Episode Summary

Podcast: New Books Network — Russian and Eastern European Studies

Episode: Eric Lee, "The August Uprising, 1924: The Georgian Anti-Soviet Revolt and the Birth of Democratic Socialism"
Host: Samantha Lam
Guest: Eric Lee
Date: November 11, 2025

Main Theme

This episode explores the 1924 August Uprising in Soviet-occupied Georgia, focusing on both the failed anti-Soviet revolt and its lasting legacy for democratic socialism. Eric Lee discusses his new book, which positions the uprising as a hinge event: not simply a tragic local rebellion, but a moment that clarifies the divide between democratic socialism and Soviet communism, with profound international consequences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Genesis of the Book and Research Methodology

• Context: Lee’s book is the third in a trilogy on Georgian history, following earlier works on the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–21) and Georgian soldiers in WWII.
• Sources: Lee accessed the National Parliamentary Library, archives, and collaborated with a Georgian postgrad for translations. Many archives were partially closed, so the story emerges from state documents, personal discovery, and rare international references.
  • (Eric Lee, 02:59): "We went together first of all to the National Library. The National Parliamentary Library had lots of sources... a brilliant Georgian postgrad student in history who did all the translations."
• Serendipitous Discovery: The idea was sparked by a single, obscure line in a 1970s Dutch history book describing the 1924 uprising and Kautsky’s role in its aftermath.

2. Background: Georgia’s Democratic Experiment (1918–21) and Soviet Takeover

• After Russia’s 1917 revolution, Georgia became briefly independent under the Social Democrats (Mensheviks), aiming for a liberal democracy with public sector dominance and strong unions.
  • (Eric Lee, 04:43): "Their ambition was not to create full on socialism. Their ambition was to create a liberal democracy with a very strong public and state sector, strong trade unions, multi party system..."
• Georgia experienced international admiration from socialist leaders in Europe—before the Red Army, under Stalin’s orders, invaded in 1921.
• Key distinction: Georgian Social Democrats were orthodox Marxists fiercely opposed to the Bolsheviks’ methods and dictatorial approach.

3. Soviet Rule & Discontent

Catalysts for Rebellion

• Widespread Soviet repression: attacks on the Church, nationalist sentiment, economy, language policy, and mass arrests.
  • (Eric Lee, 08:00): "They burned churches, they killed priests. They declared war on the whole leadership of the church... they attacked Georgian nationalism."
• The Cheka (Soviet secret police) played a major role in suppressing any opposition.
• Revolt’s delay: repeated uncovering/arresting of resistance leaders, pervasive fear of the Soviet apparatus.

4. The August Uprising: Planning, Execution, and Suppression

Nature of the Uprising

• The rebellion was carefully planned for years, with coordination between exiled leaders (notably Jordania, Khomariki, Zhugeli) and underground networks inside Georgia.
• Poor communication and Cheka penetration led to botched timing: the revolt began accidentally a day early in Chiatura, the miners' district (38:11).
  • (Eric Lee, 38:41): "It’s not like, first of all, they get out their smartphone and send a WhatsApp… can you imagine what communications are like..."
• Despite pockets of support, the rebellion was quickly crushed due to lack of arms, coordination, and overwhelming Soviet response.

Aftermath and Brutality

• Soviet reaction was characterized by extreme violence; thousands killed, leaders and supporters summarily executed without trial.
  • (Eric Lee, 47:05): "They captured the whole leadership of the rebellion... Beria meets with them, says if you guys call everybody to surrender... then he has them all shot."
• Mass graves discovered in subsequent decades underscored the scale of repression.

No Foreign Help

• Unlike the White armies, Georgian Mensheviks got virtually no material support from foreign powers in 1921 or during the 1924 uprising.

5. Mensheviks vs. Bolsheviks; Socialism vs. Communism

Ideological Divide & Historical Memory

• The fundamental difference wasn’t economics, but democracy: Social Democrats prioritized democracy, while Bolshevism led to totalitarianism.
  • (Eric Lee, 15:15): "Socialism is a social system in which the working class is in power, which strives for greater and greater equality and human freedom. And communism is a form of totalitarianism..."
• Bolsheviks called their opponents Mensheviks (“minority”) as a derogatory label; the Georgian Social Democrats considered themselves the legitimate power.

