On November 16, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) hosted a presentation of the book by a famous philosopher, journalist, and theoretician, Karl Kautsky “Georgia - A Social-Democratic Peasant Republic - Impressions and Observations”. The book is trilingual (Georgian-English-German).
“The assessments made by Karl Kautsky about the First Democratic Republic of Georgia are very important. This book launched a cycle of discussions and even Lev Trotsky joined them. We can conclude that Georgian social democracy was an example for entire Europe and it was a very successful experiment, which, unfortunately, ended because the Bolshevik Army invaded Georgia,” Rector of TSU, George Sharvashidze said.
Georgian MP Beka Natsvlishvili said: “It is one of the best works about Georgian social democracy, independent Republic of Georgia. Karl Kautsky was an intellectual social democrat in the world of that period. He linked his theoretical knowledge with practical experience gained in Georgia. Georgia was the first social democratic republic with social democratic government.”
The book was released in German in 1921. During the same year it was translated in English and later released in Great Britain with the preface written by the author. The book is the result of the author’s visit to Georgia in October-December 1920. In his book, the author discusses almost all spheres of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, analyzes Georgian social-democratic model, slams Georgia’s occupation by Russia and demands the protection of Georgia’s sovereignty and restoration of its independence.
Professors Dimitri Shvelidze, Stephen Jones and Siegfried Heimann prepared a preface for the new trilingual edition. The new edition also involves comments and photo materials depicting the author’s visit to Georgia. The book was translated in Georgian by Sopiko Shubitidze. The employees of the TSU Library and Publishing House prepared it for publication.
“Karl Kautsky wrote this book during his visit to Georgia. Through this book, he acquainted Europe with a model of social democracy. The author provides a very interesting description of all the processes ongoing in Georgia, Georgian social democracy – its challenges, problems and achievements. The book involves actually all spheres and perspectives about how Georgian state would have developed had it not been for Bolshevik intervention,” Irakli Iremadze, head of the TSU Librarys Georgian Democratic Republic Center, said.
“The book by Karl Kautsky is about Georgian social democratic republic and it is very interesting. The book’s online version is already available. It contains various theoretical debates on social democracy,” Felix Hett, Director of FES South Caucasus, said. TSU translated the book in Georgian for the first time and prepared a new edition in partnership with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Georgia Office.
The project was implemented within the framework of the 100th anniversary of Tbilisi State University and the Democratic Republic of Georgia. The new edition of the book was first presented to readers at Frankfurt Book Fair.
