REVOLUTION ON THE JEWISH STREET - SMOLENSK, 1917

In spring 1917, Jewish socialist leaders in Smolensk articulated a pol itics of class based upon a highly politicized ascription of class ide ntities. Class identity resonated more strongly among Smolensk's Jews than did the model of Jewish cultural identity offered by non-socialis t organizations. In July, socialists consolidated their control over l ocal state institutions. But in later summer labor conflicts and decli ning living conditions drove a wedge between workers and socialist lea ders. In a process that paralleled the development of labor politics i n Russia's largest cities, Smolensk's Jewish socialist leaders were ma rginalized by their own rhetoric of class struggle. In fall 1917, Jewi sh workers drifted away from the socialists towards non-socialist Zion ist organizations, which had developed their own organizational base a nd established distinct political positions grounded by Jewish cultura l identity. By contrast, the Jewish socialist parties re flexively res ponded to events outside their control. After the Bolshevik seizure of power, Smolensk's Jews fell back upon a pre-revolutionary repertoire of accommodation to hostile authorities.