Human Nature

[Ivan Denisovich]

Politicians create shitty conditions and then they're surprised that populace is not willing to bail them. That's the moral here from my pov at least. Of course people aren't entirely blameless but expecting that Russians living under tyranny from times immemorial will fight to safeguard gov that sent their fathers and sons to slaughter against force which promised peace would be naive. Even if bolsheviks promises sounded too good to be true.

I know this was to thump, but i think it's a great example to establish that we're having a communication problem, not necessarily a disagreement.  Why would it not be reasonable to expect that?  Not in our natures?  Not in russians natures, specifically?  It sounds, to me, like you're saying politicians set them up to fail in a predictable way, given some fact of human nature.

Naive might have been too soft a word. Expecting Russian to lay their lives for incompetent gov which insisted on wasting their lives in idiotic offensive would be stupid or insane. Kerensky wanted war and bolsheviks offered peace. Perhaps populace more used to self governing than people living under tsar would stick with provisional gov and try to redress it later but how can one expect that people with no experience in politics would do so when it isn't clear if even Cleisthenes would be so far sighted (and gov actually willing to hear people).

Human nature had nothing to do with it. Lack of experience (Russia as non absolute monarchy was few months old) on the other hand had everything to do with it. Also even centuries of experience wouldn't guarantee support to Kerensky nor it is clear that it would be a good option. Yes bolsheviks turned murderous but it's not like they advertised so.