mystical theology, realism and nihilism were preached a positivist disillusionment; this is the significance of Herzen's positivism, of Bakunin's antitheologism, and of Černiševskii's materialism. Feuerbach's philosophy was utilised above all as a solvent of ecclesiastical religion and of religion in general.[1]
Russian positivism with its atheism and materialism has proved inadequate. Russian philosophical and therefore Russian political thought fails through the lack of criticism. Russian philosophy has not succeeded in uprooting myth.
In practice this defect manifests itself in the failure of the Russians to adopt the ethic of perseverance wholeheartedly and consistently. Kirěevskii pointed this out long ago, but consoled himself in aristocratic fashion by saying that the Russian could atone for his lack of perseverance by splendid bursts of labour. Here speaks the typical aristocrat, the man who despises application and the petty details of everyday work.
Since Pestel and Herzen, the Russian revolutionaries have expressed themselves as opposed to constitutionalism and parliamentarism. Herein we have a sample of the widely discussed Russian anarchism. Owing to the prolonged dominance of theocratic absolutism, Russians have been laymen in political no less than in religious matters, and they therefore incline to regard the constitutionalist beginnings of democracy as of trifling importance. Herzen, feeling as an aristocrat, declared constitutionalism, the republic, and even universal suffrage, to be nullities. Herzen, however, was thoroughgoing enough to regard the acquirements of the bourgeois revolution as manifestations of Protestantism; and against Protestantism he directed his most emphatic protests. The Russian atheist could not share in the religious disillusionment of Protestantism; also, as a matter of theory, he demanded this disillusionment in conjunction with Feuerbach the positivist and materialist.
In like manner the revolutionaries since Herzen have
- ↑ I reiterate Feuerbach's dictum: "I would not give a rush for political liberty if I were to remain a slave of religious fancies and prejudices. True freedom can be found there only where man is free also from the tyranny of religion." Such is the view of the contemplative philosopher. But let me quote Fouillé in addition: "There is only one way of putting an end to practical despotism, and this is to put an end to metaphysical despotism and to dogmatism in all its forms, to materialist despotism no less than to the spiritualist despotism which claims a knowledge of absolute salvation."
