ON THIS DAY, 45 YEARS AGO DMYTRO DONTSOV PASSED AWAY


On this day, March 30, 1973, Dmytro Dontsov - an outstanding Ukrainian philosopher, literary critic, journalist, political figure, founder of the theory of integral nationalism - died in the United States.

Due to his heritage, modern generation calls Dontsov "an apostle of the Ukrainian idea", "a father of Ukrainian nationalism," and his works are read and quoted by Ukraine's patriots from Lviv to Lugansk. But this is just an echo of the glory and influence that Dontsov had been afforded in life. "The secret" of the popularity of his works - which haven't lost actiality till now - is relevance and frankness. However, the figure of Dmitro Dontsov is interesting just as his works. 

Being recognized as a "living classic" of Ukrainian radical nationalism, Dmytro Dontsov had a mixed Ukrainian-Russian descent - he was born near Melitopol (Southern Ukraine), and his family came from Voronezh (Russia). However, the issue of own ethnic belonging Dontsov resolved in youth. In a letter to Yevgen Malanyuk, dated 1931 he frankly wrote: "it is Gogol, Shevchenko, Kulish and Storozhenko, who made me a Ukrainian, I familiar to their writings since I have known since I learned to read, that is, from 6 years of life." In their writings he found something that was consonant with his soul, therefore, he made his choice in favor of Ukrainian-based worldview.

Dontsov can not be blamed for "narrow-mindedness," that is often attributed to right-wing thinkers by their opponents. Since 14, Dontsov was acquainted with the works of Hugo, Dickens, Goethe, Cervantes, Schiller and other world classics. Generally, Donskov's irresistible ambition of self-education had protected him from Russian influences while studying first at a college in Melitopol, and later at the St. Petersburg University, where he received a lawyer's degree. In student years, Dontsov did personally faced the Russification of the tsarist government, but thanks to his Ukrainian identity, he did not replenish the ranks of those about whom Shevchenko wrote "slaves, toadies and Moscow's dirt." In the student years Dontsov for some time was a supporter of socialist ideas. Being a member of the Ukrainian Social-Democratic Workers' Party, he had been  actively involved in politics, for which he was arrested twice. After the second arrest, he moved to Galicia, and then enrolled at the University of Vienna. In 1917, Dmytro Dontsov received the degree of Doctor of Law.  

In about this period, he breaks with socialist and liberal ideas, realizing that they consist many things, but not Ukrainian patriotism. Having found no ideology in the political arena that could consistently advocated the interests of Ukraine and Ukrainians, Dontsov started to create his own spiritual and political concept - the integral nationalism. An article isn't enough to outline the integral nationalism basic ideas, so let's dwell on those other Dontsov's ideas, that are also relevant today.

In his works Dontsov pointed "Provencalism" - an ideological trend that sees Ukraine's development only in popularizing peasant culture, history and folk traditions - that as the main ideological enemy of Ukrainian nation. Honoring the heroic pages of Ukrainian history, Dontsov pointedly emphasized that a strong Ukrainian state cannot be built on vishivankas, talks about "guelder groves" and other village aesthetics. In his numerous articles, Dontsov wrote about the need for a strong leading stratum, which would, having rejected democratic prejudices, be able to organize and lead the nation. And to lead him not to worship to West or Russia, but to true independence. He emphasized that true nationalists will never agree to grovel before someone, who would allow to stand on their knees at the threshold of the "civilized world" or "brotherly Russia!" To rely on own forces, own state and own army - only to this a true nationalist can call upon.

Dontsov so aptly described the hiden nature of democracy, that we can clearly recognize it in our modern realities. We read: "When mafia, having being masked masked under the "democracy" has an ability to influence the ruling elite, society comes to anarchy: first it cames to systematic destruction of Christian religion and church... then - destruction of morality, the outright propaganda of pornography, sexism in press, in television, in literature, in art, vulgarity in "modern" female fashion ... The same vulgarity in fashion of "modern" and "progressive" youth; binge of crime and paralysis of power ..." Isn't it the exact description of Ukraine's society and the "democracy" that destroys Ukrainians no less successfully than Stalin's repression ...

What Dontsov sought? He diffenatelly wasn't a socio-political theorist. There were other people, who had worked over the concept of natiocracy - Mykola Scyborsky, Dmytro Miron-Orlyk, Yaroslav Stetsko. As for Dontsov - he laid the philosophical foundations of a new social system: nationalism, loyalty to the Christian religion and tradition. However, in his meaning following the tradition meant, first of all, the heredity of princely and cossack glory, the achievements of national spirit and culture. He had advocated the idea of creating a strong and subjective state, which would not wandering around the international instances in search for beggarly handouts.

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