The Russian Idea (Library of Russian Philosophy)

About this book

In this powerful moving book first published in 1946 Berdyaev is not so interested in the empirical details of Russian history as he is in the thought of the Creator about Russia. The "Russian idea" is thus a mystical notion. Religion and philosophynot economics or politicsdetermine history and society. Berdyaev begins his story in the nineteenth century tracing the lineage of such powerful artists and thinkers as Chaadev Khomyakov Kireevksy Leontyev Aksakov Hertzen and Bakunin all of whom struggled to integrate the polarities of East and West spirit and matter and male and female in the Russian soul. That soul however is so immense boundless and vague that it is incapable of settling for "the halfway kingdom of culture." Demanding all or nothingalternately apocalyptic and nihilisticRussians strove to justify culture and discover Russias mystical mission. Impatient with the slow pace of history distrusting all authority and yet haunted by a vision of unity thinkers such as Dostoevsky Tolstoy Federov and Solovyov created an original and vital religious philosophy that culminated in the Russian renaissance at the beginning of the twentieth century. The fruit of these great figuresof whom Berdyaev was one (others included Florensky Bulgakov Rozanov Merezhkovsky Blok and Bely)was cut short by the 1917 Revolution. More recently their works have been available in self-published (Samizdat) editions. A great philosophical and spiritual rebirth was occurring underground. Now they are available again in this book which is essential reading for an understanding of the new Russia.