ABSTRACT
Russian anarchism originated at approximately the same time as populism. Populism, though, overshadowed anarchism and for good reason. The anarchists belonged to one of the branches of the radical movement, and therefore their vision of the French Revolution resembled that of the radicals. The anarchists saw the French Revolution as a model for Russia's and the world in general's political development, and they also appreciated the Revolution's democratic tradition. The anarchists appreciated the traditions of 1789, especially the grassroots initiatives that sprung from the French Revolution. However, they were cautious about democracy, since even the most democratic institution did not make the state a tool in the hands of the majority. The French Revolution started as an attack against the feudal state and the elite. Peter A. Kropotkin approached the first stages of the revolution positively, for at that time it was a spontaneous mass movement that propelled revolutionary development.
