I came into this world to disagree.
M. Gorky
A special place in Gorky's legacy is occupied by articles published in the newspaper " New life”, which was published in Petrograd from April 1917 to June 1918. After the victory of October, Novaya Zhizn castigated the costs of the revolution, its "shadow sides" (looting, lynching, executions). For this, she was sharply criticized by the party press. In addition, the newspaper was suspended twice, and in June 1918 it was completely closed.
Gorky was the first to say that one should not think that the revolution in itself "spiritually crippled or enriched Russia." Only now begins "the process of intellectual enrichment of the country - the process is extremely slow." Therefore, the revolution must create such conditions, institutions, organizations that would help the development of the intellectual forces of Russia. Gorky believed that the people, who had lived in slavery for centuries, should be instilled with culture, give the proletariat systematic knowledge, a clear understanding of their rights and obligations, and teach the rudiments of democracy.
During the period of the struggle against the Provisional Government and the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat, when blood was shed everywhere, Gorky advocated an awakening in souls good feelings with the help of art: “For the proletariat, the gifts of art and science must have highest value, for him it is not idle fun, but ways of deepening into the mysteries of life. It is strange for me to see that the proletariat, in the person of its thinking and acting organ, the "Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies," is so indifferent to the sending to the front, to the slaughterhouse, of soldiers-musicians, artists, drama artists and other people necessary to its soul. After all, by sending its talents to slaughter, the country exhausts its heart, the people tear off the best pieces from their flesh. If politics divides people into sharply hostile groups, then art reveals the universal in a person: “Nothing straightens a person’s soul so easily and quickly as the influence of art and science.”
Gorky was mindful of the irreconcilability of the interests of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. But with the victory of the proletariat, the development of Russia had to follow the democratic path! And for this it was necessary first of all to stop the predatory war (in this Gorky agreed with the Bolsheviks). The writer sees a threat to democracy not only in the activities of the Provisional Government, in the armed struggle, but also in the behavior of the peasant masses with their ancient "dark instincts". These instincts resulted in pogroms in Minsk, Samara and other cities, in lynching of thieves, when people were killed right on the streets: “During wine pogroms, people are shot like wolves, gradually accustoming them to calm extermination of their neighbor ...”
In Untimely Thoughts, Gorky approached the revolution from a moral standpoint, fearing unjustified bloodshed. He understood that with a radical breakdown social order armed clashes cannot be avoided, but at the same time he opposed senseless cruelty, against the triumph of the unbridled mass, which resembles a beast that smells blood.
The main idea of Untimely Thoughts is the indissolubility of politics and morality. The proletariat must be magnanimous both as a victor and as a bearer of the lofty ideals of socialism. Gorky protests against the arrests of students and various public figures(Countess Panina, publisher Sytin, Prince Dolgorukov, etc.), against the reprisals against cadets who were killed in prison by sailors: “There is no poison more vile than power over people, we must remember this so that power does not poison us, turning us into cannibals yet more vile than those against whom we have fought all our lives." Gorky's articles did not go unanswered: the Bolsheviks conducted investigations and punished those responsible. Like everyone real writer, Gorky was in opposition to the authorities, on the side of those who this moment was bad. Arguing with the Bolsheviks, Gorky nevertheless called on cultural figures to cooperate with them, because only in this way could the intelligentsia fulfill its mission of educating the people: “I know that they are conducting the most cruel scientific experiment on the living body of Russia, I know how to hate, but I want to be fair." material from the site
Gorky called his articles "untimely," but his struggle for genuine democracy was launched at the right time. Another thing is that the new government very soon ceased to be satisfied with the presence of any opposition. The newspaper was closed. The intelligentsia (including Gorky) were allowed to leave Russia. The people very soon fell into a new slavery, covered with socialist slogans and words about the good ordinary people. Gorky was deprived of the right to speak openly for a long time. But what he managed to publish is a collection of " Untimely Thoughts will remain an invaluable lesson in civic courage. They contain the writer's sincere pain for his people, painful shame for everything that happens in Russia, and faith in its future, despite the bloody horror of history and the "dark instincts" of the masses, and the eternal call: "Be more humane in these days of universal brutality!"
