Konstantin Leontiev

Byzantinism & Slavdom Konstantin Leontiev

Described by some as the 'Russian Nietzsche', Konstantin Leontiev (1831-1891) was one of the most enigmatic Russian philosophers of the 19th century. A staunch defender of tsarist autocracy, he offered a radical critique of modern egalitarian culture and politics, particularly from an aesthetic point of view. Byzantinism & Slavdom examines the legacy of Byzantium and its vital relevance for understanding Russia and forging its future, distinct from the prevailing ethos of Europe which Leontiev diagnosed as undergoing a civilisational death. What distinguished Leontiev's aristocratic outlook from that of Nietzsche was his enduring loyalty to the Orthodox Christian faith, without which he predicted Russia would perish. Beyond its remarkable prophecies of WWI and the European Union, this 1875 work is a critical text in the Russian philosophy of history. Translated into English for the first time and introduced with commentary from K. Benois, Byzantinism & Slavdom is essential reading for anyone who truly wishes to grasp the rise and decline of civilisations, driven by titanic laws of natural development, and what these mean for Russia.