In Search of a New Russia: Reflections on the Concept of Spiritual and Ecological Civilization (A.V. Ivanov, I.V. Fotievа, M.Y. Shishin)

The article deals with the problem of choosing a strategy for the civilizational development of Russia based on the concept of spiritual and ecological (noospheric) civilization developed by A.V. Ivanov, I.V. Fotieva, M.Y. Shishin. There are five variants of the strategy of civilizational development. The understanding of civilization formulated by A. Toynbee and refined by V.L. Tsymbursky (it is the definition of the latter that is used as a working definition) is taken as a methodological approach that allows to identify and give a general description of these options. The latter option is a variant of the New Russia, that is, a renewed Russian civilization, not inheriting, but re–building the "sacred vertical". It is in the perspective of the possibility of implementing this option, in our opinion, that the concept of spiritual and ecological civilization should be considered. The author of this article generally agrees with the main provisions of the proposed concept. The study provides a brief overview and analysis of them. It is necessary to emphasize the integrity, logic and validity on the basis of a broad material (historical, philosophical, political) of the concept of noospheric civilization. It is characterized by the novelty of thought and interdisciplinary synthetics. However, it is necessary to point out the main drawback of the proposed concept. In our opinion, it lies in the lack of consideration of the issue of collecting the subject of civilizational development. Which social actor is able to take responsibility for the implementation of the project of spiritual and ecological civilization? Or is it assumed that it will come by itself, due to the objective laws of the historical process? The latter assumption seems utopian. The author of this article offers his answer to the question, thereby contributing to the development of the concept. At the same time, the political component of the concept under consideration is criticized, instead of the idea of hagiocracy, the idea of meritocracy is proposed as a form of government that largely corresponds to the stated principles.

civilizational development, Russian civilization, New Russia, spiritual and ecological civilization, cultural synthesis, sacred vertical, development strategy, meritocracy, the state of truth, convergence