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Late 20th century - crucial moment in history and human thought. We realized that the whole long period of the last 75 years had a specific meaning. And this meaning was best expressed by the theoreticians of socialism. The “petrel” of that time, Maxim Gorky, was able to truly convey the stormy, restless atmosphere of the beginning of the century in his notes entitled “Untimely Thoughts”.
It is not for nothing that this work is called a living document of the revolution. The book, without intermediaries and cuts, expresses the position of the author in relation to its prerequisites, consequences and the coming of a new power of the Bolsheviks. "Untimely Thoughts" was a forbidden work until the very perestroika. For the first time, the articles were published by Novaya Zhizn, which was then also closed under the pretext of the oppositional nature of the press.
Gorky connected his "Untimely Thoughts" with the revolution, as the embodiment of all the high hopes of the people. He considered it a harbinger of the revival of spirituality, the reason for the return of a long-lost sense of the homeland, and also an act with the help of which the people will finally be able to independently take part in their own history.
So it was in the first articles of the cycle (there are 58 in total). But already after the beginning of the October events, Gorky realized that the revolution was not going at all the way he had expected. He turns to the proletariat, which has won the victory, with the question of whether this victory will bring changes to the “bestial Russian life”, whether it will light up the light in the darkness of the life of the people. In other words, here already the ideals with which the writer loudly called for revolution begin to be opposed to the reality of the revolutionary days, which no one, not even Maxim Gorky, could foresee.
"Untimely Thoughts" especially clearly expresses the expressionism of the writer, their stylistic qualities give the right to call the notes one of his best works. There are many rhetorical questions, clear decisive conclusions, emotional appeals. The final idea of most of the articles is the fundamental divergence of Gorky's views from the Bolshevik slogans. And main reason this - the opposite points of view on the people and a fundamentally different attitude towards it. Gorky notes the passivity and at the same time the cruelty of the people, with unlimited power falling into their hands. Justifies the conditions of many years of life, in which there was nothing bright: no respect for the individual, no equality, no freedom.
However, the revolution, as Untimely Thoughts tells us, was still needed. Another thing is the combination of its liberation ideas with the bloody orgy that invariably accompanies all coup d'état. Here "Thoughts" carry out an interesting experiment of national self-criticism. Gorky showed us the dual nature of the personality of a Russian person. This person is incapable of daily manifestations of the generally accepted ones, but, nevertheless, he can accomplish a feat and even self-sacrifice.
As a result, the reason for the failure that occurred, according to Gorky, is not at all what the vast majority sees it. It is not "sloths" or counter-revolutionaries who are to blame for the misfortune - but ordinary Russian stupidity, lack of culture and sensitivity to historical changes. According to the author, the people, with long hard work, must win back the awareness of their own personality, be cleansed of the slavery that has sprouted in it, with the bright fire of culture.
He really felt more than he let on. Those terrible days revolution, when Russia was engulfed in chaos, Maxim Gorky wanted to tell the world that it was impossible to live like this. They say that if a person thinks that something needs to be changed, then he turns into a monster who cast aside his despair and strives for change. So was Gorky. "Untimely Thoughts" did not become an anthem to the new, post-revolutionary world, but everyone who reads these publications feels that they were written by a caring person. A man who understood what was happening, but he had no weapons other than words.
Creation
In literary criticism Soviet era Gorky appeared before the public as infallible and monumental, his image became a legend. But in the period 1917-1918. he had to bare his pen and write a series of journalistic articles called "Untimely Thoughts." M. Gorky vehemently defends his point of view in them.
The author begins to publish articles in the publication "New Life" from April 1917 - after the February Revolution. For the writer, the outer world was inextricably linked with the inner world. His brothers in writing joyfully greeted the revolution. Gorky believed that the new political order would also require a new state of mind. Before the revolution, only a few could be considered spiritually free people, and when the changes began, it was time to show their best moral qualities.
Before October revolution Gorky tried with all his might to find justifications for the destructive forces awakened in man. It was a time of hopes and worries, a period of sorrow and impotence. Thanks to the bloody revolution, we have the opportunity to read Gorky's Untimely Thoughts, where the author cares for his people and curses senseless power.
Structure
Gorky's articles "Untimely Thoughts" are today combined into one book, which consists of 66 chapters. When printed in a newspaper, the author refused to group them into chronological order. He combined publications according to the problem under consideration. Thus, one can single out the main topics touched upon by Gorky: the problems of the revolution, historical development Russia and culture. In the book, the articles are not in the order in which they were published in the newspaper, but still form a single whole. Even if we prepare a summary of Gorky's Untimely Thoughts chapter by chapter, the end result will be an extensive article, where excerpts from different sections are mixed.
