Dostoevsky and World Culture Dostoevsky and World Culture 2619-0311 2712-8512 IWL RAS https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2026-1-135-149 Research Article Articles The Word “Politics” in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s A Writer’s Diary Mikhnovets Mariia V. fedor@dostmirkult.ru 25 03 2026 1 1 135 149 Fyodor Dostoevsky A Writer’s Diary politics people Russia Europe Copyright © 2026, IWL RAS 2026 The article examines the peculiarities of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s understanding of the word “politics” based on materials from A Writer’s Diary. The analysis of the text shows that Dostoevsky interprets politics as a crafty and secretive behavior aimed at pursuing one’s own interests. The chapter titled “Idealistic-Cynics” holds a special place within the context of this topic. In this chapter, Dostoevsky engages in a debate with Timofey Granovsky’s ideas about the nature of politics, discussing whether ethical and moral principles can be applied to politics. When interpreting the actions of European states, Dostoevsky emphasizes the idea of politics as a series of actions committed in the name of false, pseudo-national interests. According to the creator of A Writer’s Diary, European politics is not an expression of a unified national aspiration, but rather the will of individual rulers. The opposition between politics and national spirit remains constant for Dostoevsky. When discussing the nature of politics, Dostoevsky frequently refers to a specific period of time, which he describes as “our bicentennial period of history” or “the Petersburg period”, among other terms. For the publicist, the emergence of the phenomenon of “politics” in Russian society is closely linked to the reforms of Peter the Great. According to Dostoevsky, however, only members of the privileged, European-oriented classes are exposed to the “crafty” aspects of politics. In contrast, people’s politics is a policy based on the highest principles, a policy driven by the heart and not focused on local, short-term interests but rather aimed at addressing global issues. Dostoevsky’s vision of people’s policy is centered on the unity of all Orthodox Slavic peoples and selfless service to European nations.