Nikolai Mikhailovskii and Konstantin Leont'ev. On the Political Implication of Herbert Spencer's Sociology

Abstract

I present a fragment from thehistory of the Russian reception of HerbertSpencer's sociology. The discussion concernstwo diametrically opposed but exceptionallyimportant figures in the history of Russianthought, Nikolai Mikhajlovskij (1842–1904) andKonstantin Leont'ev (1831–1891). As one of thechief ideologues of the Populist movementMikhajlovskij turned Spencer's ideas into anegative frame of reference for his own`romantic socialist utopia'. In turn, Leont'evformulated his extremely conservative politicalviews on the basis of Spencer's organicistsociology. Though at the opposite ends of thespectrum both standpoints succeeded inexhibiting the political implications of thepositivist and naturalist style of thinking.