At the time of writing, the author often referred in one publication to another. In this way he strengthened his arguments and united the scattered fragments of thoughts into a single whole. For example, in chapter 38 of the book (it was the 16th article in the newspaper), he writes about the destructive characteristics of the revolution and, saying that he does not want to list them, refers to already published publications in which they were mentioned more than once. Well, now we can proceed to a summary of Gorky's Untimely Thoughts.
Russian people
In his notes, Gorky expresses his personal opinion about the war, the revolution, the fate of people who are entirely dependent on culture and knowledge. His bold statements, polemics, contrary to the state apparatus of government, became the reasons for the fact that the newspaper was closed. But Gorky's words have already been written, albeit not in full, but they sounded and continue to sound.
The first thing the author notes is the overthrow of the Romanov dynasty. This was the beginning, the first step towards complete victory. And this victory could be achieved if culture and democratized knowledge were developed. The strength of the country should be a man, and his weapon - culture and spirituality. AT summary"Untimely thoughts" of Gorky, it is worth noting that he considered dangerous people illiterate and socially uneducated. For the country, for the Russian people, creative forces are needed, which are necessary in a period of transformation, like bread and air.
Fierce Enemies
In the face of a cultured and organized enemy, Russia is helpless. And the war revealed this fading of the spirit. Those who talked about saving Europe from the shackles of civilization through culture quickly fell silent. As Gorky writes: Spirit true culture turned out to be an ignorant stench of selfishness, laziness and carelessness". If a people cannot refuse violence against a person, it will never become free. No matter how many times the government changes, the practitioners of violence will forever remain its hostages.
You need to cultivate in yourself an aversion to murder and fight, fight daily with fierce enemies - stupidity and cruelty.
Truth and atrocities
Also in Gorky's articles "Untimely Thoughts" there are reflections on the truth. The author considers it a real art, which is so difficult to comprehend. For the average layman, the truth is inconvenient and unacceptable. He will accept the lie that suits him, and he will never refuse it.
Particular attention in the summary of Gorky's "Untimely Thoughts" should be given to the atrocities of the war. In particular, remember what the author wrote when talented youth were taken to the battlefield. These people did not know military service and did not know how to shoot. On Monday, they visited the shooting ranges for the first time, and on Wednesday they were sent to the front. These people did not know how to defend themselves, they did not go to fight, but went to the slaughter. Gorky laments the stupid decision of the tsarist government. Sending artists, writers, or musicians to war is like making horseshoes out of gold for a draft horse.
War is a senseless extermination of people, the destruction of fertile soil and a time of bloody chaos. And everyone is guilty of this. One has only to imagine how much useful the dead soldiers could do for the country. But as he writes.
culture
Further, in the summary of Gorky's articles "Untimely Thoughts," the benefits cultural development. According to the writer, it is culture that will save a Russian person from stupidity. After the revolution, the proletariat had the opportunity to engage in creativity. But while this segment of the population is still limited by the remnants of the past. It is in the proletariat that the author sees his dream - the triumph of justice and the formation of a cultured person.
Gorky considers the book to be the main source of culture. She is a pure spring of spiritual food and knowledge. But valuable libraries are being destroyed in the country, and book printing has almost ceased. The author writes that the old government was mediocre, but the instinct of self-preservation told her that her worst enemy- this is human brain. Therefore, she tried by all means to make it difficult intellectual development countries. Maxim Gorky actively encourages his readers to revive the intellectual, cultural and spiritual heritage countries.
Disappointment
Later, Gorky learns that even after the overthrow of monarchism, complete lawlessness reigns in the country. For the new government, representatives of the old regime were enemies who were expected to be groundlessly arrested and cruel treatment. As soon as the revolution ended, people began to carry out acts of looting. They devastated the wine cellars, and after all, the stocks of this drink could be sold abroad in order to provide the country with the necessary medicines, equipment and manufactory. Even in the brief summary of Maxim Gorky's Untimely Thoughts, a strong resentment against his compatriots is acutely felt, and yet the author is looking for excuses for them.
