The Romanovs' Secret War on Crime

The Romanov Dynasty: Rise, Power, and Bloody End — Fexingo History · Oct 5, 2026 · 8m · transcript

This episode dives into the complex and often contradictory world of Imperial Russian policing during the late 19th century. We explore the rise of Sergei Zubatov, a police chief who believed that if workers couldn't rebel legally, they would do so violently. This led to the creation of 'Zubatovshchina,' state-sponsored worker associations designed to channel dissent into harmless avenues like mutual aid societies. Lucas traces how this strategy initially succeeded in calming tensions but ultimately backfired when revolutionaries infiltrated these groups. Luna helps us…