Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin is one of the most famous philosophers of the 19th century. He had a significant impact on the formation of modern anarchism. His works have been translated into many languages and are still relevant. The philosopher was also a famous panslavist. Modern proponents of this idea often refer to the works of Mikhail Alexandrovich.
His ideas attracted many participants in the October Revolution, which changed the world forever. This is definitely one of the most prominent figures among Russian thinkers.
Childhood and youth
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin was born on May 30, 1814 in the Tver province. His family lived richly enough. Father and mother were large landowners with a noble title. In addition to Michael himself, there were 9 more children in the family. Their maintenance required enormous funds, which already speaks of the prosperity of the Bakunin. Since childhood, Michael studied at home. At the age of 15, he was sent to military service. In Petersburg, he underwent artillery training. At the age of 19 he enters an officer school. However, in the same year he was kicked out of there, because he rudely talked with senior in rank. Two more years, young Bakunin spends in the army.
In 1835 he left the service and moved to Moscow. There he meets the famous writer Stankevich. Around this time, he was captured by German philosophy. He begins to actively study history and sociology. He quickly becomes a part of all literary salons. His speeches appeal to many representatives of the famous intelligentsia. From Moscow, Michael often travels to his parents' estate and to St. Petersburg. Among philosophers is also gaining considerable popularity. In 1939, an acquaintance with Herzen took place.
Emigration
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin devotes almost all his time to the study of philosophy. However, he does not have his own income and actually lives on parental money.
The family does not support such a way of life and wants Michael to return to the estate and take care of the estate there. Nevertheless, the father regularly sends money to his son. Often Michael lives at the expense of his friends, for a long time stops in someone else's houses. He is fluent in German. In the original reads the classics of German philosophy. By 1840, he devoted considerable attention to the works of Hegel. Shares his thoughts with friends. He writes in various magazines.
Passion for German philosophy leads to the fact that Michael decides to move to Berlin in order to get acquainted with this layer of science. Around this time, the secret police find out that there are such philosophers - Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin. The biography of a simple nobleman is spoiled by a connection with various "unreliable elements." However, Mikhail has not yet been harassed.
To travel to Berlin, he needs money, and considerable. Since the writer does not have his own income, he turns to the only sponsor - his father. To do this, he writes a long letter, which clearly sets out his intentions. Father gives permission to travel, but refuses to allocate funds for it. Bakunin has to ask her friend Herzen for a loan. He allocates a huge amount - 2 thousand rubles. Now the prospect of traveling to Germany is becoming more real.
Shortly before his departure, Mikhail had a quarrel with the writer Katkov, which resulted in a fight. In the heat of Bakunin challenges the opponent to a duel, but the next day he thinks over.
In Europe
In 1840, Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin arrived in Berlin. There he makes many new acquaintances. Joins the circles of reformers. He was most interested in Hegel's philosophy. The Russian philosopher is warmly accepted into the "Hegelian" club. Michael writes to various German newspapers. Around this time, the deviation of his views became more and more "left". He writes several revolutionary brochures that have been widely praised by various socialists. In addition to German philosophers, Polish and Russian émigrés also entered into Bakunin’s social circle. Among them was Ivan Turgenev. After several years in Berlin, Mikhail met with Marx and even communicated with him several times.
Revolutionary activity
After some time, the philosopher moved to Paris, where he became closer to the Polish intelligentsia. At one of the banquets, he made a speech supporting the right of the Polish people to self-determination.
After that, it becomes clear that he will not be able to return to Russia. In Paris, Bakunin’s views are becoming more radical. Then he adjoins the radical left. At the insistence of St. Petersburg, Mikhail was expelled from France. However, the February Revolution soon breaks out, and Bakunin returns.
Mikhail Alexandrovich organizes workers. But because of his radical views, the new government decides to expel the Russian leader to Germany.
After that, he travels a lot in Europe. During his stay in Prague he publishes several of his pan-Slavic works. Decides to stay in Europe forever, but in 1851 he was transferred to the tsarist police and deported to Russia. There he spends time in custody and exile. Four years, Mikhail A. Bakunin lived in Tomsk. Then he escaped from there to England. He died on June 19, 1876 in Switzerland, where he was buried.
Bakunin Mikhail Alexandrovich: basic ideas
The main ideas of the Russian philosopher were based on materialism. Mikhail Alexandrovich can be described as a "left" ideologist. He believed that state power should be completely destroyed. In its place there will be a certain union of various communities. According to Bakunin, each community can operate absolutely autonomously. Collective power. As a logical result of such a device is a strong development of the mechanisms of social management and interaction. Communities had to interact among themselves according to the principle of federation.
For the theory of such a device in society, he was repeatedly criticized by moderate socialists. In their opinion, a central authority should exist, which Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin completely denied. The ideas of social equality and community based on the principle of communes were called "anarchocollectivism." In this case, the only possible method of creating such a system, according to the philosopher, was the revolution. The poorest sections of the population were considered as a driving force , since they were distinguished by a high number and ability to mobilize. Revolutionary governing bodies had to come from the bottom.
The assessment of communism
Bakunin criticized Marx and his supporters in the context of the state.
He believed that the dictatorship of the proletariat would inevitably lead to usurpation of power. The degeneration of revolutionaries into a new class of oppressors was a natural consequence of the system proposed by Marx. However, at the same time, Mikhail Alexandrovich himself highly appreciated the works of the German philosopher and personally wrote several positive reviews. In the geopolitical sphere, he regarded Austria and Turkey as the main enemies of the working class. He believed that these empires should be destroyed in order to achieve progress. Turkey and Austria oppressed many peoples, which was the main problem of Europe, according to Bakunin.
Panslavism
During emigration, Bakunin paid great attention to the problems of the Slavs. His pan-Slavic writings became known throughout Europe. He believed that all Slavs should unite. Bakunin did not consider any particular country as the center of association. On the contrary, he believed that it was necessary to build a kind of federation where all Slavic peoples would be equal. For contradicting this principle, he repeatedly criticized the governments of Austria and Turkey. He also paid attention to Polish chauvinism. Partially affected the same phenomena in the territory of the Russian Empire.
Followers of ideas
Bakunin Mikhail Alexandrovich has many followers to this day. These are mainly radical anarchists. They found a kind of symbiosis between the works of Bakunin and another Russian theoretician - Kropotkin. Most often, subcultural marginals distort the philosopher's ideas about building a just society, making them absurd.
In addition to the anarchists, Bakunin is respected in the circles of other "leftists". For example, Marxists and neo-Bolsheviks regularly cite his works. The fact that the Bolsheviks shared part of the views of the anarchist is evidenced by at least many streets named after the philosopher. At the entrance to the Kremlin, on the orders of Lenin himself, the inscription "Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin" was stamped. A brief biography of the Russian revolutionary is included in the compulsory program of all political science institutes.