Gorky writes that Bolshevism did not justify the hopes of the uncultured masses and the proletariat could not win. Seizure of banks, severe hunger, innocent people are locked up in prisons. The revolution failed to bring spiritual rebirth. " There is no poison more insidious than power over people, this must be remembered so that power does not poison us».
In the summary of Gorky's Untimely Thoughts, it is worth mentioning the author's advice that he gives to his compatriots. The writer says one must be addicted to learning European culture. It will help the crazed layman to become more humane and teach them to think independently. Analyzing revolutionary realities, the author notes that people have ceased to see the difference between criticism and slander.
The revolution gave the green light to freedom of speech, which turned into an incredible freedom of slander. More than once the press raised the question of who is to blame for the devastation of Russia, and every publicist was sure that his opponent was guilty. Gorky emphasizes that people have a completely undeveloped sense of personal responsibility, everyone blames their neighbor for their troubles. The author sees the way to salvation only in culture. He despises foolish ignorance and yet loves his countrymen: The most sinful and dirty people on earth, stupid both in Good and in Evil. Intoxicated with vodka, disfigured by violence. But still good-natured and, in the end, talented».
condemnation
Even in the summary of M. Gorky's Untimely Thoughts, one can see how the author encourages people to love their homeland. Calls for learning, because the true essence of culture lies in the aversion to everything dirty, vicious and deceitful, which makes a person suffer and belittles his dignity.
Gorky condemns the despotic methods of Trotsky and Lenin, who are completely rotten from power. With them there is no freedom of speech, and the people are just a mechanism that allows you to build socialism. The leaders led both the revolution and the people to death. From the books they knew how to raise the people, but they never knew the people themselves. The revolution was supposed to bring democracy, but in fact it became the epicenter of violence.
Slave and leader
The content of Gorky's "Untimely Thoughts" says that there is no greater joy for a slave than to see his master defeated. He does not know the joy that is available to a smart person - to be free from feelings of enmity. As if from last strength the author argues that there is no point in living if there is no faith in human brotherhood and confidence in the victory of love. The authorities are bending their line and are proud of the fact that the self-esteem of the Russian inhabitant is rising. Sailors proudly declare that for each of their lives they will take thousands of lives of the rich. Naturally, killing is easier than convincing. No one cares that the people become better, the free press is under the heel of the authorities and must make a less disgusting reality out of embittered, bestial violence.
The one the world needs
Only the person who knows how to love and work is needed by the world. Russian people do not like to work, and they do not know how to love. The revolution cast aside the morality and intellectual energy of the country. Those who have brought a lot of benefit to society are imprisoned. In the eyes of the leaders, every Russian is "not yet a man", but how beautifully the government decorates its speeches - "we express the will of the people."
The only good thing that the revolution brought was the equality of the Jews. Finally, the people who can work better will do it. Gorky is amazed that Jews love Russia more than many Russians.
conclusions
Maxim Gorky believes that for the socio-aesthetic education of the people, this very people need to read European literature, French comedies and Greek tragedies. He knows the needs of the working class, so he offers exactly what they will understand and assimilate.
Gorky is sure that it is necessary to unite the intellectual forces of the intelligentsia with the forces of young peasants, only then it will be possible to revive the spiritual wealth of the country. This is the true path to freedom and culture, over which politics should have no power. After all, politics is always disgusting. Whoever does it, it will always be accompanied by lies, violence, slander. The author appeals to every reader, to his good beginnings, which must overcome darkness. Only then is democracy and freedom possible in the country.
Here they are, "Untimely Thoughts" by Maxim Gorky. He is not completely sure of his concept and has repeatedly tried to find a compromise that even the authorities will agree to. And yet, he could not remain silent about many points. His country and people suffered, and he suffered with them, trying to reach everyone with his only weapon - the word.
Gorky Maxim
Untimely Thoughts
Gorky Maxim
(Alexey Maksimovich Peshkov)
Untimely Thoughts
Notes on the Revolution and Culture 1917-1918.
The Russian people got married to Svoboda. Let us believe that from this union in our country, exhausted both physically and spiritually, new strong people will be born.
Let us firmly believe that in a Russian person the forces of his mind and will will flare up with a bright fire, forces extinguished and suppressed by the age-old oppression of the police system of life.
