Peter Lavrovich Lavrov (1828-1900) is known as one of the main ideologists of Russian populism. At one time, he had a considerable influence on the formation of the revolutionary movement in our country. Of interest are his sociological and philosophical studies, which make it possible to understand the attitude of the intelligentsia towards the socio-political situation that developed in Russia in the second half of the 19th century, as well as the prediction of the collapse of Bolshevism.
A family
Peter Lavrov came from a famous noble family. His father, Lavr Stepanovich, served in the army and participated in the Patriotic War of 1812. He was friendly with the head of the Imperial Chancellery and military settlements, Alexei Arakcheev, who enjoyed the unlimited trust of Alexander the First. After the war, L. S. Lavrov retired with the rank of colonel of artillery and married Elizabeth Karlovna Gandvig. The girl came from a Russianized Swedish noble family and was perfectly educated for her time. In 1823, their son Peter was born. At the time of its birth, the family lived in the Melekhovo estate, located in the Pskov province.
Petr Lavrovich Lavrov: a brief biography (young years)
Like his other peers from the nobility, the future philosopher from childhood studied foreign languages. In particular, thanks to his mother and an experienced tutor, he very early mastered the French and German languages ​​perfectly.
In 1837, Peter Lavrov was sent to St. Petersburg, where he successfully passed the exam and entered the artillery school. During the years of study at this prestigious military university, the young man showed himself to be a diligent cadet and was considered the best student of academician M. Ostrogradsky. His successes were so serious that after graduation he was left to tutor in his native school. In parallel with the classes, Peter Lavrov independently studied the scientific literature in social studies and economics, wrote poetry and was engaged in research in the field of mathematics. He was greatly impressed by the works of Utopian socialists.
Further career
The young tutor of mathematical sciences soon received the recognition of his colleagues and took the post of military lecturer at the Mikhailovsky Artillery Academy in St. Petersburg, rising to the rank of colonel. In 1860 he was transferred to the Konstantinovsky Military School, where for several years he was an observer mentor.
Personal life
In 1847, Peter Lavrov married the beautiful widow A. Kh. Loveyko. A marriage with a mother of two children, and even a German by birth (maiden name Kapger) upset the plans of Lavr Stepanovich, who dreams of a brilliant party for his son. As a result, Peter was deprived of the financial support of his parent. Over time, the couple had four more common sons and daughters, which made the financial situation of the family even more precarious. In order to somehow “get out,” Lavrov was forced to earn extra money by tutoring “on the side” and write special articles for the “Artillery Journal”. The situation changed for the better after the death of his father and older brother, when Peter Lavrovich received a good inheritance.
Literary and scientific activities
Despite the hardships of life, the indefatigable Peter Lavrov found time to study the most famous works of European philosophers of his time, published verses by A. I. Herzen, participated in the creation of the Encyclopedic Dictionary, published articles on philosophy and sociology, as well as on problems of public morality , literature, art and public education.
In addition, in 1860 his first book was published. In this work, entitled “Essays on the Issues of Practical Philosophy,” Lavrov argued that a moral person cannot but come into conflict with a society in which injustice reigns. In his opinion, only a system that is based on a voluntary union of moral and free people can be an ideal society.
Arrest and exile
In the 1860s, Pyotr Lavrovich Lavrov, whose biography is presented above, was an active participant in the student and revolutionary movement. He became close to N. G. Chernyshevsky and became a member of the first organization “Earth and Freedom”.
On April 4, 1866, at the gates of the Summer Garden, D. Karakozov attempted assassination of Alexander the Second. It was unsuccessful, but it was the reason for the repressions, the victim of which was including Peter Lavrov. He was arrested on charges of “spreading harmful ideas” and in contacts with Chernyshevsky, Mikhailov and Professor P. Pavlov. After a short detention in prison and court, he was sent to exile in the Vologda province. There he lived from 1867 to 1870 and met the exiled participant of the Polish uprising A. Chaplitskaya, who became his common-law wife.
“Historical Letters”
In exile, Peter Lavrovich Lavrov wrote his most famous socio-political work, addressed to the progressive Russian intelligentsia.
His “Historical Letters” contained a call for young people to wake up, and, understanding the tasks of the historical moment, as well as the needs of the common people, to help him realize his strength. The appearance of this work was more than timely, since the revolutionary intelligentsia was in search of new opportunities for the application of their forces. Lavrov's “historical letters” became a “thunderclap” and one of the ideological motivators for organizing the practical activities of the revolutionary intelligentsia.
Biography (Peter Lavrov) after 1870
After returning from exile, the revolutionary managed to illegally leave the country and go to Paris. There he contacted representatives of the Western European labor movement and joined the First International. During the existence of the Paris Commune, he traveled to London in order to organize assistance to besieged comrades.
During his stay in the capital of the British Empire, Lavrov met Marx and Engels.
In 1873-1877, the revolutionary became the editor of the Vperyod magazine and the 2-week newspaper of the same name - the mouthpieces of Russian populism, called "Lavrism." After the assassination of Alexander the Second, Peter Lavrovich became close to the Narodnaya Volya. He even agreed to edit Bulletin of the People’s Will together with L. Tikhomirov.
At the same time, its international authority grew. Suffice it to say that in July 1889, members of the Armenian party Hnchak, the first socialist party with branches in Persia and the Ottoman Empire, authorized Peter Lavrov to represent it at the congress of the Second International.
last years of life
Until his last days, Peter Lavrov continued to maintain ties with the revolutionary movement. However, at the end of his life, he was more interested in issues related to the history of philosophy. As a result of his scientific research, several theoretical works were written, including the monograph “Problems of Understanding History”.
Peter Lavrov, whose main ideas were the basis of the movement of the People’s Volunteers, died in Paris in 1900, at the age of 72, and was buried in the Montparnasse cemetery.
After himself, he left an extensive literary heritage, including 825 works and 711 letters. He is also the author of several dozen political poems, among which the “Working Marseillaise” was particularly popular, beginning with the words “Renounce the old world ...”, to which music was later written. In the first two decades of the 20th century, this song was one of the most often performed during strikes, strikes, as well as congresses of revolutionaries, and in the early years of Soviet power and people's deputies.
Philosophical views
In official science, it is customary to attribute Lavrov to eclectics. And this is quite justified, since in his positivist-agnostic philosophy he tried to combine the systems of Hegel, F. Lange, Feuerbach, Comte, Proudhon, Spencer, Chernyshevsky, Bakunin and Marx.
In his opinion, a moral and educated minority makes history voluntarily; therefore, the first task of revolutionaries is to develop a moral ideal.
In the 1870s, Lavrov had ardent followers, the so-called group of towers. In addition, he became the recognized leader of the right wing of the revolutionaries of the Russian Empire. However, this situation did not last long, and soon many supporters of his ideology turned to the side of a more radical Bakunism. However, Lavrism played an important role in preparing members for the future first Social Democratic circles.
Now you know who P. Lavrov was. Being one of the few representatives of the nobility who sincerely sought to improve the situation of workers and peasants, Pyotr Lavrovich was not forgotten by the authorities of the world's first state of workers and peasants. In particular, Furshtatskaya Leningrad Street was renamed in his honor. Thanks to this, today many St. Petersburg residents know the Palace of Peter Lavrov, where wedding ceremonies are held. And this is quite symbolic, since the famous philosopher once sacrificed financial well-being to marry his beloved woman, and then lived with her for thirty happy years.