E-Book Overview
This is the first book in English for half a century to examine the complexities of Russian messianism, both as a whole and in its interaction with Communism. Peter Duncan considers its Orthodox roots and focuses on Russia's geopolitical experience and situation to explain the endurance of this phenomenon.
E-Book Content
Russian Messianism Russian messianism is the view that the Russian people are the chosen people. This idea has preoccupied some of the most well-known Russian writers for centuries: through suffering and adherence to Orthodox Christianity, the Russian people will redeem the errors of humanity. When the USSR collapsed in 1991, many in the West expected a new era of freedom to dawn, whereas in reality most Russians are nostalgic for the Soviet period and many blame the USA for their present problems. This is the first book in English for half a century to analyse the complexities of Russian messianism as a whole and its interaction with communism. The book spans Russian history, from the claim of the medieval monk Filofei that Moscow was the Third Rome to Lenin’s idea that Western capitalism would collapse and Russia could show the way out of crisis, right up to the present day. Peter Duncan considers the Orthodox roots of messianism and also focuses on Russia’s geopolitical experience and situation to explain its endurance. This unique work will be of great interest to those engaged in politics and Russian studies, as well as to professionals dealing with Russia. Peter J.S.Duncan is Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Russian Politics and Society at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London. He is the author of The Soviet Union and India, and co-author of The Road to Post-Communism: Independent Political Movements in the Soviet Union, 1985–1991. Routledge Advances in European Politics 1 Russian Messianism: Third Rome, Revolution, Communism and After Peter J.S.Duncan 2 European Integration and the Postmodern Condition Peter van Ham Russian Messianism Third Rome, revolution, Communism and after Peter J.S.Duncan London and New York First published 2000 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Transferred to Digital Printing 2002 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” © 2000 Peter J.S.Duncan All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Duncan, Peter J.S. Russian messianism: third Rome, revolution, communism and after/ Peter J.S.Duncan. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Russia—History—Philosophy. 2. Soviet Union—History—Philosophy. 3. Russia (Federation)—History—Philosophy. 1. Title. DK49 .D86 2000 947'.001–dc21 99–059925 ISBN 0-203-44235-0 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-75059-4 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0-415-15205-4 (Print Edition) To my mother, Lucy Duncan, and the memory of my father, Charles Stuart Duncan Contents Acknowledgements ix List of abbreviations x Note on transliteration and dates 1 2 xiv Introduction 1 The origi