Orthodoxy and State in the Philosophy of Ivan Ilyin: the Keys to Understanding

The study of the philosophical legacy of Ivan Ilyin is often reduced to a simplifi ed assessment of his political views ignoring the diversity and complexity of his philosophical system. This work seeks to overcome this perception offering an analysis of Ilyin as an independent thinker, whose political beliefs are only part of a broader philosophical worldview. The article presents an analysis of the philosophy of Ivan Ilyin through the prism of his attitude to Hegel. In his philosophy, Ilyin balances between two poles: he develops a special “Russian-Orthodox” Hegelianism, rethinking Hegel's concept of spiritual monarchy and synthesizing it with a deep understanding of the complexity of the human soul and its irrational aspects. The article offers two keys to understanding the philosophy of Ivan Ilyin, which allow us to understand the depth of his inner contradictions and versatility.