ilyich

[SIGNED] Proiskhozhdenie Bolshevizma: K istorii demokraticheskikh i sotsialisticheskikh idei v Rossii posle osvobozhdeniya krestian [The Origins of Bolshevism: On The History of Democratic and Socialist Ideas in Russia After The Emancipation of The Serfs]

New York, NY: Novaia Demokratiia, 1946. Item #1338

494 pages, 23 cm. Text in Russian. This volume is bound in blue cloth with gilt lettering on the front cover and spine. It is in good condition, showing minor shelf wear and chipping on the spine and corners. The interior is clean, with occasional red pencil marks. Of particular note is the author’s inscription and signature on the front free endpaper, dated May 24, 1946, to "S. Estrin," a prominent Russian Social Democrat and former Menshevik.

Authored by Fedor Ilyich Dan (1871–1947), a prominent Menshevik leader, theoretician, and one of the key figures in the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party, "The Origins of Bolshevism" is a deeply analytical historical account of the ideological and political currents that culminated in the Bolshevik ascendancy. Dan, a staunch advocate of democratic socialism and a critic of Bolshevik authoritarianism, brings a unique perspective to this work, drawing on his extensive experience as a participant in the revolutionary movement. The book explores the roots of socialist and democratic ideas in Russia following the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, dissecting the evolution of Russian social democracy, the interplay between the intelligentsia and the peasantry, and the socioeconomic factors underpinning the radicalization of revolutionary thought. Dan's meticulous scholarship and first-hand insights make this volume an essential contribution to the understanding of Russia's revolutionary history.

Samuil Efimovich Estrin, the recipient of this inscribed copy, was a member of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (Rossiiskaia Sotsial-Demokraticheskaia Rabochaia Partiia) and a supporter of Fyodor Ilyich Dan. After emigrating to the United States in 1936, Estrin resided in New York, where he actively participated in the Jewish Workers' Committee, advocating for workers' rights and supporting Jewish labor causes. This association enhances the historical significance of this copy.

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