Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Research in Social Sciences
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Political Debates around the German Question on the Platform of the Georgian Party Press of 1918
Dr. Bregadze Maia, Amiranashvili Nana
ABSTRACT:
In 1918, Georgia declared its independence from Russia and established its First Independent Republic. Among the many challenges it faced, the most crucial was maintaining independence. Since this struggle for independence has remained a recurring theme throughout Georgia’s history and continues to shape its national discourse today, it is relevant to examine how the young state attempted to secure its autonomy through diplomatic channels. Georgia was a multi-party state, and each party sought to articulate their positions to the public through debates held in political newspapers. An analysis of articles from the party press of 1918, including ,,Unity“, ,,Georgia“, ,,Public Affairs“, ,,Labor“, as well as the government newspaper ,,Georgian Republic“, reveals that Germany was viewed as the most active protector of Georgia. After the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Germany opposed the establishment of Turkish influence in the Christian part of the Caucasus. The publications indicate that this was the foundation of Georgians’ trust in Germany. A review of speeches by key leaders shows the full support of Georgians for Germany during World War I. We collected secondary data and employed content analysis, comparative analysis, and discourse analysis methods to examine the political debates surrounding the German issue.
• How was propaganda related to the German issue promoted in the pages of major party publications?
• Was there an argumentative polemic, and was a consensus reached?
In response to these research questions, we argue that the propaganda was purposeful, strong, and argumentative. Despite individual differences, we demonstrate how a consensus was achieved among the four major party forces – Social Democrats, National Democrats, Social Federalists, and Social Revolutionaries. The modern re-examination of century-old diplomatic relations and political processes offers valuable experience in Georgia’s pursuit of a European future.
keywords: Georgian party press of 1918, Independent Republic of Georgia, German issue, political debates