The August Uprising, 1924: The Georgian Anti-Soviet Revolt and the Birth of Democratic Socialism

For three years after the Russian Revolution, Georgia was a democratic republic, until Stalin ordered the Red Army to invade and restore Russian rule. Communist attacks on political opponents, trade unions, cooperatives and even the church sparked resistance, culminating in an armed uprising across the country in August 1924. The revolt was quickly crushed, with thousands massacred, including hostages. Social Democratic and Labour parties across Europe reacted with shock. Opponents of Soviet rule began to describe communism as ‘red fascism’ and their own movement as ‘democratic socialism’. Eric Lee examines the uprising and its aftermath, including the destruction of Georgian democracy and trade unions, and the impact of the Georgian experience on the international socialist movement. The book asks why the events of 1924 mattered for the division between democratic socialism and Soviet communism, and why this forgotten history remains relevant after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Published by McFarland Books in 2025; 205 pages.