# Dark People explained — The Bolshevik Myth > Chapter companion for The Bolshevik Myth by Alexander Berkman. ## What happens The narrator travels through the Ukrainian countryside, witnessing the suffering and confusion of peasants caught between warring factions. Conversations reveal the brutal realities of the razvyorstka tax, the terror of punitive expeditions, and the complex figure of Makhno, who is both admired and feared. The chapter highlights the deep distrust of the 'dark people' toward all authorities—Red, White, or Green—and the pervasive violence that leaves them hopeless. ## Themes in this chapter ### Human Suffering and Dehumanization Peasants describe being drafted, robbed, and terrorized by all sides; women hide their children, and the elderly are whipped publicly. The 'dark people' feel utterly abandoned and deceived. ### Betrayal of Revolutionary Ideals Peasants who hoped for liberation under the Bolsheviks now complain that 'it is the same whoever comes,' and that commissars are no better than Tsarist officials or White generals. ### Distrust of the Masses The Bolsheviks view the peasantry with suspicion due to their rebellions, while the peasants distrust all authorities—Red, White, or Green—seeing them as oppressors. ### Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict Anti-Semitic pogroms are a recurring threat; Jews are blamed by various factions, and the conversation at the restaurant highlights the vulnerability of Jewish communities. ## Character check-ins ### Unknown Narrator The narrator observes the plight of peasants and soldiers, records conversations about Makhno and Mariusa, and experiences the fear and hostility of villagers. ### Nestor Makhno Discussed extensively by soldiers and peasants; admired for his daring exploits and his promise to protect peasants, but also feared for his reputation of killing Jews and Commissars. ### Mariusa Mentioned as a mysterious amazon who kills only Communists and Commissars; rumored to be Makhno's sister or a peasant girl seeking vengeance. ### Little Vera A young college girl who heard Makhno speak and got a favorable impression of him, recounting his promise to prevent pogroms. ### Trotsky Noted as the intellectual leader of the 'South Russian Union' in Nikolayev's revolutionary history. ## Key lines > But it is the same whoever comes; for us poor people it’s always the same. The peasants express that regardless of which army or government is in power, their suffering remains unchanged. _Reflects the theme of betrayal of revolutionary ideals and the cyclical nature of oppression._ > Bat’ka kills only Jews and Commissars. A peasant claims that Makhno targets only Jews and Bolshevik officials. _Highlights the ethnic violence and Makhno's ambiguous reputation among the peasantry._ > The black years may know who they all be. The hostess suggests that only the dark times can truly identify the various armed groups terrorizing the region. _Emphasizes the confusion and chaos of the civil war, where identities and loyalties are unclear._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/xxxiii-dark-people - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters