Conservative populists (narodniks) in distant countries: on the history of ideological and spiritual searches in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries

The article analyzes the ideological and spiritual searches of Russian conservatives connected with the socio-political shifts engendered by the Great Reforms of the 1860s and 70s. Rejecting the Western model of development, the conservatives treated the patriarchal way of life preserved among the common people as the main base of social stability. The common people became the main object of the activities of outstanding Russian educators S.A. Rachinsky and N.I. Ilminsky. Trying to preserve the foundations of the primordial life and worldview of ordinary people, the enlighteners sought in their educational activities to distance themselves from formalism as much as possible, to give their educational undertakings a religious character. The approaches characteristic of Rachinsky and Ilminsky influenced the attitude of Russian society towards Christians in distant countries - Ethiopia, as well as Syria and Palestine. In the last two regions, the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society launched a vigorous activity among local Orthodox Arabs. As in the case of Russian commoners, the Christians of distant lands were seen as bearers of a pure, unclouded Christian faith uncorrupted by modern civilization. At the beginning of the twentieth century these enterprises began to experience serious difficulties due to the complication of the socio-political situation in Russia and abroad. Nevertheless, their implementation constituted an important page of Russian history.