Investigatory Comparative Assessments from the Perspective of a 90-year interval
Summary
Ararat M. Hakobyan
In the article, the viewpoints and evaluations expressed in Soviet, Diasporian and Post-Soviet Armenian historiography on the 1921 February Revolt have undergone thorough investigation.
In the previous decades Armenian historiography gave diverse, sometimes contradictory standpoints, viewpoints, interpretations and evaluations of this important event.
On the one hand, in the Soviet-Armenian historiography the February Revolt was qualified as a reckless attempt of the revolutionists and mauserists, and on the other hand, Armenian Revolutionary Federation historiographers and authors presented it as a voluntary pan-national revolution. The position of Soviet-Armenian historiography was also protected in a certain consistent way by the Democratic Hunchakians, Democratic Liberals and Communist authors of the Diaspora.
By making comparative assessments between the two contradictory standpoints of post-soviet elucidations and revolutionists’ interpretations that exist in Armenian historiography, and on the basis of diverse documents, old and new testimonies, memoranda, press, etc. in the article, an attempt is being made to explain the real, factual, impartial image of the February Revolt, to clarify the processes of its preparation, reasons, essence, the moving forces, stages, the influence of external factors, as well as other issues which up to now remain vague.
After the independence of Armenia the Armenian historiographical mind attempts to overcome the previous mistakes and stereotypes existing in Soviet and Diasporian Armenian historiography and to elaborate a scientifically grounded standpoint concerning the 1921 February Revolt.