Nihilism In Russia

Nihilism is more than repudiating, believing in nothing, and lack of morals and principles in Russia. It does include these characteristics, however there is more to it then what is on the surface. Before we can discuss what nihilism is for the Russian, we have to examine what chained of events occurred that ultimately created this subculture. During Alexander II’s civic reforms, various oppositional movements emerged challenging the empire. Alexander II restored to some extent polish autonomy, expanded education, and encouraged “public discussion of the emancipation of the serfs” including leniency in public speaking (speeches were still somewhat regulated or censored). Poland were divided into people led by Marquis Alexander Wielopolski

Nihilism did have its political aspect- hoping to become a democracy, but it was not necessarily a revolution in the context of any of the previous rebellious groups mentioned above. Certainly, nihilism was not just rejection of everything like the meaning of the word suggests. Russian nihilism was a way to create a new identity under a united belief. It was a way to change Russia and for Russia to ultimately be a model for change in

It is important to keep in mind that Turgenev was an outsider belonging to the Romanticism age, he was not a nihilist. He was attempting to capture their value, their philosophy, and to depict who they are. The hero of the novel, Bazarov was the son of a poor doctor, he worked and put himself through school, he did not steal from others, and he never asked anyone including his parents for charity. Bazarov emerged from his life experience and his education, a strong man of intellect and an empiricist. Being an empiricist, he believed that all knowledge originated from sense experience, thus he “acknowledge[d] only what can be examined with one of the five senses.” He called human feelings Romanticism. According to Bosorav, principles were unnecessary, authority and morals are nonsense. He said, “A nihilist is a man who doesn’t acknowledge any authorities, who doesn’t accept a single principle on faith no matter how much that principle may be surrounded by respect.” The concept of love for a woman and the beauty of art, music, and nature was utterly nonsense. Bazarov repeatedly reminded the reader that he does not have a belief system, but in actuality he did. Pisarev calls it calculation, but I call it survival. The latter is very informal, but in a nut shell that is what it was. Bazarov took medicine when he was sick