RUS YAYILMACILIĞI VE SLAVOFiL DÜSÜNCENiN TARiHSEL GELiŞiMi
RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SLAVOPHILE THOUGHT

Summary/Abstract: Slavophilism, which has an eminent place in Russian thought, is in fact a form of anti-expansionist thought that is in essence problematic in its relations with the state. Nevertheless, it may be seen that in the course of history the aforementioned movement occasionally turns out to advocate and justify Russian expansionism. The contemporary political milieu, as much as the choices of the Russian political elite, played a crucial role in this setting. The submission of Slavophilism to the best interests of Russian expansionism is indeed a fine example exposing the Russian state’s manipulation of various ideologies for the greater interests of the state. The relationship between Neo-Slavophilism and the Russian State shows that this policy is continued today. As it is known, although Neo-Slavophilism was the first ideology that the Russian State turned to in the post-separation period, it was abandoned within a short period of time due to its limited imperial vision, and Eurasianist thought become almost the official ideology of the state. The objective of this article is to expose Slavophilism’s historical relations with Russian expansionism. In this context, the ideological foundations of Slavophilism, which is considered the traditional way of thinking, and the opinions such as Pan-Slavism and Neo- Slavophilism, which are different forms of this ideology in the historical process, are discussed.

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