Zinoviev Readings: The Russian tragedy and the Russian dream - Panel discussion 2.

The Fifth International Conference “The Zinoviev Readings” at Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency on the subject: «The Russian tragedy and the Russian dream» October 27, 2014, Moscow, Rossiya Segodnya International Multimedia Press Center. Greater Hall. Panel discussion 2. COLLAPSE OF UTOPIA: COMMUNISM AND UNIVERSAL MANAGED DEMOCRACY. Communism was the greatest utopia of the first half of the 20th century, liberal democracy – of its latter half. But Communist doctrine generated quasi-totalitarianism, and the theory of universal managed democracy – the globalization of power. The early 21st century is marked by the onset of global reflection, with the thinking side of mankind turning away from utopias. But what is behind this renunciation in Russia aside from the attempts by the Russian elite to rely on the “logic of intellect?” And is it pertinent to speculate about a new “Russian dream” in this country? Speakers: • Yury BOLDYREV • Nikolai BUHTEEV (Ukraine) • José VERÍSSIMO TEIXEIRA da MATA (Brazil) • Dmitry KULIKOV • Vladimir LEPEKHIN – Featured speaker • Alexei PILKO – Moderator • Dmitry MIKHEEV -------------- Members of the Rossiya Segodnya Zinoviev Club frequently discuss how being Russian in the late 19th century had nothing to do with ethnic origin but meant being part of a great nation with many different ethnicities. However, during the 20th century crisis in the European community, Russians went beyond the limits of their political destiny and lived through the culmination of the entire historical process. Today, what defines Russians is their understanding of the essence of world history. They represent the first global nation in the truest sense. The Russian “globalism of understanding” stands in opposition to the American “globalism of power,” and the drama of this confrontation is giving hope to the entire European civilization, whose future is uncertain today. Russians know better than any other nation the road from utopian dream to historical tragedy, and the price of secular religion without God as the foundation of power. They know the meaning of limited resources and socio-political responsibility, and understand the real danger of racism. Zinoviev was the first Russian philosopher to convert the global Russian understanding of the world and universal history into the current ideas of self-determination of the individual, the nation and the human race. The conference, organized by Rossiya Segodnya and the Alexander Zinoviev Biographical Institute in cooperation with International Alexander Zinoviev Research and Study Center, Faculty of Global Processes at MSU.