Orthodox Criticism of Socialism in the Legacy of F.M. Dostoevsky, S.N. Bulgakov and svt. Seraphim Sobolev

Abstract

The article examines the Orthodox criticism of socialism in the legacy of F.M. Dostoevsky, S.N. Bulgakov and St. Seraphim Sobolev. The important but little-known texts of F.M. Dostoevsky are analyzed, as well as the historiosophical symbolism of the story “The Dream of a Funny Man”. The evolution of S.N. Bulgakov’s views from the early utopia of “Christian socialism” to his mature works, which see an anti-Christian basis in socialism, is considered. Special attention is paid to the little-known work of St. Seraphim Sobolev (1881–1950) on socialism, in which he emphasized the spiritual incompatibility of socialism and Christianity. The great relevance of these works for our time is shown, when the mythologeme of “Christian socialism”, which has long been overcome in Russian philosophy, is being revived again.