«Война и мир» Л.Н.Толстого и доктрина ‘непротивления злу насилием’ (осмысление исторического опыта)

『War and Peace』by Leo Tolstoy and the doctrine of "non-resistance to evil" (comprehension of historical experience)

The subject of this work is the novel 『War and Peace』, namely the philosophy of Tolstoy’s history which has been repeatedly accused of fatalism. The Patriotic War of 1812 was in a certain sense the "strange": Napoleon invaded Russia, captured its capital, certainly was not defeated in any battle (including the battle of Borodino) - and nevertheless he had to flee the country. Reflections on this fact lead Tolstoy to the original conclusions. Comparing the strategies of the two generals – Napoleon’s and Kutuzov’s - he notices that the first sought to control circumstances, while the second - to use them. Tolstoy explains it this way: Kutuzov knew "the spirit of the people" - the specific historical reasons why it is in Russia Napoleon met massive resistance. Characteristically, it was expressed not only in partisan activities, but primarily in the unwillingness of the population to provide whatever support the conqueror. And the wisdom of Kutuzov encourages him not to argue with the "force of circumstances" – but maximally use both them and the information which he has (that the Russian people will not accept power of the aggressor). According to Tolstoy, "non-resistance to evil by violence" is not a "non-resistance to evil": it is simply the resistance by other, more efficient and "economical" means. Tolstoy’s steady interest in Eastern philosophy consistently reinforced by his aspiration for a productive synthesis of two ethical doctrines of "non-resistance": the evangelical and the daoist. In other words, the historical experience of the war in 1812, according to the writer proves the practical effectiveness of the theory of "non-resistance to evil by violence": inaction as non-participation in evil, dooming this latest on the isolation and total (moral and actual) failure.