Korolev, S. A. ‘Norman Ferment’ in Terms of the Concept of Pseudomorphic Development of Russia

Abstract: The author of the article offers his concept of pseudomorphic development of Russia and views the question about the interaction and interdependence between governmental patterns brought by the Varangians to the lands inhabited by the Slavs and Ugro-Finns at the second half of the IXth century. The author raises a question about the role of Norman (the Varangians) in formation and development of the Russian state after Rurik came to Novgorod and after Kiev was conquered by his successor Oleg. The author also studies the relation between the allochtonous and autochtonous information of the Old Russian state, in particular, relation between the great and tribal knyazhes, veche and the new European-like knyazh power. The author raises a question about to what degree processes caused by the coming of the Norman (Varangians) could have been viewed as a pseudomorphosis and the ground and condition for Christianization of Russia (which, according to the author, was a typical pseudomorphic process). The author’s theory about pseudomorphic historical development of Russia is based on a famous theory offered by Oswald Spengler). The author reviews Spengler’s theory and views pseudomorphosis not only as a certain stage or form of development, in particular, development of Russia, but also a certain type of development. As for concrete historical examples, the author bases on a wide range of historical works written by both famous Russian historians (K. Kavelin, V. Klyuchevsky, S. Platonov and S. Soloviev) and Soviet researchers (V. Kobrin, A. Novoseltsev, V. Puzanov, B. Rybakov, M. Sverdlov, A. Tolochko, F. Uspensky, I. Froyanov, A. Yurganov, V. Yanin and others). Based on the results his research, the author concludes that the Norman brought some kind of a new cover for the life of the Slavs and Ugro-Finns. From this point of view, we can conclude that ‘normanization’ of Russia was a pseudomorphosis that was also typical, for instance, for the epoch of Peter the First. Coming of the Varganian knyazhes was mostly a ‘ferment’ triggering the development of Russia in a certain direction. ‘Normanization’ of Russia created a certain type of government and that was the only form of government under which Christianity could exist as a state religion but not just a local cult. In other words, without the coming of the Varangians and triggering of certain processes in the government, Russia would not have been ready to adopt Christianity at the end of the Xth century.

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