A.I. Solzhenitsyn on the exhaustion of culture: causes and ways of overcoming

The article considers A.I. Solzhenitsyn's understanding of culture, expressed in 1997 during the round table in the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as his views on the causes that led to a general decline of culture in the XX century. In his opinion the reasons are utilitarianism of high culture requirements, fast growth of material well-being in the field of technological revolution, mass culture and finally secularization of culture. The author concludes that the provisions expressed by A. Solzhenitsyn on the crisis phenomena in culture remain relevant, and thus can be used in modern culturological science and culturological practice.