The Beautiful Nihilists: 5 Women Who Helped Bring Down an Empire
Nothing in the imperial system was sacred to these fearless Russian revolutionaries
“Political nihilism is the position holding no political goals whatsoever, except for the complete destruction of all existing political institutions — along with the principles, values, and social institutions that uphold them.” — Donald A. Crosby, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
When most people consider the Russian Revolution, they think of men like Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Still, there were many women involved who were just as committed to toppling their imperialist oppressors. Here are a few of their stories.
Sophia Bardina (1853–1883)
One of the first women whose name became associated with opposition to the tsarist regime was Sophia Bardina. Born into a dysfunctional land-owning family in the Tver province, Sophia became an ardent scholar to escape domination by her violent father.
Because educational opportunities for women were limited in Russia, she went to Zürich in 1871 with her friend Olga Lyubatovich and Olga’s sister Vera. All three women became involved in the Fritsche circle, a group of radical feminists.
