Power under Siege

Abstract

This book by Jeffrey K. Hass is an impressive work of scholarship that has uncovered a wealth of material on the Siege of Leningrad during World War II. Through this research, the author has highlighted the power dynamics at play during the siege. He argues that power was visible in the form of coercion and dependency, but also in agenda setting and in the shaping of people’s attitudes and worldviews. The circumstances of the siege forced people to innovate, act, and consider behaviors they would never have otherwise. The book also examines how food became a central factor in the exercise of power, with official institutions trying to control production and distribution, those involved in production and distribution using their positions in self-interested or empathetic ways, and everyone needing to decide how to exercise “tragic agency” when it came to their own survival. The author also argues that, in some paradoxical ways, the blockade empowered women, as they were called into production, while also taking on the burden of procuring food for their families. This book is a fascinating exploration of the various ways power manifested itself during the siege and how individuals and institutions responded to the pressure of such dire circumstances.