Navalny: The Last Vestige of Petrine Russia

The final nail in the coffin of Russia's "European" Pseudomorphosis

The tragic fate of Navalny represents a recurring historical pattern, whereby a racial/cultural outsider gets socialized in and identifies himself with an alien realm that eventually rejects him. Navalny is yet another example of a Russified European, alien to the Russian soul, being rejected by those for whom he was vouching.

Navalny is an ethnic Ukrainian, originally from Rivne, northwestern Ukraine. Needless to say, he has always identified himself as Russian and his Ukrainian roots never had a direct influence on his worldview. However, one cannot go against one’s own genetics. His European roots inadvertently made him advocate for a Russia more aligned with European values, which were however emphatically rejected by the overwhelming majority of Russians.

His tragic demise therefore marks the end stage of the irrevocable departure of Russia from the European veneer that was superimposed to it by Peter I. This process has been ongoing in Russia since the Bolshevik Revolution, whereby it was gradually ejecting the European elements within its society (i.e., the descendants of German, French and other European settlers who brought it into the realm of Western Civilization). Putin’s Russia represents the continuation and most likely, as the events in last couple of years show, the end stage of this 100-year long process, whereby Russia sheds the last vestiges of its artificial “Europeanness”. Russia is reverting back to its natural state, namely the pre-Romanov era. The ghastly and brutal era, that was characterized by Ivan the Terrible, the barbaric destruction of Novgorod by Ivan III and other horrors. The murder of Navalny symbolizes the final act of this process. The reaction to Navalny's death among many of his supporters therefore reflects a profound disillusionment, which on a deeper level is a tacit recognition of the futility of their aspirations for a Russia that embraces European ideals.

Over a century ago, the German philosopher Oswald Spengler cast his gaze into the future with a prophetic vision that foretold Russia's gradual estrangement from the Western (Faustian) Civilization, heralding a re-assertion of its own unique identity. With a keen sense of historical insight, Spengler discerned the roots of Russia's attachment to Europe, tracing its initiation back to the era of Peter I, though the seeds were sown even earlier during the reign of his father, Tsar Aleksey Mikhaylovich. This alignment with European culture, he argued, was not a natural evolution but an artificial imposition – a veneer that sat uneasily on the soul of the ordinary Russian.

Spengler coined the term "Pseudomorphosis" to describe this phenomenon of a cultural realm being coerced into adopting alien cultural forms, an imposition from foreign lands that masks the true essence of its identity. This process of Europeanization, he posited, was ill-suited to the intrinsic nature of the Russian spirit.

In this light, the murder of Navalny can be seen not merely as an isolated incident but as a symbol of profound significance – i.e., the last nail in the coffin of Russia’s “European” Pseudomorphosis and its return to its authentic essence, shedding all the remnants of European influence. The identity that thereby emerges is one fueled by a deep-seated animosity towards Western Civilization and a vehement repudiation of everything European – an identity animated by an apocalyptic fervor that counterposes itself to the Western (Faustian) Civilization.

The story of Navalny and his cohort of European-leaning supporters therefore represents a poignant testament to the chasm between their aspirations and the reality surrounding them. These individuals, with their hearts tethered to European culture, found themselves adrift in a vast ocean of indifference, and even animosity, seemingly isolated in their quest. Believing fervently that the power of persuasion could bridge the divide, they thought that they can change Russian society by peaceful means sticking to civilized European norms, by appealing to their countrymen, whom they assumed as capable of change if presented with good arguments. Yet, their optimism was rooted in a tragic misconception.

This group of Russian liberals, despite their noble intentions, were essentially architects of a vision that, unbeknownst to them, stood on the fragile grounds of Pseudomorphosis – an artificial construct within a society fundamentally disparate from the European ethos they cherished. Navalny, despite his charisma and influence within the metropolitan enclaves of Moscow and St. Petersburg, was received badly in the rest of Russia. Therefore, his tragic demise, rather than galvanizing a nation towards rebellion, will be met with indifference, if not quiet celebration, by a significant portion of the populace who viewed him through a prism of alienation.

The painful lesson for the advocates of Western liberalism in Russia must be the realization that the forces opposing them were not merely political adversaries but represented a broader societal estrangement. The illusion that they could win hearts and minds through discourse revealed a profound misreading of their own identity and that of their (nominal) countrymen. In their pursuit of a Europeanized Russia, they overlooked the stark reality that, despite their European sensibilities and lifestyles, they were intrinsically part of a society that was not European at its core and were appealing to a populace that is deeply inimical to European Civilization.

This misalignment of visions underscores a deeper, more complex struggle that transcends mere political disagreement. It hints at a schism that is not only ideological but touches upon the very fabric of cultural and historical identities. The liberals' endeavor to imprint a European blueprint onto Russian soil was not just a clash of values but an unwitting confrontation with the essence of their own heritage – a heritage that is distinct from Europe and is inimical to it. Therefore, when they appeal to their countrymen, they essentially engage with cultural, and in some respect racial aliens, with whom their words fall on deaf ears.

As they navigate this quagmire, the realization must finally dawn that their struggle is not solely against a political figure or regime but against a profound and perhaps intractable divergence of civilizational paths. In the shadow of Spengler's insights, their journey reflects a broader, more existential battle – i.e., a confrontation of different, mutually exclusive identities.

In broader historical terms, Navalny’s murder by Putin completes the process initiated by Bolsheviks in 1917, whereby Russia returns to its true self of the pre-Romanov era, unequivocally turns its back on the West and embarks on its own unique civilizational path. And this unique Russian path certainly entails a fervent civilizational confrontation with the West, similar to Jihad or Crusades in its emotional intensity, which the western nations and Europeanized Russians should finally take note of in their dealings with Russia.