The Russian Secret Police: Muscovite, Imperial Russian and Soviet Political Security Operations 1565-1970

This book, first published in 1970, is a crucial study of Russia's security services from their early years to the mid-twentieth century. It demonstrates how the secret police acted as a key instrument of control exercised over all fields of Russian life by an authoritarian state. It analyzes the Tsarist Third Section and Okhrana and their role in countering Russian revolutionary groups, and examines the Soviet agencies as they assumed the roles of policeman, judge, and executioner.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 318 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book, first published in 1970, is a significant study of Russia's security services from their early years to the mid-twentieth century. Ronald Hingley demonstrates how the secret police, acting under the Tsars and the Soviet regime, played a crucial role in controlling all aspects of Russian life by an exceptionally authoritarian state. He analyzes the Tsarist Third Section and Okhrana and their efforts to counter Russian revolutionary groups. Additionally, he examines the Soviet agencies as they transitioned into roles as policemen, judges, and executioners. This masterful evaluation of Russian and Soviet secret police makes extensive use of hard-to-find Russian documentary sources, and it is the first such research to study Russian political security (Muscovite, Imperial, and Soviet) as a whole.

The book provides a detailed account of the operations and tactics of the secret police, including their surveillance methods, recruitment practices, and methods of interrogation and torture. Hingley also explores the political and social context in which the secret police operated, including the influence of the Tsarist autocracy and the emergence of Soviet communism.

One of the key strengths of the book is its use of primary sources, including government documents, police records, and personal memoirs. Hingley has done extensive research to uncover these sources, which provide a unique insight into the workings of the secret police and their impact on Russian society.

The book also sheds light on the human cost of the secret police's operations. Hingley documents the cases of individuals who were arrested, tortured, and executed by the secret police, including political dissidents, religious leaders, and ordinary citizens who were deemed to be threats to the state.

Overall, this book is a valuable contribution to the study of Russian history and politics. It provides a detailed and comprehensive account of the secret police's operations and their impact on Russian society, and it is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the history of authoritarianism and political repression in Russia.

Weight: 594g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367752521