The idea of the Nation Salvation in the journalism of Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Abstract

The idea of the Nation Salvation in the journalism of Alexander Solzhenitsyn

In his publicism of the 90’s, especially in „Russia in the collapse”, Alexander Solzhenitsyn continues the discourse on the Russian idea, which was started back in the nineteenth century by Peter Chaadaev. This proves that Solzhenitsyn is a continuator of the great Russian literature. Solzenitsyn’s Russian Idea, which is the idea of the Nation Salvation (идея Сбережения Народа), is based on Orthodox ethics and belief. The idea of Salvation of the Nation is not a philosophical treatise, but the social and national program intended to reconstruct the nation identity after communist disaster in the twentieth century. First of all the program assumes to preserve memory of the culture, language, traditions and most importantly, the faith – Orthodoxy, which is the core of Russian national identity. The second important aspect is to build national unity; in the opinion of the writer nation remains divided, atomized, the Russians do not feel belonging to a community, have no responsibility for history. Thirdly, the author of „Russia’s collapse,” sees the need for transformation, reconstruction of national identity, what he calls „moral revolution”. The nation who believes in God, united by respect for common, centuries‑old tradition, aware of their culture, traditions, using pure language, not divided to the center and province, active, self‑ governing, rejecting top down control – this is the Solzhenitsyn ideal. The writer not only believed in it – he lived in this way.