Russian conservatism

Orientation to the western values, aspiration to reforms of one part of the Russian society (businessmen, intelligency) have generated growth of an opposite tendency at its other part that has caused conservatism strengthening. It was reaction of considerable weight agrarian and country urban population on the possible changes occurring under the influence of industrial revolution in the West which threatened with destruction of habitual way of life.

Conservatism reflected aspiration to preservation of century traditions, customs, originality. The Ideological and political current which aspired to prove basic distinctions in development of Russia and the West, has received the name "Slavophiles".They excessively idealised the historical past of the country, Russian national character. Slavophiles explained originality of a historical way of the Russian society presence of the general - Russian - ideas which reflected people originality. But the maintenance of Russian idea was treated by its various adherents differently.

It is possible to allocate two directions in славянофильстве: 1) is orthodox-reactionary and 2) reformatory-focused. The minister of education, count S.S.Uvarov (1786-1855), historian N.M.Karamzin (1766-1826) were representatives of the first direction,

The ober-public prosecutor of Synod K.P. Победоносцев (1827-1905). The merit of definition of the concept славянофильства belongs to count S.S.Uvarovu. It has expressed sense славянофильства in the formula: «Orthodoxy, autocracy, a nationality». The western political institutes, realisation of liberal reforms it proved impossibility of transferring to Russia deep religiousness of the people, fidelity to its autocracy, moral unity. The order in the country keeps on belief in the power: if the belief the state will disappear disappears. For this reason, considered S.S.Uvarov, autocracy preservation is necessary.

The main ideologist of the second direction in славянофильстве was A.C. Hamsters (1804-1860). Representatives of this direction (brothers И.В. And P.V.Kireevsky, brothers К.С. And I.S.Aksakov, JU.F.Samarin, A.I.Koshelev) did not deny necessity of reforms, supported serfdom cancellation, granting of some freedom. However they considered the European way of transformation of a society pernicious for Russia as as they confirmed, it will destroy its spiritual unity. A.C. Hamsters connected originality of Russian people with соборностью, providing that spiritual integrity, those internal the consent and единомыслие, love to each other which are peculiar to Russian people. Further writer F.M.Dostoevsky (1821-1881) among distinctive features of Russian people has noted amnesty, asceticism, general love, humility.