The Role Of Public Consciousness In Russian-Japanese War

This article is devoted to the social consciousness evolution and public agitational-propagandistic methods' transformations under influence of Russian-Japanese war in 1904-1905. The situation in the Russian economy and armed forces on the eve of war is considered, the role of «General Kuropatkin's economy» and the role of imperious elite conservatism in situation of unavailability of the Russian Empire to Far East war are analyzed. The history of occurrence of diplomatic contradictions between Russia and Japan at the beginning of XXth century and reflexion of these contradictions in public outlook of both countries are described. The special attention is given to comparison of ideological conditions of Russian and Japanese armies' staff before and during war. Influence of defeats of Russian armies on social ideology and, in particular, on the relation of citizens to the state power and military forces is characterised. The basic laws of social ideology causing a public susceptibility to political propaganda are estimated. It is noticed that the maximum chances of successful distribution in a society have the propaganda materials correlating with already existing ideology that does their clear for any potential supporter. The basic errors of the social movements oppositional to tsarism placing the basic emphasis on "excitative" propaganda and excitation of protest emotions instead of political world-view formation are analyzed. Article's authors analyze in details the original agitational-propagandistic technique developed by Alexander Bogdanov who worked at training of social-democratic party members for independent analysis of a political situation. Higher efficiency of long-term rationally conscious association of Party members' efforts based on A. Bogdanov's methods in comparison with short-term splash in protest emotions is estimated at traditional forms of "excitative" propaganda. The total conclusion of article specifies in necessity of accurate correlation between the ideological doctrine propagandised in a society and existing set of social and ideological values. The main elements of such set are the national traditions known and clear to each citizen of the country. According to it, any new ideology will be popular so far as it can consistently be integrated into system of national traditions, adapting a society to historical calls. That political force which bases work with citizens of the country on these laws, naturally becomes the leading political force.

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