Trade Unions’ Fate

• Under Mensheviks, Georgia had powerful, independent unions—quickly dismantled after the Bolshevik takeover, replaced by state-run labor fronts.
• Discussion about contemporary (and American) misconceptions of unions and their real historical roles.

6. International Aftershocks: The Birth of Democratic Socialism

Turning Point for the Left

• The 1924 uprising’s most lasting impact, according to Lee, was international: it forced global socialist parties to draw a bright line between democratic socialism and Leninism/Stalinism.
  • (Eric Lee, 59:24): "This tiny little country in the periphery of Europe is at the center of this debate between them."
• Kautsky’s resolution post-uprising becomes foundational for social democratic parties after WWII, shifting policy from cautious engagement with Communists to outright opposition and the term “Red Fascism.”
• The split persists and continues to inform debates on the left globally.

7. Historical Amnesia: Why Is the Uprising Forgotten?

• Georgia’s own post-Soviet history education has left this story neglected; the state shows little interest in commemorating the 1918–1924 period.
  • (Eric Lee, 61:53): "It happened in Georgia. I mean, how many people know where they find Georgia on a map or know what's ever happened there..."
• Lee’s work has found a surprisingly large Georgian audience, especially among young people advocating for democracy, highlighting the value of recovering this history.

8. Modern Resonance

• The Bernout: Distinctions between socialism and communism have become blurred again in popular discourse (especially in the US), leading to confusion and reactionary rhetoric.
  • (Eric Lee, 66:18): "The lines have been blurred... the New York Post did a cover... enormous hammer and sickle..."
• Lee sees the Georgian story as critically important: a warning that alternatives to authoritarianism are real and rooted, and the lessons remain urgent for current and future democratic socialist movements.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Discovery:
  "The whole idea for the book comes out of one sentence in an obscure mid-1970s book... and that's the birth of democratic socialism. No one else had written... I stumbled to this idea."
  — Eric Lee (03:52)

• On Soviet Repression:
  "They burned churches, they killed priests... they did everything imaginable wrong to get the Georgian people to turn to them. The surprising thing about the revolt is not that it happened, but that it took so long to happen."
  — Eric Lee (08:00)

• On the Difference Between Socialism and Communism:
  "Socialists believed above all in democracy. That was their core belief... Communism is a form of totalitarianism that is in its essence no different from fascism."
  — Eric Lee (15:15)

• On Trade Unions and Authoritarianism:
  "The unions need to be independent of the state... This is a core idea that all socialists agreed on up until the Bolshevik seizure of power."
  — Eric Lee (26:53)

• On International Legacy:
  "The reaction of the other socialist parties... is the core of the book... The lines have been blurred... and the 1924 events triggered the Kautskite takeover of social democracy."
  — Eric Lee (59:24, 61:49)

• On Modern Lessons:
  "The alternative to the current regime in Georgia... is social democracy, is liberal democracy, is European future for Georgia. And they have lessons to learn from when the Mensheviks were in power."
  — Eric Lee (68:58)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Meet Eric Lee, research process & source challenges — 01:34–04:32
• Georgia’s 1918–21 democratic experiment, prelude to Soviet invasion — 04:32–07:09
• The causes and run-up to the 1924 uprising (Church, nationalism, repression) — 07:09–10:17
• Cheka, repeated failures, and the atmosphere of fear — 10:17–13:31
• Mensheviks, Bolsheviks, socialism vs. communism, the meaning of democracy in socialism — 13:31–18:37
• Bolshevik rule in Georgia, Stalin’s reception and implementation of power — 18:58–23:47
• The fate of the trade unions under both regimes — 23:47–30:02
• Detailed narrative of the 1924 uprising, execution, and Soviet repression — 36:54–48:52
• International response, League of Nations, and birth of the new socialist international stance — 54:26–61:49
• Why is the uprising forgotten? Modern relevance and left discourse — 61:49–69:10
• Summary and reflections for today’s listeners — 69:10–end

Final Takeaway

Eric Lee’s book and this discussion reveal why the 1924 August Uprising in Georgia, while a failed military venture, stands as a defining moment in the ideological struggle between democratic socialism and Soviet communism. The episode provides a lucid account of the uprising, its suppression, and the reverberations that still shape socialist politics today—while highlighting the importance of recovering suppressed histories, both in Georgia and globally.