Utilitarianism in Russia, or May moral of utility be regulator for contemporary Russian society?

Abstract

The initial thesis of the study is the assertion that utilitarian doctrine can serve as a means of moral restoration of Russian society, which is struck by anomie. The subject of the study is the moral doctrine of utilitarianism. The methodological basis for the study is structural functionalism. The author explores the factors that contribute to and impede the development of utilitarianism, its transformation into a moral doctrine, through which it is possible to overcome social divisions and achieve social solidarity in Russian society. To this end, he reconstructs the principles of the classical utilitarianism; demonstrates the modifications of utilitarianism in the XX and XXI centuries; traces the history of utilitarianism in Russia from the XVIII to XXI centuries; analyzes criticism of utilitarianism, reveals the reasons for the hostility of utilitarianism by Russian intellectuals. In conclusion, the conclusion is drawn that the development of utilitarianism in Russia depends on the ability of the intellectual elite of society to assimilate and rethink its principles in new sociopolitical conditions

Keywords

• morality
• utilitarianism
• public interest
• personal interest
• reasonable selfishness
• altruism
• individualism
• collectivism