THEORETICAL POTENTIAL AND ROLE OF I.A. ILYIN’S STATE-LEGAL VIEWS IN THE RUSSIAN HISTORY OF SOCIOLOGY

Abstract

The article considers state-legal views of the Russian thinker I.A. Ilyin and aims at identifying their theoretical potential and role in the Russian history of sociology. The research is based on the works of Ilyin and researchers of his legacy. The relevance of such a study is determined, on the one hand, by Ilyin’s specific outlook that in many respects can explain the transformations of the Russian society at the turn of the 21st century; on the other hand, by the sociological need to search for specific Russian solutions. In the first part of the article, the authors consider Ilyin’s theory of law, legal consciousness, power and the state, focusing on the essence of natural law, category “normal legal consciousness” and its three axioms. When considering power and the state, Ilyin emphasized their legal nature and the differences between monarchical and republican legal consciousness. In the second part of the article, the authors compare Ilyin’s theoretical conclusions with the contemporary Russian society. They argue that Ilyin saw the roots of Russia’s fundamental problems in the general transformation of human culture, i.e. consistent dechristianization of all social spheres. This trend led to catastrophic events in Russia - the Revolution of 1917, establishment of the atheistic Soviet system, and the predicted disintegration of the country in the post-Soviet period. The main Ilyin’s recommendations for overcoming the system crisis are reforms of the state-legal sphere, in particular revival of the “normal legal consciousness” and update of the national idea so that patriotism would take the leading position. In the state building Ilyin preferred strong power and authoritative leadership, and also implementation of “creative” democracy principles such as the rule of law, legality, fair trial and civil initiative.