Alexander Herzen: Timely Ideas

The article deals with topical issues of the socio-political life of Russia which Her-zen the publicist raised and resolved in the 19th century and which today are back on the agenda in society. Following Herzen, the author of the article again reflects on the responsibility of choosing between revolutions and reforms, socialism and capitalism, on the centralization of power and the development of local self-government, on the consolidation of society and constructive dialogue with the authorities, on freedom of speech and public expectations, on the relationship between the West and Russia. The evolution of Herzen's views from Westernism to the idea of "Russian socialism" is explained by a deep understanding of historical processes. Herzen's desire for a peaceful resolution of social contradictions was manifested in an attempt to unite all Russians, regardless of their views and political positions, on the pages of his emigrant editions. These editions of the middle of the 19th century represented all ranges of social views: Democrats, liberal Westerners, Slavophiles, conservatives. They were driven by the same ideas of peasants' liberation from serfdom and the word's liberation from censorship. One of the unique experiences of his publishing holding was Voices from Russia (1856-1860), which Herzen created as a free platform for discussions, as an organ of opinion pluralism. And it was not the only project in his journalistic activity. A supplement to the Kolokol newspaper Pod Sud! (1859-1862) was created for incriminating publications; Obshchee Veche (1862-1864) was published for people, the French Kolokol (1868) was created to acquaint the European reader with Russia. The key problem that Herzen was concerned with throughout his journalistic activity was the choice between revolution and reform. Herzen associated the possibility of a peaceful "autocratic revolution" with hopes for the tsar, for the historical traditions of the supreme power, whose actions since the time of Peter the Great were largely determined by the will of the government and the educated nobility. According to Herzen, the bourgeois Europe finished the last page of its history. He contrasts the European "ends" with the Russian "beginnings", which he sees in the rural community and in the liberation traditions of the Russian people. Moreover, speaking about the ways of the movement, he clarifies that "the general plan of development allows an infinite number of variations unforeseen". Kolokol, which appeared during the years of social upsurge in Russia and relied on hundreds of readers-correspondents, could not continue its former existence. This was influenced by the decline of the democratic movement, and the lack of direct connection with the homeland. Understanding this and refusing to be silent at all, Herzen plans to publish Kolokol in French for Europe. However, in the European Kolokol, the theme of Russia and the West sounded in a new way. When different European powers, especially France, carried out a big anti-Russian campaign, Herzen considered it his duty to speak on behalf of the country and the Russian people. In the article "Prolegomena", he shows the Western reader how the sprouts of the democratic movement grew in Russia, what role the Russian government and the Russian press played in this. He pays tribute to the unity of the press of all political directions in the liberation of peasants. Herzen thought it was a time of consolidating social forces, and the Russian press was the most productive in the preparation and implementation of reforms.

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