Introduction

In spite of considerable differences in philosophical inspiration-from Marxism, socialism and anarchism to Russian nationalism and pro-Western capitalism--there were large areas of consensus. Based on the fundamental misconceptions, Western leaders concluded that the only realistic goal the West could strive for was to achieve some kind of accommodation with the Communist rulers. Emphasizing the need for the Soviet leaders to abandon their partisan interests in favor of Russia’s national interests, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s Letter certainly contained the fundamentals of a Russian national alternative to the totalitarian Communist state. The development of Soviet society since 1985 fully confirms the vitality of Solzhenitsyn’s approach. The major reason for the seeming stability of the present Soviet regime is the absence of a constructive alternative to Marxist-Leninist doctrine, which “legitimizes” this regime. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.