The role of Guria in the struggle for freedom and independence of the Georgian people, the national uprising of 1924 and subsequent struggles until 1953

Abstract

In Georgia, as in many countries and for numerous historians worldwide, the description of a nation’s key historical stages is often dominated by the presentation of „great figures“, who are frequently portrayed as the „saviors“ of the country. Consequently, history is reduced to biographical accounts without analysis of the historical, economic, social, or other specific contexts. In Georgia, discussions of particular issues most often mention Vakhtang Gorgasali, David the Builder, Queen Tamar, Erekle II, Ilia Chavchavadze, and sometimes Akaki Tsereteli or Ekvtime Takaishvili. Some of these figures have even been canonized by the Georgian Church.
In my view, such a historical perspective is outdated and potentially dangerous, as it distorts a complex and constantly evolving historical phenomenon.
The present study allows me to explain why the Guria region, through its inhabitants, played a concrete and significant role in the history of the Georgian nation. I aim to employ a materialist methodology, based on facts and their study from multiple perspectives, rather than on ideological misconceptions.
Are the people of Guria inherently more intelligent? Are they Georgia’s best citizens? No. They possess the „Georgian intellect“, a Georgian sensibility, and love for their homeland and region, as all Georgians do. However, objective, material, geographical, traditional, and historical circumstances compelled them to perform their role in the history of the Georgian nation and the broader history of Georgia.