Civilization #53: Dostoevsky and the Soul of Russia

May 20, 2025 16986 Views

Why did Putin invade Ukraine?

In this lecture to his Beijing high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains that the war in Ukraine is a clash of civilizations.

In his novels “Crime and Punishment” and “Brothers Karamazov” Fyodor Dostoevsky captures and expresses the Russian soul. As a Christian Orthodox people, the Russians believe the meaning of life is to accept the mystery, miracle, and authority of the human heart.

This contrasts with Anglo-American civilization, which proposes a utilitarian and materialistic conception of the universe.

References:
1. “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy
2. “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky
3. “Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoevsky

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History
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