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THE CRITICISM OF THE WESTERN LIBERAL TRADITION IN THE RUSSIAN LIBERALISM OF THE END OF 19TH AND THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURIES (BORIS CHICHERIN AND IVAN ILYIN)

I.I. Evlampiev, V.A. Kupriyanov

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of political liberalism and aims to show the criticism of the western liberalism by Russian political thinkers. The authors focus on the political philosophy by Boris Chicherin and Ivan Ilyin who were the most outstanding representatives of the Russian liberalism. In his fundamental work “History of political doctrines” Chicherin shows that the main features of the western liberal tradition based on the philosophy of the Enlightenment should be found in the principles of individualism and legal formalism. Thus, within the framework of the approach the essence of law and state are understood by the model of social treaty: state and law are only designed to guard safety and inalienable rights of the individuals. B. Chicherin finds the problem solution by formulating new political doctrine which at the same time remains liberal. The stress is put not on the individual but on the whole which it belongs to. The fallacy of the western liberalism is rooted in the false understanding of freedom: it is reduced to the formal process of choice. On the contrary, Chicherin understands freedom self-revelation of the Spirit most fully expressed in the acts of cultural creativity. Chicherin maintains that law is a formal system which only serves to the external freedom, while state expresses internal freedom as a manifestation of spiritual life of nation. As a result, in Chicerin’s system state is higher than law and, thus, cannot be reduced to it. The Ilyin’s version of state can be called cultural-spiritual. Only being a creator of spiritual culture, man can achieve true conscience of law. Consequently, law appears to be an integral part of state and nation. State, being fatherland, is legal and external form of spiritual life, which essence is in creativity. Ilyin criticizes the central role of parties in the western political life, as it leads to the particularization of society. He considers unity of society the main principle of political life. The urgent problem which should inevitably be solved in the state built on the principles of unity, cultural creativity and spiritual freedom concerns the system of selection of the best people – politicians and civil activists. The problem solution can be found in the right organization of civil society, which should be based on social cooperation and unity of strivings.

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