The methodology of history and the scheme of the genesis of the revolution in Russia by M.Ya. Gefter (comments on his works "There will be no Third Millennium" and "Stalin died yesterday")

The article offers comments on two works by Mikhail Gefter, "There will be no Third Millennium" and "Stalin died yesterday." There is a certain agreement between the views of the author and M. J. Gefter regarding the understanding of history and the methodology of history. Several problems that arose when reading these works are discussed: M. Gefter's understanding of history as several local stories with beginnings and endings, different approaches to reconstructing the personalities of Lenin and Stalin, and Gefter's explanation of the logic of the Russian revolution. A methodology for solving these problems is outlined, which involves the analysis of two objects: the first, Gefter, who studies the history of Russia and its heroes (Lenin, Stalin, etc.), and the second object, the author of this article, who analyzes and interprets Gefter's work. Everything is clear to Gefter about Stalin, the leader's life is known in all his deeds, and no definitions other than negative ones can be applied to him. Gefter's attitude to Marx and Lenin is different: he tries to organize a conversation with these historical subjects. From Gefter's point of view, Lenin was close to admitting that there would be no world revolution at all, it could not take place in the form that was expected. The author suggests that Gefter's reconstruction opens up the prospect of resolving the impasse in Russia's development: not revolution, but evolution, not a unitary state, but a federation, thought out and secured by a new social order and law. The last part of the article is a brief historical self–determination of the author. Using the material of personal history and the analysis of the life of Emanuel Swedenborg, he outlines his understanding of history and methodology of history, noting the similarities with the views of Gefter.

history, time, the past, future, reconstruction, evidence, mind, methodology, The chiefs, state