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«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «POLITOLOGIYA. RELIGIOVEDENIE»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «POLITICAL SCIENCE AND RELIGION STUDIES»
ISSN 2073-3380 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Political Science and Religion Studies». 2026. Vol 56

The Siberian Incentives of Prince Kropotkin’s Transformation into a Revolutionary Anarchist and Their Eventual Lessons for a Multipolar World

Author(s)

A. D. Karnyshev1, E. A. Ivanova 1

Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, Russian Federation

Abstract
The article shows that, against the backdrop of attempts to define the multipolar world as “global anarchism” and “manifestations of the era of international anarchy,” there has been an increased interest in the origins of anarchism, including the Russian authors of its theory. Philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev said that Russian “nobles” such as Mikhail Bakunin, Leo Tolstoy, and Peter Kropotkin “made” global anarchism. The article analyzes the factors of the Siberian reality in the mid19th century that led P. Kropotkin, a hereditary prince, to become an anarchist. Based on an analysis of P. Kropotkin's diaries and notes, as well as those of his contemporaries, the authors demonstrate that three factors played a significant role in shaping P. Kropotkin's anarchist beliefs: the realities of Siberian nature, the lives of indigenous and Russian “old-timers,” and a critical perspective on the capabilities and contributions of local authorities in economic and social life. It is emphasized that he himself admitted, “In Siberia, I was prepared to become an anarchist.” P. Kropotkin's experience was later deservedly appreciated by a number of contemporary foreign researchers: E. Aronson, F. de Waal, M. Ridley, and D. Wilson. It has been shown that both Russian and foreign scientific sources specify and detail the factors that formed the basis of Kropotkin's views on “natural ethics,” the origins of altruism, and the role of the triad "mutual assistance-justice-morality" in the evolution of all living things. He admits that he has followed principles that can be implemented in today's multipolar world, which encourages him to explore the untapped resources of the “provinces” in the dynamics of complex social issues. For the communities of Siberia, his idea is important about the role that seemingly unknown masses play in major historical events: migrations, wars, and the development of new forms of social life.
About the Authors

Karnyshev Alexander Dmitrievich, Doctor of Sciences (Psychology), Professor, Department of Social Work, Head, Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Psychological, Economic and Cross-cultural Studies, Institute of Social Sciences Irkutsk State University 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation e-mail: ale3441@yandex.ru

Ivanova Elena Alexandrovna, Candidate of Sciences (Psychology Sciences), Associate Professor Department of Psychology of Education and Personality Development Irkutsk State University 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation e-mail: ea444@yandex.ru  

For citation
Karnyshev A.D., Ivanova E.A. The Siberian Incentives of Prince Kropotkin’s Transformation into a Revolutionary Anarchist and Their Eventual Lessons for a Multipolar World. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2026, vol. 56, pp. 46-59. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2026.56.46 (in Russian)
Keywords
global anarchism, personality and society, morality, Siberian nature, Old Believers, evolution of Multipolar World.
UDC
321.019(47)(092)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2026.56.46
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