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Title: Russian Messianism: Third Rome, Holy Revolution, Communism and After by Peter J. S. Duncan ISBN: 0415152054 Publisher: Routledge Pub. Date: 07 July, 2000 Format: Library Binding Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $100.00

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Average Customer Rating: 5

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Summary: Varieties of Russian Messianism Explored
Comment: In this dense, highly informative study Peter Duncan succinctly presents one of the most
important recurring features in Russian nationalist thought: the idea of a special mission of the
Russian people for Europe, Eurasia, or even the whole world. He starts with a short
comparative overview of the international varieties of messianism, and then proceeds to the
origins of Russian messianism in the late fourteenth century when "the monasteries developed
the ideological claim that Muscovy and her Grand Dukes were chosen to represent the climax
of Christian history" (p.11). A more elaborate version of this idea became later known under the
heading of Moscow as the "Third Rome".

In his survey, Duncan succeeds in comparing all the different permutations of, and in providing
a useful taxonomic scheme for, Russian messianism. For example, he distinguishes between
a state-oriented messianism inspired by the idea of Moscow's domination of other peoples (a
messianism he classifies as "nationalist"), and a people-oriented messianism linked with the
idea of the Russian people as being a model for other nations to follow (which he categorizes
as "universalist messianism"; p.3). His appraisal is especially helpful in differentiating between
19th-century Russian revolutionary and Leninist messianism, on the one side, and Stalinist
messianism, on the other.

Duncan's study is to be singled out as a major contribution to the field of comparative
nationalism studies, and a unique addition to the study of Russian intellectual and political
history. Moreover, it provides perhaps the most extensive bibliography on Russian nationalism
assembled so far. It will thus be of great value to students and advanced researchers alike.