Dostoevsky As A Revolutionary Conservative

Tolstoy and Dostoevsky were two writers who rejected the new generation of social-liberal emerging in their day . That much becomes apparent reading their works. In fact, I get the distinct feeling they had little patience, if not respect, for liberals.

Liberalism went from defining liberty to adoring authority in a heartbeat.

While Western writers were riding on the liberal carousel in their novels, Russians were less enthused. In their minds, the conservative ones, socialists and liberals generally displayed (violent) traits opposite of their (peaceful) preachings. Moreover, it was liberalism that ultimately paved the way for the evils of communism.  

“Touch the vanity of those innumerable friends of humanity and they will set fire to the four comers of the world from petty revenge, like all of us, and to be honest, like myself, vilest of all, for I will bring the fuel for the fire and then run.” Lebedev, The Idiot

Dostoevsky, like all great minds, was mercurial and mischaracterized.

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