# A Bolshevik Trial explained — The Bolshevik Myth

> Chapter companion for The Bolshevik Myth by Alexander Berkman.

## What happens

The narrator attends a trial at the Revolutionary Tribunal where a young man is accused of counterrevolutionary activities by a woman who is a Cheka member. The prosecutor Burov intimidates witnesses and disregards evidence, revealing the corrupt and vengeful nature of the Bolshevik judicial system. The narrator also witnesses a private exchange between the accuser and an old woman who pleads for mercy, highlighting the human cost of revolutionary justice.

## Themes in this chapter

### Terror and Violence

The trial exemplifies the use of terror as a tool of state control, with witnesses intimidated and the prosecutor demanding execution based on flimsy evidence.

### Betrayal of Revolutionary Ideals

The judicial system is corrupted by personal vendettas and class prejudice, betraying the ideal of impartial justice.

### Human Suffering and Dehumanization

The accuser's vengeful demeanor and the old woman's plea for mercy highlight the dehumanization and suffering caused by the revolutionary process.

## Character check-ins

### Burov

The predsedatel of the Cheka, acting as government prosecutor in the trial; he intimidates witnesses and demands the death sentence regardless of evidence.

### Unknown Narrator

Observes the trial and speaks with Burov, questioning the validity of the testimony and the fairness of the proceedings.

### The Chekist

The young woman who brings the charge against the prisoner; she is motivated by personal revenge and is a member of the Cheka.

## Key lines

> There is no fooling with us, and they know it

Burov boasts that the Cheka's authority is absolute and that everyone fears them.

_Reflects the arrogance and intimidation tactics of the Cheka._

> Must we always go on hating and killing?

The old woman questions the endless cycle of vengeance and violence.

_A poignant critique of the revolutionary violence._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/xxxiv-a-bolshevik-trial
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters