# Last Links in the Chain explained — The Bolshevik Myth > Chapter companion for The Bolshevik Myth by Alexander Berkman. ## What happens The chapter depicts the disillusionment of foreign delegates at the Third International and Red Trade Union Congresses, the hunger strike of political prisoners in Taganka prison, the broken promises of Lenin and Lunacharsky, the execution of Fanya Baron, and the narrator's decision to leave Russia after witnessing the death of revolutionary ideals under Bolshevik dictatorship. ## Themes in this chapter ### Betrayal of Revolutionary Ideals The chapter details how Bolshevik promises to release political prisoners are broken, the Comintern is used to manipulate foreign delegates, and the ideals of October 1917 are crushed by dictatorship. ### Terror and Violence The Cheka's execution of Fanya Baron, the kidnapping and solitary confinement of political prisoners, and the brutal suppression of dissent illustrate the regime's reliance on terror. ### Dictatorship and State Absolutism The autocratic methods of the Communist chairman, the packing of the Congress, and the Cheka's overriding of Party resolutions demonstrate the absolutist nature of Bolshevik rule. ### Human Suffering and Dehumanization The hunger strikers' emaciation, the plight of women and children scavenging for bread, and the narrator's grief over Fanya's death highlight widespread suffering. ## Character check-ins ### Unknown Narrator The narrator observes the Congresses, interacts with delegates, mourns Fanya Baron, and decides to leave Russia. ### Lenin Lenin meets with delegates regarding political prisoners but breaks his promises; his policies and the NEP are discussed. ### Bukharin Bukharin denounces the hunger-striking Anarchists as counterrevolutionists at the Trade Union Congress. ### Lunacharsky Lunacharsky's promises regarding the release of political prisoners are broken. ### Zinoviev Zinoviev's automobile is seen at the Hotel Luxe; he is associated with the Comintern leadership. ### Karakhan Karakhan's Rolls-Royce is noted among the automobiles at the Hotel Luxe. ### Fanya Baron Fanya Baron is executed by the Cheka as a 'bandit'; the narrator mourns her death. ### Trotsky Trotsky is mentioned indirectly in the context of the Bolshevik leadership and the Comintern. ## Key lines > Though Syndicalists, we have joined the Third International; we believe it the duty of all revolutionists to cooperate with the Bolsheviki at this critical period. The Spanish delegate explains that despite being Syndicalists, they joined the Comintern out of a sense of revolutionary duty to support the Bolsheviks during this critical time. _Illustrates the tension between ideological purity and pragmatic alliance with the Bolshevik regime._ > The policy of the Communists throughout the country, the Russian says sadly. A Russian worker sadly attributes the fuel crisis and strikes to the Communist policy of placing political commissars over competent specialists, specifically targeting an anarchist fuel manager. _Highlights how political repression undermined economic efficiency and caused suffering._ > Kronstadt fought for free Soviets. A former sailor angrily corrects a French delegate who repeated Bolshevik propaganda that Kronstadt was counterrevolutionary, insisting the sailors fought for genuinely free soviets. _Shows the contested memory of the Kronstadt uprising and the Bolsheviks' labeling of opponents as counterrevolutionaries._ > The Bolshevik myth must be destroyed. I have decided to leave Russia. The narrator concludes that the idealized image of the Bolshevik revolution is a lie that must be exposed, and resolves to depart from Russia. _Captures the narrator's final disillusionment and decision to break with the Soviet experiment._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters/xxxix-last-links-in-the-chain - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_bolshevik_myth_se/chapters