1. The primary source: The Declaration of Independence: A View from Russia
Type: Journal of American History
Nikolai N. Bolkhovitinov from is the Chair of the Center for North American Studies of the Institute of World History in Moscow Russia. Additionally, Nikolai is an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Nikolai has spent most of his life in the Soviet regime while he attempts to retain independence in his outlook while Marxism influence has more liberal and creative implication in comparison to Western democracy. The author studies history using a bottom top approach since he pays most of his attention to the poor African Americans and national minorities. The author is a Soviet historian that elaborates bourgeois selfish interests on the creators of the Declaration of Independence. The Russian diplomat emphasize that the document on declaration led to the formation of tsarist government critical to Britain’s policy on the former colonies. The empress observes the separation of American colonies from Britain that lead the rebellion in North Africa. At that time, Russian media is awash with extensive and diverse information on the American developments.
Nikolai publishes the book, New Thinking and the Study of the History of the United States in 1991 where he attempts to explain the logic of the creators of the Declaration of Independence while he takes into account the British norms and the English language in the 1700’s.
3. Author’s background
Nikolai was born in 1930 in a wealthy family. After many years of schooling, he joined Moscow Institute of International Relations to study history where he specialized on United States diplomatic history that had become popular during Cold War. In 1959, Nikolai obtained a doctorate in United States history from Moscow Pedagogical Institute. After obtaining his PHD, he worked as a research fellow at the Institute of World History of Moscow. At the institution, he was able to publish many books, academic journals, and periodicals. As a Soviet citizen, the author survives in a nation where the citizens suffer under oppressive regimes due to deprivation of property. As a civil servant, Nikolai received his wages from the government and did not have any real property since people did not have the liberty to express their own opinions. The elections had only one candidate running that turn out as a farce. In retro respect, A Harvard College professor in Massachusetts could not vote in the 18th century since he depended on the institution for salary while a peasant farmer in the area had suffrage. The situation as the author observes is not different in the Soviet Union where a professor or an academician cannot assume an independent position as well as rejecting money and privileges. The Declaration of Independence is complex for the Soviet to comprehend since it has half-truths concerning “unalienable” natural rights of man. Authors during the last years of Joseph Stalin characterize American Constitution as conservative while Declaration of Independence is a progressive document in its time. It is impossible for Soviet historiography to depict the bourgeois document as progressive since it portrays narrow-mindedness of the creators. Different researchers agree with Nikolai that the Declaration of Independence reflects a bourgeoisie union of slave owners.
Purpose of the Source
Nikolai is the author of, “The Declaration of Independence: A View from Russia.” The author observes that the news concerning The Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress was reported first on 2 August 1776. A Russian dispatch at the Russian charge d’ affaires at London called Lizakevich assert that the British colonies had no hope of correcting past injustices and the issue of grievances that called for redress led to the solemn declaration that proclaimed the United Colonies as a free and independent state. The independence gave the nation power to declare war, contract alliances, establish trade, conclude peace, and to sacrifice their own lives and honor to preserve the aforementioned privileges. The Russian diplomat in his dispatch at the tsarist court does not have the prudence to mention the natural rights of man to his credit that the creators of declaration were positive in their movement. The publication of the document as well as the proclamation appraises the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution. According to Nikolai, Americans proved themselves to enjoy the fruits of true liberty and happiness as the first foundation of the spirit of their government.
Nikolai audience include Soviet and foreign researchers and historians interested in the interaction between Russia and the United States in the 19th century. The author works in collaboration of American historians. He benefits from American goodwill as an important factor of exchange. Some of the earlier historians of Russian America highlight signs of friendship during the Civil War to emphasize on America economic imperialism.
Bias Reflection
Conclusion
In my opinion, some of the journals of the American Revolution express selfish interests of the bourgeoisie and planters and also general human ideals and legal forms. The law serves the interests of a particular group or class and this makes it hard for the majority to survive. The Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution have withstood the test of time. Nikolai assert that the American constitution is one of the oldest in the world supplemented with twenty-seven amendments. Nikolai points out that the principle of Declaration of Independence together with the bill of rights express the individual rights of specific people. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness express individual interests rather than abstract goals and ideals. Every human believes on the ability to manage own life as an American outlook to depict individualism, competition, and freedom of entrepreneurship.
Bibliography
Bolkhovitinov, Nikolai N. 1999. "The Declaration of Independence: A View from Russia." Journal Of American History 85, no. 4: 1389-1398.
Browne, Stephen Howard. "Jefferson's First Declaration of Independence: A Summary View of the Rights of British America Revisited." Quarterly Journal Of Speech 89, no. 3 (August 2003): 235-252.
White, Kennecth Michael. "The Declaration of Independence and Immigration in the United States of America." Norteamérica: Revista Académica Del CISAN-UNAM (2011 Special Issue 2011): 211-228.
