Razhden Arsenidze
Encyclopedia
Razhden Arsenidze (October 1, 1880 – May 24, 1965) was a Georgian
jurist, journalist, and politician.
He was involved with the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
and sided with its Menshevik
wing in 1903. He later engaged in revolutionary journalism and was exiled by the Imperial Russian
administration to Siberia
whence he was able to return only after the 1917 February Revolution
toppled down the Tsar
’s government. Arsenidze was one of the authors of the May 26, 1918 Act of Independence of Georgia
and was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Georgia
in 1919. The same year, he became a Minister of Justice in the cabinet of Noe Zhordania
, and held this post until being succeeded by Evgeni Gegechkori
in 1921. At the same time, he functioned as a secretary of the Central Committee of Georgian Social Democratic Party
. The Red Army invasion of Georgia
of 1921 forced him into exile to France
where he published his memoirs about Stalin (frequently cited in the works of a prominent U.S. Sovietologist Robert C. Tucker
) and produced a study of the 18th-century Georgian code of King Vakhtang VI
(both works published in Paris
, 1963).
Arsenidze died in Paris and was buried at the Leuville Cemetery.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
jurist, journalist, and politician.
He was involved with the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party , also known as Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party or Russian Social Democratic Party, was a revolutionary socialist Russian political party formed in 1898 in Minsk to unite the various revolutionary organizations into one party...
and sided with its Menshevik
Menshevik
The Mensheviks were a faction of the Russian revolutionary movement that emerged in 1904 after a dispute between Vladimir Lenin and Julius Martov, both members of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party. The dispute originated at the Second Congress of that party, ostensibly over minor issues...
wing in 1903. He later engaged in revolutionary journalism and was exiled by the Imperial Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
administration to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
whence he was able to return only after the 1917 February Revolution
February Revolution
The February Revolution of 1917 was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Centered around the then capital Petrograd in March . Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the end of the Russian Empire...
toppled down the Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
’s government. Arsenidze was one of the authors of the May 26, 1918 Act of Independence of Georgia
Democratic Republic of Georgia
The Democratic Republic of Georgia , 1918–1921, was the first modern establishment of a Republic of Georgia.The DRG was created after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917...
and was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Georgia
Constituent Assembly of Georgia
The Constituent Assembly of Georgia was a national legislature of the Democratic Republic of Georgia which was elected in February 1919 to ratify the Act of Independence of Georgia and enact the Constitution of 1921...
in 1919. The same year, he became a Minister of Justice in the cabinet of Noe Zhordania
Noe Zhordania
Noe Zhordania was a Georgian journalist and Menshevik politician. He played an eminent role in the Social Democratic revolutionary movement in Imperial Russia, and later chaired the government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia from July 24, 1918 until March 18, 1921, when the Bolshevik Soviet...
, and held this post until being succeeded by Evgeni Gegechkori
Evgeni Gegechkori
Evgeni Gegechkori was a Georgian politician and Social Democratic revolutionary.He first entered the leftist student movement in 1903 during his studies at the Moscow University and soon joined the Menshevik wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party...
in 1921. At the same time, he functioned as a secretary of the Central Committee of Georgian Social Democratic Party
Georgian Social Democratic (Menshevik) Party
200px|thumb|Menshevik Flag of Georgia, created by Iakob NikoladzeThe Social Democratic Labour Party of Georgia was a political party in Georgia. It was founded as the Georgian branch of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party separated itself from the Russian mother-party.The party dominated...
. The Red Army invasion of Georgia
Red Army invasion of Georgia
The Red Army invasion of Georgia also known as the Soviet–Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia was a military campaign by the Soviet Russian Red Army against the Democratic Republic of Georgia aimed at overthrowing the Social-Democratic government and installing the Bolshevik regime...
of 1921 forced him into exile to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he published his memoirs about Stalin (frequently cited in the works of a prominent U.S. Sovietologist Robert C. Tucker
Robert C. Tucker
Robert Charles Tucker was an American political scientist.Born in Kansas City, Missouri, he was a Sovietologist at Princeton University. He served as an attaché at the American Embassy in Moscow from 1944–1953. He received his PhD degree from Harvard University in 1958; his doctoral dissertation...
) and produced a study of the 18th-century Georgian code of King Vakhtang VI
Vakhtang VI of Kartli
Vakhtang VI , also known as Vakhtang the Scholar and Vakhtang the Lawgiver, was a Wāli of Kartli, eastern Georgia, as a nominal vassal to the Persian shah from 1716 to 1724. Traditionally, he has been still styled as king of Kartli...
(both works published in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 1963).
Arsenidze died in Paris and was buried at the Leuville Cemetery.