Anarchists and the Leadership of the RCP (B.): Negotiations on the Legalization of the anarchist Movement in 1920

Abstract

The anarchist movement played an important role in the events of the great Russian revolution of 1917–1922, both as an ally and as an opponent of the Bolshevik dictatorship. The interaction of anarchist organizations of this period with the governing structures of the RCP(b) is still a topic that has not been fully disclosed. Documents found in the Russian state archive of socio-political history and the State archive of the Russian Federation are dedicated to the events of December 1919 — April 1920, related to the attempt to form the all-Russian Union of anarchists. This project brought together representatives of the most influential anarchist organizations operating on the territory of the RSFSR. The published documents allow the reader to learn about the negotiations of anarchists with the leadership of the RCP (b) on the legalization of their activities, Amnesty and cessation of repression, as well as about the attempt to create an organization in Moscow to protect American political prisoners.