historiosophical debate among other Russian intellectuals. Much in the comparison, then, supports the frequently expressed view that modern Russia received its ideas secondand third-hand and that these ideas tended to become more general and more abstract as they moved eastward. Concrete political debate, notably parliamentary debate, and actual social protest became abstract historical or cultural considerations. Russia transformed events of Western history into morality tales, the lessons of which sometimes not even then seem to apply. In a sense, Chaadeaev expressed it all when he equated Russian history with zero-and wrote his equation in French. Yet, historical logic works only up to a point, especially in intellectual history. The apparently superior realism and rationality of French thought can frequently be misleading. Was it really more valid to believe, like so many French intellectuals, that France was everything than to assert, like Chaadaev, that Russia was nothing? How is one to account for the salient militarism of the French intellectual climate of the age? It would seem that LouisPhilippe received his greatest support in the Chamber of Deputies and in public opinion when he was willing to oppose Great Britain.f Fortunately, the stubborn king realized that a war against the British was the last thing the country needed. Lamennais, it might be added, was among the militarists, though of a different kind. He championed war or, if needed, a whole series of wars in a Holy Alliance of peoples against their oppressors. Other similarly disturbing issues readily come to mind. Indeed, the ultimate interest of Lamennais's Les paroles d'un croyant and Chaadaev's first Philosophical Letter lies in their magnificent presentation of ideas and obsessions that move men and, through men, history. For example, P. G. Ryndziunskii, one of the leading specialists on the Russian middle class, has pointed out that the merchants did not manifest themselves in the abolitionist movement, and, therefore, their social views are not reflected in the materials illuminating that movement; Gorodskoe grazhdarnslvo doreformennoi Rossii (Moscow, 1958), 86. The contrast with Fourier and other French intellectuals who came from merchant families is readily apparent. 60 See, for example, Charlety, La Monarchzie de 3uilel, 313. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.70 on Tue, 06 Sep 2016 05:36:26 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms