Oswald Spengler and Mikhail Menshikov: Culture Estimation from the Standpoint of State Interests

Abstract

The article presents the comparative analysis of certain aspects of the socio-political views of Oswald Spengler and Mikhail Menshikov. The author reveals certain similarity of the processes of their personal formation, which could also affect the conformity of their views on a number of issues of the cultural development of the state and nation, perceived syncretically. The comparison of Menshikov’s ideas in the period of his work in “The Nedelya” journal with the views of Spengler expressed in his fundamental work “The Decline of Europe” has already been carried out by Russian researchers, albeit to a limited extent. Therefore, the author of the research uses as sources for his studies primarily the articles by Menshikov published in the late period of his journalistic activity at “Novoye Vremya” newspaper, and Spengler’s book “Years of Decisions”, which is also one of his last significant works. The author considers both thinkers to be apologists for the priority of state interests, without which, according to them, the preservation of the nation won’t be possible. The political views of Spengler and Menshikov are characterized by the article author as conservative state nationalism, manifested in such ideas as: the preservation of “healthy” folk traditions, aristocracy as civil service, subordination of personal interests to the state. On the basis of the comparison of Menshikov’s and Spengker’s ideas the author comes to the conclusion about the similarity of the problems faced by Russia and Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century.