Intelligentsia - Imperial Russia

Imperial Russia

Russian intelligentsia had a similar mixture of messianism and intellectual elitism.

Nicholas II hated the intelligentsia so much he wanted the word removed from the Russian language

"How repulsive I find that word".

Originally, intelligentsia meant well educated public figures, by the 1890s only those who worked against the regime qualified. The first known Russian 'intelligent' was the early 17th century Prince Khvorostinin, denounced for having Latin books, calling the tsar a despot and trying to flee to Lithuania. He was exiled to a monastery. By the 18th century, nobles had increasing free time for cultural pursuits like literature, especially after compulsory state service was abolished in 1762. In 1769 the first Russian periodical Vsiakaia Vsiachina (a bit of everything) appeared. Published titles increased 5 times 1762-72. After the French revolution Catherine the Great panicked and exiled the 2 leading intelligents: the conservative Nikolai Novikov and the radical Alexander Radishchev. After the Decembrist revolt, Idealist philosophy came into fashion, especially Hegel and Schelling. They liked its emphasis on the mind's creative potential and on how systems are constantly evolving towards an end goal. In 1836 Peter Chaadaev wrote an essay condemning Russia as a country with no history or achievements. This provoked a split between Slavophiles and reformers. Slavophiles wanted Russia to return to its pre Petrine roots. They blamed Peter the Great for introducing German bureaucratic government, they wanted an English style unwritten constitution. They were essentially conservative anarchists. They wanted no parliament, constitution or bureaucracy.

In 1860 there were 20,000 Russian professionals, 85,000 by 1900. Originally composed of nobles, the intelligentsia came to be dominated by classless people (raznochintsy) after 1861. In 1833 78.9% of secondary school pupils were sons of nobles and bureaucrats, by 1885 they were 49.1%. The proportion of commoners rose from 19-43.8% (the rest were priests' sons). Nicholas I kept the number of university students at 3,000 per year, fearing a large intellectual proletariat. By 1894 there were 25,000 students. Similarly the number of periodicals increased from 15 in 1855 to 140 30 years later. The 'third element ' were professionals hired by zemstva. By 1900 there were 47,000 of them, most were 'liberal - radicals'. Revolutionaries avoided zemstva on principle.