Politics, Law, and Morality: Essays by V. S. Soloviev [Hardcover]

Vladimir Soloviev (Author), Professor Vladimir Wozniuk (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Russian Literature and Thought Series | Publication Date: March 11, 2000

Considered one of Russia's greatest philosophers, Vladimir Soloviev (1853-1900) was also a theologian, historian, poet, and social and political critic. His works have emerged to enjoy renewed attention in post-Soviet Russia, and his concerns echo in contemporary discussions of politics, law, and morality. In this collection of Soloviev's essays, many of which are translated into English for the first time, the philosopher explores an array of social issues, from the death penalty to nationalism to women's rights. Soloviev reacts against the tradition of European rationalist thought and seeks to synthesise religious philosophy, science, and ethics in the context of a universal Christianity. In these writings he reveals the centrality of human rights in his Christian worldview, not only as an abstract theory but also as an inspiration in everyday life. In a substantive introduction and copious annotations to the essays, Vladimir Wozniuk points out distinctive and often overlooked features of Soloviev's works while illuminating his place within both the Russian and Western intellectual traditions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This collection is remarkably relevant to our times, and Soloviev's writings are profound and to the point." Robert L. Jackson, Yale University "Soloviev's words on capital punishment, on women's rights are as relevant today as they were a century ago." Paul Meyendorff, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary

About the Author

Vladimir Wozniuk is professor of government at Western New England College.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (March 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300079958
• ISBN-13: 978-0300079951
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,001,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An early prophet of Christian postmodernism, July 4, 2000

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"mlt5" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Politics, Law, and Morality: Essays by V. S. Soloviev (Hardcover)

Soloviev is Kant of Russian philosophy. No understanding of any trend in Russian modern thought may be complete without at least a cursory acquaintance with Soloviev. This is as true for Russian Marxism as it is for Russian religious philosophy, which Soloviev so brilliantly represents.

A cursory reading, however, is impossible, once you start browsing the book. Soloviev is not just a philosopher, nor even the greatest Russian philosopher to day (which he is); he is so much more than that. Soloviev is a sage and a prophet, who was sadly not heard in Russia of his times. He is still less than properly understood in the West. There are people who frame him as Russian nationalist; others see just an Orthodox mystic or just a constitutionalist, Christian Democrat and so on.

With a similar success, you could try to stick some sort of a mundane label on, for example, Lao Tzu. Was he a conservative - or a reformist? Chinese traditionalist or a mystical revolutionary?

What impresses me most in this collection of essays is Soloviev's rational post-rationalism, a brand of thought which is postmodernist and post-traditionalist at once. Soloviev did not believe that human happiness can be constructed by rational design, be it a Marxist or a capitalist/consumerist design that sways today's world. At the same time, he was not preaching passivity and resignation, but rather revival of human spirit and conscience in a community of free individuals. For him, Christianity was the answer. Yet, his view was truly ecumenical in a sense that no races were excluded from the project of universal love based on universal compassion and modesty, something that only humble service to the God's idea of humanity can accomplish.

It is impossible to read Soloviev without thinking of painful moral dilemmas of today. He has offered answers to many of those; answers that deserve to be heard in our present debates. Still more importantly, he had shown the way to approach the dilemmas that are yet to come; this way is called Christian humanism and it goes beyond not only grand schemes of modernism, but also grand disorientation of the postmodern "alternatives" to them. This sort of reading enlightens soul, and not just satisfies your intellectual curiosity. Are there many books out there that go that far?

A sincere gratitide must go to the translator for doing the job. We can only wish it was a two-or three-volume collection, which could do more justice to Soloviev the thinker.