Dostoyevsky’s socialism: the form of the state organization or brother unity (by the material of the writer’s publicity and epistolary of the 1860–1880)

Socialism is one of the key ideas that make up the socio-historical, philosophical and moral worldview of F. M. Dostoevsky in the 1860s – 1880s. The problem of “Dostoevsky and socialism” was posed by researchers already at the beginning of the 20th century, literary critics and philosophers noted the special attitude of the thinker to this system of society. As part of the study of Dostoevsky’s geopolitical ideas about Europe in the 1860s – 1881. it seems necessary and logical to study the problem of socialism in journalistic texts and letters of the thinker. The purpose of the article is to study and reconstruct the position of Dostoevsky in relation to socialism in the 1860s – 1881s. The material of the study was journalistic texts, notes, unfinished articles, letters from Dostoevsky in 1860–1881. The empirical base of the study was formed using the method of continuous sampling of the concept of “socialism”. The study uses biographical, cultural-historical, imagological methods. As part of the study, all available texts of the period under study, including the concept of “socialism”, were considered. As a result, it was revealed that in the 1860s – 1881 the problem of socialism was very relevant for Dostoevsky. The thinker discusses both European and Russian socialism, but first of all it is more important for him to understand the essence of socialism. European socialism, based on laws, requirements and science, according to Dostoevsky, leads to the destruction of the West. The writer formulates his understanding of socialism, contrasts the artificial construction of society (European or Western socialism) with love, morality, brotherhood (Russian socialism). The peculiarity of Dostoevsky’s socialist ideas is their identification with equality and social justice under the leadership of boundless sincere faith in the teachings of Christ. Since the 1860s Dostoevsky reflects on socialism and contrasts two definitions of this concept: the form of government and fraternal unity based on the moral feelings of society. Based on these definitions of socialism, he contrasts European (Western) socialism and Russian socialism. The writer was convinced of the possibility of implementing socialist theory to create a just social order, he believed that this could be achieved without revolutions, but thanks to the internal change of man and society. The chronological reconstruction of the writer’s position towards the socialism of the period under study helps to reveal the dynamics of changes in Dostoevsky’s views in this regard. Reflecting on socialism in Europe and Russia, the thinker turns to the problems of science, education, youth, writes about the activities of European leaders, the development of European states. Socialism turns out to be the connecting link of many questions that concern the thinker.

F. M. Dostoevsky, European socialism, Russian socialism, “Diary of a Writer”