Ink and Ire: The Revolutionary Impact of Russian Literature

Abstract

Can the written word spark resistance against an autocratic state? To explore this question, we delve into Russian literature from its Golden Age, assessing how Russian writers may have fueled violent dissent against the State. We provide evidence that penetration of the magazine, notably carrying works of Russian literary giants that called for democratic change, intensified violent attacks against the Czar’s regime. Utilizing the “circle of Alexander Pushkin,” the legendary Russian poet and founder of the magazine, as a source of exogenous variation in the magazine’s spread in the early years and controlling for the pre-treatment density of writers in each municipality, we show the relationship is likely causal. An instrumental variable strategy, focusing on the spread of the magazine through “haphazard” or “one-off” encounters with Pushkin, provides further causal leverage to our findings. Exploration of mechanisms reveals that the magazine inspired a new generation of Russian writers to write for political change. We test for and find evidence against several threats to identification. Overall, our findings underscore that Russian literature, one of recorded human history’s greatest literary achievements, wielded a profound influence, serving as a catalyst for political violence and fueling the flames of resistance against the repressive Russian State.