Talk:Abdurakhman Avtorkhanov

A suggestion

This article needs to be edited for correct language usage and expanded. Avtokhanov is a key intellectual and commentator, and an important source for the political history of the Caucasus and its peoples vis a vis the Russian state, both Tsarist and Soviet, as also for the period of the First Chechen War of the 1990s. His work should be better known in the English-speaking world. Geoff Powers

A quote

Unfortunately the link to the "Chechen Times" article refered to in the notes appears to be broken. (talk) 11:14, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I have rewritten the article to fix the style and the translations from the memoirs and put the bibliography in better shape; unfortunately I was not able to do anything about the terrible translation from the Chechen Times article, since I cannot access the original. More work needs to be done. Languagehat (talk) 15:59, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Would it make sense to simply delete the Chechen Times quote, since it's so long and badly written? It's not as if it's necessary to understand the man and his work; it's just more evidence for his hatred of Soviet power. Languagehat (talk) 16:07, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

I had the same feeling regarding "The Chechen Times" quote. However, somebody placed that information in wiki. I would not like to delete it just for the sake of style. In hope that somebody will take care about fixing it, I commented it out.HenryS (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 15:46, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

The qoute also shows, that Avtorkhanov's style was very emotional. A bottom line - it is an article of the category "Writer". Various reviewers from Communist functionary Ivanov in 1934 to American professor Armstrong in 1967 criticized Avtorkhanov for that style not suitable for academic writings. So thanks to the contributor of the quote - we see it by ourselves. I hope somebody will fix the length and English.

Regarding the information for the English-speaking world. The major fix of this English article done by me, was pointed to that goal. To expand the article, why not just to translate my recent contribution into Russian wiki? (I am not the best person for translation into English job.)HenryS (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 16:02, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

• About the quote... This is link to original Russian text by Avtorkhanov [1]. A fragment:

Неправда, что Политбюро ЦК ВКП(б) является всемогущей сверхсилой (...) Политбюро - хотя и яркая, но все-таки лишь одна тень той действительной сверхсилы, которая стоит за каждым креслом членов Политбюро. Сами члены Политбюро это знают точно, партия смутно догадывается, а народ апатичен к "высокой политике". Народ учат не думать. За всех думает, действует и диктует одна абсолютная сила. Имя этой силы - НКВД - МВД - МГБ. (...) Сталинский режим держится не организацией Советов, не идеалами партии, не властью Политбюро, не личностью Сталина, а организацией и техникой советской политической полиции, в которой самому Сталину принадлежит роль первого полицейского. [2].

The translation currently in the article was taken from an internet publication by "Chechen Press". This translation is not literally correct everywhere. It misses/simplifies the following: "The leadership of the Communist Party is only a shadow of that invisible force which stands behind the chair of each Politburo member".Biophys (talk) 02:24, 2 November 2008 (UTC)

Other questions

About your other edits, HenryS... I disagree with some of them. Would you be willing to discuss?Biophys (talk) 02:24, 2 November 2008 (UTC)

Several links: [3], [4], [5]Biophys (talk) 03:03, 2 November 2008 (UTC)