The Symbolic Revolution: The Russian Nobility and February 1917

Abstract

This article examines the role of symbols and language in the Russian Revolution from the perspective of the former ruling class - the nobility. Nobles were more favourable to a political revolution than many historians have assumed, but they were opposed to social change, a key demand of the lower classes. The symbolic revolution not only forced the nobility to perceive the wider implications of February but also helped to exacerbate the social revolution, encouraging the polarisation of society that grew throughout 1917. This trend culminated in the October Revolution and the systematic persecution of perceived enemies by the Bolsheviks.