Ispovijed

Confession is an exceptional autobiographical and political document by Mikhail Bakunin, one of the most important figures of 19th-century revolutionary anarchism. Written in 1851 while he was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg—at the behest of Tsar Nicholas I—the book reveals the revolutionary's complex relationship with his own convictions, his political activities, and the repressive power of the state.

After participating in the European revolutions of 1848 and 1849, Bakunin was arrested, convicted, and extradited to the Russian authorities. In Confession, he recounts the trajectory of his life and political career, describing revolutionary circles, national movements, and his own role in the upheavals that swept across Europe.

The text is particularly compelling due to the tension between revolutionary ideals and the circumstances of imprisonment. Addressing the Tsar himself, Bakunin alternately admits to errors, critiques social conditions, and reflects on the destiny of Russia and the Slavic peoples. Given the circumstances of its creation, his testimony cannot be read merely as a completely free expression of political beliefs, but also as an attempt to survive in the face of absolute power.

Confession offers valuable insight into the psychology of a revolutionary, the history of European uprisings, and the mechanisms of political repression. At the same time, it serves as an important source for understanding Bakunin’s intellectual development and the contradictions of the revolutionary 19th century.