School
Westernizer
Overview
Westernizers (; Russian: за́падник, romanized: západnik, IPA: [ˈzapədnʲɪk]) were a group of 19th-century intellectuals who believed that Russia's development depended upon the adoption of Western European technology and liberal government. In their view, Western ideas such as industrialisation needed to be implemented throughout Russia to make it a more successful country. The Russian term was зáпадничество (západnichestvo, "westernism"), and its adherents were known as the за́падники (západniki, "westernists").
In some contexts of Russian history, zapadnichestvo can be contrasted with Slavophilia, whose proponents argued that Russia should develop its own unique identity and culture, based on its Slavic heritage.
In Russia since 2000, the debate rages on how much of western values and methods to adopt or reject.
In modern usage, especially in the developing world, the term can refer to supporters of Western-style economic development.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
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Siberia, as far as China, was in a state of idolatry; and, in some of the provinces, they were utter strangers to all kind of religion. Perry, the engineer, and baron Strahlemberg, who both resided so many years in Russia, tell us, that they found more sincerity and probity among the Pagans than the other inhabitants; not that paganism made them more virtuous, but their manner of living, which, was that of the…
Voltaire, The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia
States what Westernizer is; the author is tied to Westernizer in the knowledge graph.
Aspirations after a freer state were entwined with radical and socialistic designs to reform the political hierarchy of the Fatherland: high ideals and low vulgarities were closely intermixed: and the noble enthusiasm of youth was occasionally played on by criminal and anarchic intriguers. In a strong and wise and united Germany some of these schemes might have been tolerated. But strength, wisdom, and unity were…
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Hegel's Philosophy of Mind
The author is tied to Westernizer in the knowledge graph.
There are nations which have subjugated a part of the world without having the usage of characters. We know that Gengis-khan conquered a part of Asia at the beginning of the thirteenth century, but it is not through either him or the Tartars that we know it.
Voltaire, Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary
The author is tied to Westernizer in the knowledge graph.
Related ideas
- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
- Liberalism
- Industrialisation
- Henri de Saint-Simon
- Russia
- Russian language
- Theocracy
- Intelligentsia
- Voltaire
- Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
- Alexander Herzen
- Vissarion Belinsky
- Slavophilia
- Friedrich Schiller
- Pyotr Chaadayev
Place in the tradition
Part of Russian philosophy.