Environmental determinism in MetchnikofTs conception

Article describes genesis of views about affect of geographical environment on society. Description is separated to four parts which relate to different stages of doctrines formation. Greek philosophers like a Hippocrates, Aristotle, Strabo are aggregated into first group, their works contain only unsystematic notes about influence of natural conditions to the local population. Second period is related to The Renaissance which is represented by science’s renewal and returning of interest to the legacy of antiquity and problem of geographical factor. Different notes about this issue could be found in works of Jean Bodin, Francis Bacon, etc. Next group contains scientists of Age of Enlightenment. In this time, accent to the influence of geographical environment to society increased. Montesquieu devoted part of his work “The Spirit of the Laws” to the problem of climate's impact to the state structure. It is significant to mention other philosophers of this age such as Voltaire and Buffon which also contribute evolution for this issue. Philosophers of end of XVIII - XIX centuries are joined into the last group. This time's doctrine, about "role of geographical factor", is very popular. Johann Herder was one of the first who offer full concept of geographical determinism. He criticizes ideas of Age of Enlightenments philosophers and well-known opinion, which tells that culture in its highest demonstration should be equal for all nations. He thinks that each nation has its own culture and culture is reflection of history and reality of these ethnos therefore it can not be judged by general rulers. Herder was a follower of idea which tells that nations as an individual experiences young and old periods in its evolution. Many scientists like a Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, Carl Ritter, Elisee Reclus investigate this trend. Special attention in this article was given to Leo Metchnikoffs ideas. He constructively re-thought conception of geographic determinism and gave a critic to tendency of absolutization of role of geographic environment which was popular in earlier years. Metchnikoff wrote: “In my opinion, it would be well to search cause of rise and disposition of primitive institutions and its evolution not in environment but in relations between environment and ability of peoples which populate this environment to cooperation and solidarity”. Main innovation of his works was synthesis of theory of social progress and geographical determinism. Geographical environment in Metchnikoffs concept is complex many-sided factor, whose consequence can change from deterministic to main in dependence of concrete historical conditions. In the same time, the main difference from other followers of geographical determinism that he does not depreciate significance of other factors in historical process and it allows to have a place for new multyfactorial theories.

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