Intellectual revival
In spite o f all obstacles, the Azerbaijanians could not, as may
well be expected, remain insensible to the ideas o f public, civil,
political and religious liberty, which had come from western Europe
and had been spreading in Russia since the beginning o f the XIX
century. Since 1860, these ideas had conquered the minds o f the
cultured classes o f Russia, as well as o f the other natives subjected to
the Empire.
It was obvious that to be in intellectual communion with these
great ideas, it was necessary first to know oneself to study one's nation,
its history, its present situation, its needs, its ideas and ideals. The
consciousness o f that duty revived all the power and intellectual
resources o f the people. They did not mind the prohibitions and
obstacles imposed by Russia. Indeed, during the last 50 years, there
have appeared literary men - poets, playwrights, journalists - and
political men; many o f whom have studied in higher schools and
universities, both in Russia and abroad. The ethnographical question
became the talk o f the day. Projects for the foundation o f national
schools were drawn up; a program for the tuition o f the mother tongue,
literature and the people's history was worked out. The best foreign
works were translated, readers and other school books were compiled;
scientific, sociological works were published, as well as the history o f
the literatures o f foreign nations; periodical reviews, magazines and
journals appeared, which acquainted the Azerbaijanians with what was
being done among civilised nations.
THE TRANSCAUCASIAN SEIM AND GOVERNMENT. - THEIR
WEAKNESS AND FALL
The Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed
Transcaucasian Government
Relying on its intellectual and material strength, the national Council
proclaimed, May 28, 1918, the independent Republic of Azerbaijan.
The events, which preceded that act so important for Azerbaijan of
Caucasus, were caused by the social and political downfall of Russia and the
usurpation of power by the bolsheviks. On the other hand, they were the result of the
situation in which all the Caucasus was plunged, especially Transcaucasia, after the
sudden withdrawal of the Russian Government, which had hitherto reigned over that
country.
From the first days of the Russian Revolution in February, 1917, until the
25-27 of October, when the supreme power was taken in hand by the bolsheviks, this
country was governed by the special Committee of Transcaucasia, the members of
which had been chosen by the Provisional Government of Lvov and Kerensky; they
were members of the fourth Duma, one for each nationality (Russian, Georgian,
Azerbaijanian and Armenian), In October the bolsheviks came into power, which
only increased tne disorder, the results of which were fatal to the entire country. One
consequence was the stoppage of every communication between the center of Russia
and the extremities of the country. The Caucasus and Transcaucasia found themselves
completely cut off not only from Petrograd and Moscow, but also from all Russia.
Left thus to themselves, the nations of Transcaucasia, through their
representatives, united to form one power for the whole country, with full legislative,
judicial, administrative and financial powers.
At that moment a cabinet, was established in Tiflis, in which all the
representatives of the Transcaucasian nations (Georgian, Azerbaijanian and
Armenian) made a part. They were called commissionaries.
Seim and Transcaucasian Federal Republic
The Government found it necessary to call a meeting of the House of
Representatives (or Transcaucasian Seim) composed of 132 members. Among these
there were more Azerbaijanians than others, because they formed a majority in the
region. The Seim was composed of: 1. The representatives of the said nationalities,
elected by universal suffrage according to the electoral law of the National Assembly
of all Russia; 2. Three times as many as there were deputies of the country to the said
Assembly, these to be elected by the national organisations and political parties of
each of the nationalities.
The Seim had at its head a directory composed of three members (one for
each nationality). On of April 9, 1918, the Assembly proclaimed the independence of
the Caucasus and formed a federal republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. The
foundation of this confederacy was well received by all the Transcaucasian nations.
They hoped that, united as they were by ure and by so many analogous interests
especially in the sphere of economics, the Transcaucasians would know how to
organize their political affairs (viribus unitis).
Powerlessnes of the Seim
However their government of that time proved its inability in the work of the
administration of the country, its lack of justice in the defense of the interests of all
the parts of Transcaucasia. It showed itself unskillful and unable to subject national
interests and those of political parties to the common interests of the whole region.
All this brought about a just dislike of the said government, even of the Republic
itself.
The Azerbaijanians protested most loudly, for, coincident with the
establishment of the Republic, a whole series of misfortunes befell them. The
Azerbaijanian population of several parts of the province of Erivan became a prey to
the attacks of the Armenian army, who massacred in certain districts all the Moslems,
without sparing old people, women or children, and burnt or plundered hundreds of
villages.
Deaf to the protests of the Azerbaijanian deputies of the Seim, the
government took no serious measures, its attitude was still more incompatible with
the general situation of all Transcaucasia at the time of the invasion of Baku and
almost the entire district by the bolsheviks.
The Azerbaijanian deputies of the Seim applied earnestly for help on behalf
of the town of Baku and the surroundings, but the majority of the members of the
government turned a deaf ear or used high-flown language.
Of course this weakness of the government, whether intentional or
involuntary, made the existence of the Transcaucasian Republic impossible, all the
more so as unexpected events were taking place at that time abroad. The Republic fell
to pieces. Georgia withdrew first, May 26th 1918, and formed on that very day a
Georgian Republic, after which, within the limits of Transcaucasia, were founded an
Azerbaijanian and an Armenian Republic
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