Peter Lavrov: biography, activities and interesting facts

Peter Lavrovich Lavrov (1828-1900) is known as one of the main ideologists of the 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 that make it possible to understand the attitude of the intelligentsia to the social and political situation prevailing 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 well-known noble family. His father, Laurus 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 boundless confidence of Alexander the First. After the war, Lavrov resigned in the rank of colonel of artillery and married Elizaveta Karlovna Gandwig. The girl came from a Russified Swedish noble family and was excellently educated for her time. In 1823, they had a son, Peter. At the time of his birth, the family lived in the estate Melekhovo, located in the Pskov province.

Peter Lavrovich Lavrov: a brief biography (young years)

Like other of his 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 French and German perfectly.

In 1837, Peter Lavrov was sent to St. Petersburg, where he successfully passed the exam and entered the artillery school. During his studies at this prestigious military high school, the young man showed himself to be a diligent cadet and was considered the best pupil of Academician M. Ostrogradsky. His successes were so serious that after receiving the diploma he was left to tutor at his native school. In parallel with the training, Peter Lavrov independently studied the scientific literature on social studies and economics, wrote poetry and studied mathematics. A great impression on him produced works of Utopian socialists.

Further career

The young mathematician tutor soon received recognition from his colleagues and took up the post of military instructor at the Mikhailovsky Artillery Academy of Petersburg, having risen to the rank of colonel. In 1860, he was transferred to the Constantine Military School, where for several years he was a mentor-observer.

Personal life

In 1847, Peter Lavrov married the beautiful widow of A. Kh. Lovijko. Marriage with the 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 the parent. Over time, the couple had four more common sons and daughters, which made the family's financial situation even more precarious. To somehow "get out", Lavrov was forced to work on tutoring "on the side" and write special articles for the "Artillery magazine." The situation changed for the better after the death of his father and elder brother, when Peter Lavrovich received a good inheritance.

Literary and scientific activity

Despite the troubles of life, the tireless Peter Lavrov found time to study the most famous works of European philosophers of his time, published verses from AI Herzen, participated in the creation of the "Encyclopaedic Dictionary", published articles on philosophy and sociology, as well as on the 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 personality can not but enter into conflict with a society in which injustice reigns. In his opinion, an ideal society can only be a system that is based on a voluntary union of moral and free people.

Arrest and reference

In the 1860s, Peter Lavrovich Lavrov, whose biography is presented above, was an active participant in the student and revolutionary movement. He became friends with NG Chernyshevsky and became a member of the first organization "Land and Freedom".

April 4, 1866 at the gates of the Summer Garden D. Karakozov committed an attempt on Alexander II. It was unsuccessful, but it was the reason for the repression, of which Peter Lavrov was a victim. He was arrested on charges of "spreading harmful ideas" and in contacts with Chernyshevsky, Mikhailov and with Professor P. Pavlov. After a short period of imprisonment and trial, he was sent to exile in the Vologda province. There he lived from 1867 to 1870 and became acquainted with the exiled participant of the Polish Uprising A.Chaplitskaya, who became his civil wife.

"Historical Letters"

In exile, Pyotr Lavrovich Lavrov wrote his most famous socio-political work, addressed to the progressive Russian intelligentsia.

His "Historical Letters" contained an appeal to the youth to wake up, and, understanding the tasks of the historical moment, as well as the needs of the common people, help him to realize his power. The appearance of this work was more than timely, as the revolutionary intelligentsia was in search of new opportunities for the application of its forces. Lavrov's "historical letters" became a "thunderbolt" and one of the ideological incentives for organizing the practical activities of the revolutionary intelligentsia.

Biography (Peter Lavrov) after 1870

After returning from exile, the revolutionary managed to leave the country illegally and go to Paris. There he contacted the representatives of the West European workers' movement and joined the First International. During the existence of the Paris Commune he traveled to London to organize assistance to besieged comrades.

During his stay in the capital of the British Empire, Lavrov met with Marx and Engels.

In 1873-1877, the revolutionary became editor of the Vperyod magazine and the same-named 2-week newspaper - the mouthpiece of the Russian Narodism direction, called "laurelism." After the assassination of Alexander II, Pyotr Lavrovich became close to the Narodnaya Volya. He even agreed to edit the "Bulletin of Narodnaya Volya" together with L. Tikhomirov.

At the same time, his international authority grew. Suffice it to say that in July 1889 the members of the Armenian Hnchak party, the first socialist party with branches in the territories of 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 questions connected with the history of philosophy. As a result of his scientific research, several theoretical works were written, including the monograph "The Tasks of Understanding History".

Peter Lavrov, whose main ideas were the basis of the Narodnaya Volya movement, died in Paris in 1900, at the age of 72, and was buried in the cemetery Montparnasse.

After himself, he left a vast literary heritage, including 825 works and 711 letters. He is also the author of several dozen political poems, among which the "Working Marseillaise", which begins with the words "Let's renounce the old world ...", on which music was later written, was very popular. In the first two decades of the 20th century this song was one of the most frequently performed during strikes, strikes, and congresses of revolutionaries, and in the first years of Soviet power and people's deputies.

Philosophical views

In official science, it is customary to refer Lavrov to eclecticism. And this is completely justified, since in his positivistically agnostic philosophy he tried to combine the systems of Hegel, F. Lange, Feuerbach, Comte, Proudhon, Spencer, Chernyshevsky, Bakunin and Marx.

In his opinion, history makes a moral and educated minority voluntarily, therefore the first task of revolutionaries is the development of a moral ideal.

In the 1870s, Lavrov had ardent followers, the so-called group of towers. In addition, he became a 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 towards more radical Bakuninism. Nevertheless, Lavrism played an important role in the preparation of members for future first Social Democratic circles.

Now you know who P. Lavrov was. Being one of the few representatives of the nobility, who sincerely strove to improve the situation of the workers and peasants, Peter Lavrovich was not forgotten by the First World in the world of the state of workers and peasants. In particular, in his honor was renamed Furshtatskaya Street of Leningrad. Thanks to this, many Petrograders today know the Palace of Peter Lavrov, where wedding ceremonies are held. And this is quite symbolic, since the well-known philosopher once sacrificed financial prosperity for the sake of marrying his beloved woman, and then lived with her thirty happy years.