The Anarchism of Nestor Makhno,
1918-1921

AN ASPECT OF THE UKRAINIAN REVOLUTION

Michael Palij

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON PRESS
SEATTLE AND LONDON

1976

This book is sponsored by the Russian and East European Program
of the Institute for Comparative and Foreign Area Studies (formerly Far
Eastern and Russian Institute), University of Washington, Seattle.

To My
Mother and Father

Illustrations

Hetman Pavlo P. Skoropads'kyi, Symon Petliura;
Volodymyr K. Vynnychenko; Mykhailo Hrushevs
Makhno and partisans Anarchist group of Huliai-Pole
Nestor Makhno
Characteristic group of Makhno men
Nestor Makhno; Makhno's staff
Nestor Makhno, Paris, 1930-31

Contents

Prelude to Revolution 3
  1. The Ukrainian Revolution 21
  2. The Partisan Movement 41
  3. The Socioeconomic Background of Peasant Unrest in Makhno's Region 46
  4. The Peasants and the Ukrainian Government 52
  5. The Anarchism of the Peasants and Makhno 57
  6. Nestor Makhno 67
  7. Makhno's National Consciousness 75
  8. Makhno, the Bolsheviks, and the Central Rada 81
  9. Makhno's Visits with Kropotkin and Lenin 90
  10. The Origin of Makhno's Partisan Movement 96
  11. Organization and Tactics of Makhno's Partisan Army 104
  12. The Overthrow of the Hetman and the Establishment of the Directory 117
  13. Makhno and the Directory 143
  14. Makhno and the Bolsheviks 148
  15. Nykyfor Hryhor'iv 160
  16. The Bolsheviks Break with Makhno 175
  17. The Volunteer Army and Makhno 178
  18. Makhno's Army Outlawed by the Bolsheviks 209
  19. Makhno between Wrangel and the Bolsheviks 215
  20. The Last Phase of the Makhno Struggle 231
  21. Epilogue 242

Conclusion 245
Appendix: Leaders of the Makhno Army 254
Abbreviations 263
Bibliography 313
Index 417