The State Historical Public Library of Russia is pleased to invite you to the Workshop to the 30-years anniversary of the Federation of the Socialist Public Clubs that will be held in Moscow, 21 September 2017.
Among the programmes of different informal clubs and groups the idea of fighting for a new, democratic socialism had a lot of supporters. This tradition dates back to the history of prerevolutionary socialist and communist movement, to the discussions among the narodniks and the Marxists. Two dates determine the development of informal socialist groups: the foundation of the club "Obscina (Community)" on the 8th of May, 1987 - one of the most active and numerous socialist organizations, and the foundation of the Federation of the Socialist Public Clubs (FSPC) on the 20-23rd of August, 1988 - the first and may be the only attempt to unite socialists in the period of Perestroyka. In fact, Obscina and FSPC are the most famous, but not unique socialist organizations. Socialist and social-democratic clubs existed in different parts of the country: from Baltic region to Kamchatka.
There are no active discussions about informal socialist groups in Russian society now. This period exists in black and white photographs, in different bulletins and leaflets, copied with the usage of the typing machines and xeroxes, that had just became available for the activists.
30 years had gone from the Perestroyka. This period needs understanding in the society. Let's meet and talk about socialist clubs and continue to write their history together.
Main questions we propose to discuss:
- What were the reasons of success and failure of the democratic socialist ideas in the period of Perestroyka?
- Which historical sources we have now to research the activity of the socialists in the period of Perestroyka?
- What do we know about the participants’ lives after Perestroyka?
Deadline for the applications is 14 September 2017
We will be very pleased to see you at the workshop in Moscow. For any questions concerning the workshop, please do not hesitate to contact the Head of the Center of Social and Political History – the branch ofthe State Historical Public library of Russia Elena Strukova (stru@shpl.ru)