Benevolence “Regardless of Sex, Rank, or Nature”: Society and State in the Travelogues of Ivan Galagan

This article explores Galagan’s social and political visions through a comparative analysis of his travelogues, set against three cultural contexts: the local Cossack officers’ milieu, the Russian imperial framework, and Enlightenment ideals. By comparing Galagan’s writings with the narratives of other Cossack officers such as Kozelskyi, Poletyka, and Vynskyi, this study reveals that Galagan’s social and political identities reflect a broader, shared collective identity shaped by Enlightenment ideals, which evolved into a distinct regional interpretation. Galagan aligns with core values such as love of humanity, justice, and common well-being. His notion of equality focuses on the benevolent treatment of members of society rather than on social status, and reason is seen as a means to achieve well-being rather than an end in itself. By the time of his travels these concepts were already internalized within his identity, reflecting a blend of regional and Enlightenment influences, which contrasted with Russian imperial discourse. Galagan’s case exemplifies the synthesis of regional identity with Enlightenment ideals, contributing to a humanistic and occasionally republican worldview. The study supports the argument that the Enlightenment provided a nurturing environment for the evolution of Cossack officers’ core values into republican or anti-absolutist ideas.