The History of one shot: A.A. Kropotkin's suicide

The conflict between state political departments and opposition part of society could be characterized as system in the last third of XIX century. In this work such conflict was showed on example of the tragic destiny of political exile A.A. Kropotkin who committed suicide in summer 1886 in Tomsk. The main goal of this article was a complex research of all factors which were the reason of death shot. The article is based on the documents of Tomsk and Minusinsk archives, memoirs of witnesses. The analyses of social and political views of A.A. Kropotkin showed us that he was typical moderate liberal in west variants but not revolutionary. He became object for suspicion by Third Department after his travel in oversea when he contacted with political emigrations. His brother P.A. Kropotkin has taken part in revolutionary movement. It was one more reason for special attention from the Third Department to A.A. Kropotkin. As a result he was arrested and exiled in Western Siberia. A.A. Kropotkin showed active position against unjudicial pronouncement when he was in Minusinsk and Tomsk. As a result of such position his exile was increased. Being afraid of financial ruin, worrying about destiny of the family and not seeing application of his intellectual potential further A.A. Kropotkin had fallen into depression and as a result committed suicide. It was tragic end for man who could make a lot of good thing as citizen and scientist - marked George Kennan. As a scientists A.A. Kropotkin could not realize his knowledges and abilities because of life circumstances. On the basis of the studied material the author came to the conclusion that A.A. Kropotkin's destiny is typical for Russian intellictuals of 1870th wished to repay the moral duty to the people, but appeared thrown out on a roadside of public life by the imperial repressive actions. Poor judgement, vengeful attitude of policemen and their wish to punishment criminals who often exist only in their dreams had tragic sad consequences for Russian Eempire: circle of violence between government and society which led to the fall of monarchy and bloody chaos of 1917 revolutions and as a result to the change of all social order.

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