But we should not forget that we are all people of yesterday and that the great cause of reviving the country is in the hands of people who have been brought up by the painful impressions of the past in a spirit of mistrust towards each other, disrespect for their neighbor and ugly egoism.
We grew up in an "underground" atmosphere; what we called legal activity was, in essence, either radiating into the void, or petty politicking of groups and individuals, internecine struggle of people, feeling dignity which degenerated into morbid pride.
Living among the ugliness of the old regime that poisoned the soul, among the anarchy born by it, seeing how limitless the limits of the power of the adventurers who ruled over us, we - naturally and inevitably - became infected with all the pernicious properties, all the skills and methods of people who despised us, mocked us.
We had nowhere and nothing to develop in ourselves a sense of personal responsibility for the misfortunes of the country, for its shameful life, we are poisoned by the cadaveric poison of dead monarchism.
The lists of “secret employees of the Security Department” published in the newspapers are a shameful indictment against us, this is one of the signs of the social disintegration and decay of the country, a formidable sign.
There is also a lot of dirt, rust and all kinds of poison, all this will not disappear soon; the old order is destroyed physically, but spiritually it remains to live both around us and in ourselves. The many-headed hydra of ignorance, barbarism, stupidity, vulgarity and boorishness has not been killed; she was frightened, hid, but did not lose the ability to devour living souls.
We must not forget that we live in the wilds of a multi-million mass of the layman, politically illiterate, socially uneducated. People who don't know what they want are politically and socially dangerous people. The mass of the philistine will not soon be distributed along its class paths, along the lines of clearly conscious interests, it will not soon be organized and become capable of a conscious and creative social struggle. And for the time being, until it is organized, it will feed its muddy and unhealthy juice to the monsters of the past, born of the usual police system for the layman.
One could also point out some more threats to the new system, but it is premature to talk about this and, perhaps, obscene.
We are experiencing a moment in the highest degree complex, requiring the exertion of all our forces, hard work and the greatest care in decisions. We don't need to forget fatal mistakes 905-6, - the brutal massacre that followed these mistakes weakened and beheaded us for a whole decade. During this time, we have become politically and socially corrupted, and the war, having exterminated hundreds of thousands of young people, further undermined our strength, undermining the economic life of the country to the root.
The generation that will be the first to accept new system life, freedom came cheaply; this generation knows little of the terrible efforts of people who, over the course of a whole century, gradually destroyed the gloomy fortress of Russian monarchism. The layman did not know the hellish, mole work that was done for him - this hard labor is unknown not only to one layman in ten hundred district cities of Russia.
We are going and we are obliged to build a new life on the principles that we have long dreamed of. We understand these beginnings with reason, they are familiar to us in theory, but - these beginnings are not in our instinct, and it will be terribly difficult for us to introduce them into the practice of life, into ancient Russian life. It is precisely for us that it is difficult, because, I repeat, we are a completely uneducated people socially, and our bourgeoisie, which is now advancing to power, is just as poorly educated in this respect. And we must remember that the bourgeoisie does not take into its hands the state, but the ruins of the state, it takes these chaotic ruins under conditions that are immeasurably more difficult than the conditions of 5-6 years. Will it understand that its work will be successful only if it is firmly united with democracy, and that the task of strengthening the positions taken from the old government will not be stable under all other conditions? Undoubtedly, the bourgeoisie must correct, but this should not be rushed, so as not to repeat the gloomy mistake of the 6th year.
In turn, revolutionary democracy should assimilate and feel its nationwide tasks, the need for itself to take an active part in organizing the economic strength of the country, in developing the productive energy of Russia, in protecting its freedom from all encroachments from outside and from within.
Only one victory has been won - political power has been won, there are many more difficult victories to be won, and above all we must defeat our own illusions.
We overthrew the old government, but we succeeded not because we are a force, but because the government, which rotted us, was itself rotten through and through and fell apart at the first friendly push. The mere fact that we could not decide on this push for so long, seeing how the country was being destroyed, feeling how they were being raped us, already This long-suffering alone testifies to our weakness.
The task of the moment is, as far as possible, to firmly strengthen the positions we have taken, which is achievable only with a reasonable unity of all the forces capable of working for the political, economic and spiritual revival of Russia.
The best stimulant of a healthy will and the surest method of correct self-esteem is the courageous consciousness of one's shortcomings.
