Reading in the Time of Monsters 011 - Revolutionary Russia from the Shop Floor with Kevin Murphy

On this episode of RITTOM, we talk with Russian historian Kevin Murphy about his Deutscher Prize-winning book, “Revolution and Counterrevolution: Class Struggle in a Moscow Metal Factory.” Since the Russian Revolution and its descent into Stalinist tyranny, there’s been a great deal of debate of how and why things went the way it did. Much of the discussion focuses on major individual political actors and on ideologies. Kevin chose to delve into the world of the Hammer and Sickle metal factory in Moscow, its labor disputes, political debates amongst workers, and conditions on the shop floor. The result is a fascinating work of history that sheds light on the fate of the revolution in Russia. Kevin was good enough to join me in discussing his work, and I think you’ll all enjoy it.

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