“Creating Sensation”: Public Background of Nikolai Fedorov’s “Works” Publication in the “Philosophical Heritage” Series (1970–1980)

Abstract

The publication of “Works” by Nikolai Fedorov as part of the academic series (library) “Philosophical Heritage” in 1982 and the processes accompanying it was one of the mysterious pages in the history of domestic philosophical book publishing, as well as a landmark and resonant event of science and culture, society and state of the late Soviet period. One can single out three main stages in the history of Fedorov’s book: preliminary information campaign in scientifi c and literary publications (1970–1980); organization of publication, behind-the-scenes struggle to get the book out of print and its subsequent public promotion (1979–1981); the public response caused by the book, the reaction to its appearance of the policymakers and higher academic authorities (1982–1983). This article is the fi rst in a thematic series and examines the information campaign of 1970–1980, aimed at popularizing and updating of Fedorov’s legacy in Soviet society: its socio-political and spiritual-cultural context, periodization, meaningful ideological orientation, theoretical inspirers and participants, the main results achieved.