The years of war have shown us with terrifying clarity how weak we are culturally, how weakly organized. The organization of the country's creative forces is as essential to us as bread and air.
We are hungry for freedom and, with our inherent inclination towards anarchism, we can easily devour freedom - this is possible.
There are many dangers that threaten us. Eliminating and overcoming them is possible only under the condition of calm and friendly work to strengthen the new order of life.
The most valuable creative force is man: the more developed he is spiritually, the better armed with technical knowledge, the more durable and valuable his work, the more cultural and historical it is. We have not mastered this - our bourgeoisie does not pay due attention to the development of labor productivity, a person for them is still like a horse - only a source of brute physical strength.
Very briefly historical stage 1917−1918 the author in newspaper notes speaks about the war, the revolution, the fate of the Russian people, whose spiritual salvation is completely dependent on culture and knowledge.
The book consists of short notes by M. Gorky, published in the Petrograd newspaper Novaya Zhizn from May 1, 1917 to June 16, 1918.
"The Russian people got married to Svoboda." But these people must throw off the centuries-old oppression of the police regime. The author notes that the political victory is only the beginning. Only popular and democratized knowledge as an instrument of interclass struggle and the development of culture will help the Russians to win a complete victory. The multi-million inhabitant, politically illiterate and socially ill-mannered, is dangerous. "The organization of the country's creative forces is as necessary to us as bread and air." The creative force is man, his weapon is spirituality and culture.
The fading of the spirit was revealed by the war: Russia is weak in the face of a cultured and organized enemy. The people who shouted about the salvation of Europe from the false shackles of civilization with the spirit of true culture quickly fell silent:
The "spirit of true culture" turned out to be the stench of all kinds of ignorance, disgusting selfishness, rotten laziness and carelessness.
"If the Russian people are not able to refuse the grossest violence against a person, they have no freedom." The author considers stupidity and cruelty to be the fundamental enemies of Russians. You need to cultivate a sense of disgust for murder:
Murder and violence are the arguments of despotism, ... to kill a person does not mean ... to kill an idea.
Telling the truth is the most difficult art of all. It is inconvenient for the layman and unacceptable for him. Gorky talks about the atrocities of the war. War is the senseless extermination of people and fertile lands. Art and science have been raped by militarism. Despite the talk of brotherhood and unity of human interests, the world plunged into bloody chaos. The author notes that everyone is guilty of this. How much useful for the development of the state could be done by those killed in the war, working for the good of the country.
But we are destroying millions of lives and huge reserves of labor energy for murder and destruction.
Only culture, according to Gorky, will save the Russians from their main enemy - stupidity. After the revolution, the proletariat got the opportunity to create, but so far it is limited to the "water" feuilletons of the decree commissars. It is in the proletariat that the author sees the dream of the triumph of justice, reason, beauty, "of the victory of man over the beast and cattle."
The main conductor of culture is the book. However, the most valuable libraries are being destroyed, printing has almost ceased.
From one of the champions of monarchism, the author learns that even after the revolution lawlessness reigns: arrests are made according to pike command The prisoners are treated harshly. An official of the old regime, a Cadet or an Octobrist, becomes an enemy for the present regime, and the attitude "according to humanity" towards him is the most vile.
After the revolution, there was a lot of looting: crowds devastate entire cellars, the wine from which could be sold to Sweden and provide the country with the necessary things - manufactory, cars, medicines. "This is a Russian revolt without socialists in spirit, without the participation of socialist psychology."
According to the author, Bolshevism will not fulfill the aspirations of the uncultured masses, the proletariat has not won. The seizure of banks does not give people bread - hunger is rampant. Innocent people are again in prisons, "the revolution bears no signs of the spiritual rebirth of man." They say that first you need to take power into your own hands. But the author objects:
There is no poison more vile than power over people, we must remember this so that power does not poison us ...
Culture, primarily European, can help a crazed Russian become more humane, teach him to think, because even for many literate people there is no difference between criticism and slander.
The freedom of speech, which the revolution paved the way for, is for the time being becoming the freedom of slander. The press raised the question: “Who is to blame for the devastation of Russia?” Each of the disputants is sincerely convinced that his opponents are to blame. Right now, in these tragic days, we should remember how poorly developed the sense of personal responsibility is among the Russian people and how “we are used to punishing our neighbors for our sins.”
