What is the power of Russia?. Aksakov I.S.

In 1859, a public figure, publicist, poet, literary critic, one of the first Slavophiles Ivan Sergeyevich Aksakov (1823-1886) proclaimed: “Our banner is Russian nationality as a symbol of independence and spiritual freedom, freedom of life and development”.

This thought has become one of the peaks of the Russian national worldview. Aksakov stood on solid Orthodox-monarchical positions, defending the inviolability of Russian national foundations, traditions and ideals. The thinker advocated the communal-arbitrary “popular production” against the planting of Western economic forms. He believed that the union of the Slavic peoples under the leadership of the Russian people can become the basis of the spiritual revival of all mankind. Aksakov appreciated each honest citizen not in the “brilliance of affairs” of large and not everyone available, but in everyday, modest work, which requires not a beautiful, but fleeting rise, but the eternal desire of the soul for truth. During the years of his highest social activity, I. S. Aksakov became the exponent of the Slavic sympathies of Russian society. His candidacy was even offered by some Bulgarian voting committees for the Bulgarian throne.

This richly illustrated publication enables the modern reader to get to know the philosophical and journalistic heritage of this outstanding domestic thinker, his journal and newspaper polemic in defense of the basics of folk life, On the problems of zemstvo self -government, on the peasant question, freedom of speech, public education and many other problems of the life of Russia of the second half of the 19th century, many of which are still relevant.