Slave blood is still alive in the blood of the Russian people Tatar-Mongol yoke and serfdom. But now "the disease has come out," and the Russians will pay for their passivity and Asian rigidity. Only culture and spiritual purification will help them heal.
The most sinful and dirty people on earth, stupid in good and evil, intoxicated with vodka, disfigured by the cynicism of violence ... and, at the same time, incomprehensibly good-natured - at the end of everything - this is a talented people.
It is necessary to teach people to love the Motherland, to awaken in the peasant the desire to learn. True Essence culture - in disgust for everything dirty, deceitful, which "humiliates a person and makes him suffer."
Gorky condemns the despotism of Lenin and Trotsky: they are rotten from power. Under them there is no freedom of speech, as under Stolypin. The people for Lenin are like ore from which there is a chance to "cast socialism." He learned from books how to raise the people, although he never knew the people. The leader led to the death of both the revolution and the workers. The revolution must open democracy for Russia, violence must go away - the spirit and reception of the caste.
For a slave greatest joy to see your master defeated, because he knows no joy, more worthy of a man- the joy of "being free from the feeling of enmity towards one's neighbor." It will be known - it is not worth living if there is no faith in the brotherhood of people and confidence in the victory of love. As an example, the author cites Christ - the immortal idea of mercy and humanity.
The government can take credit for the fact that the self-esteem of a Russian person is rising: the sailors shout that for each of their heads they will take off not hundreds, but thousands of heads of the rich. For Gorky, this is the cry of cowardly and unbridled beasts:
Of course, killing is easier than convincing.
There was little concern for the Russian people to become better. The throat of the press is clamped by the "new power", but the press is able to make anger not so disgusting, because "the people learn from us anger and hatred."
Be more human in these days of general brutality.
In the world, a person’s assessment is given simply: does he love, can he work? "If so, you are the person the world needs." And since the Russians do not like to work and do not know how, and the Western European world knows this, “it will be very bad for us, worse than we expect ...” The revolution gave scope to bad instincts, and, at the same time, threw away “everything the intellectual forces of democracy, all the moral energy of the country."
The author believes that a woman with the charm of love can turn men into people, into children. For Gorky, the savagery that a woman-mother, the source of all good in spite of destruction, demands that all Bolsheviks and peasants be hanged. The woman is the mother of Christ and Judas, Ivan the Terrible and Machiavelli, geniuses and criminals. Russia will not perish if a woman pours light into this bloody chaos of these days.
They imprison people who have brought a lot of benefits to society. They imprison the Cadets, and yet their party represents the interests of a considerable part of the people. Commissars from Smolny do not care about the fate of the Russian people: "In the eyes of your leaders, you are still not a man." The phrase "We express the will of the people" is an adornment of the speech of the government, which always seeks to master the will of the masses with even a bayonet.
Equality of Jews is one of the best achievements revolution: finally gave the opportunity to work to people who know how to do it better. The Jews, to the amazement of the author, discover more love to Russia than many Russians. And the attacks on the Jews due to the fact that a few of them turned out to be Bolsheviks, the author considers unreasonable. An honest Russian person has to feel shame "for a Russian bungler who, on a difficult day in his life, will certainly look for his enemy somewhere outside himself, and not in the abyss of his stupidity."
Gorky is outraged by the share of soldiers in the war: they die, and officers receive orders. The soldier is a litter. There are known cases of fraternization of Russian and German soldiers at the front: apparently, common sense pushed them to it.
For the social and aesthetic education of the masses, Gorky, in comparison with Russian literature, considers European literature more useful - Rostand, Dickens, Shakespeare, as well as Greek tragedians and French comedies: “I stand for this repertoire because - I dare to say - I know the demands of the spirit of the working masses ".
The author speaks of the need to unite the intellectual forces of the experienced intelligentsia with the forces of the young worker-peasant intelligentsia. Then it is possible to revive the spiritual forces of the country and improve its health. This is the path to culture and freedom, which must rise above politics:
Politics, whoever does it, is always disgusting. She is always accompanied by lies, slander and violence.
Horror, stupidity, madness - from man, as well as the beauty he created on earth. Gorky appeals to man, to his faith in the victory of good principles over evil ones. Man is sinful, but he atones for his sins and filth with unbearable suffering.
