The Influence of Dogma on the Evolution of the Russian Education System: a Study in Time Perspective
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THE INFLUENCE OF DOGMA ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE RUSSIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM: A STUDY IN TIME PERSPECTIVE by H. CHRISTINE PRICE submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION in the subject HISTORY OF EDUCATION at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR SL H VAN NIEKERK FEBRUARY 1995 DECLARATION I hereby declare that The influence of dogma on the evolution of the Russian education system: a study in time perspective is my own work and that all the sources which were used or quoted by me have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references . ... t~t t,. r~. ~ ~..... .... i. ~ ..l P.. ~.I..?.~ SIGNATURE DATE (Mrs H C Price) ii FOREWORD I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, professor S.L.H. Van Niekerk for her incisive criticism and comments. Her guidance and support have been invaluable. The following people have provided me with information which has given me greater insight into the Soviet education system, through their own experiences of it: • Evgeny, student, from Vladivostok, Russia • Janosh Skultety, retired engineer from Hungary • Rudmilo Jankovich, a student, from Rumania • Dr. V. Lebedev, cultural attache of the Russian Federation Thank you for being so generous with your time and for sharing what were often painful memories. I would also like to express my gratitude to Mr Rob Northey, editor of education reports of the Pretoria News for his comments on reportage of current changes in education in South Africa. Grateful thanks to my husband Patrick for his patience in helping with the technological aspects of word processing and printing. iii DEDICATION Dedicated to my mother and my late father, Dr H.C. Slabbert, to Patrick for his love and support, and to Adrienne and Joshua for their patience. iv SUMMARY Education systems are influenced by belief systems. Russia has throughout its history been guided by two rigid dogmatic belief systems: • the Russian Orthodox Church • the Communist ideology While other influences also prevailed, notably autocracy, humanism and nationalism, these were secondary to the dogma of the Church in the centuries preceding the Revolution in 1917. Autocracy could be regarded as an outflow of the dogma of the Church, which had established its links with the ruling elite early in its history, whereas the others originated from other sources and for other reasons. This study in the history and development of the Russian education system traces its origins back into the inchoate beginnings of the Russian nation and attempts to show how: • the Zeitgeist of a particular era led to the development of a particular dogmatic belief system • the Zeitgeist and the dogmatic beliefs influenced the figures who determined educational policies and reforms v OPSOMMING Onderwysstelsels word be"invloed deur 'n bepaalde denksisteem. So byvoorbeeld is Rusland deur die geskiedenis deur rigiede dogmatiese denksisteme gelei. Gelyklopend daarmee was daar ook ander denksisteme wat 'n invloed op die Russiese denke uitgeoefen het. lnvloede soos outokrasie, humanisme en nasionalisme was egter sekonder tot die dogmatiese invloede van die Kerk in die eeue voor die Rewolusie van 1917. Outokrasie kan weliswaar as 'n uitvloeisel van die dogma van die Kerk , wat vroeg in die Russiese geskiedenis 'n verbintenis met die regerende elite gesmee het, beskou word. Die onderhawige studie oor die ontwikkeling en verloop van die Russiese opvoedstelsel vind sy oorsprong in die beginjare van die Russiese volk en poog om aan te toon hoe: • die Zeitgeist van 'n bepaalde era tot bepaalde dogmatiese denksisteme gelei het • die Zeitgeist en dogmatiese denksisteme 'n invloed op die opvoedingsdenke en onderwyshervormings van bepaalde historiese figure in die Russiese verlede uitgeoefen het vi KEY TERMS • Autocracy • Communism • Dogma • Education • History • Nationalism • Orthodoxy • Post-Communist education • Russia • Soviet education vii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ................................................................ FOREWORD .................................................................... ii DEDICATION .................................................................. iii SUMMARY ..................................................................... iv OPSOMMING . v KEY TERMS ................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1 ORIENTATION 1.1 PROLOGUE . 1 1.2 ACTUALITY OF THE RESEARCH . 3 1.3 FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM ................................... 6 1.4 DELIMITATION OF RESEARCH ....................................... 7 1.4.1 Time as a factor . 7 1.4.2 Reasons for choice of topic . 7 1.5 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH . 8 1.5.1 Aims of research . 8 1.5.2 Objectives of research . 13 1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY . 13 1.6.1 Approach . 15 1.6.2 Method . 17 1.6.3 Problems arising from research . 18 1.6.3.1 Sources ................................................. 18 1.6.3.2 Statistics . 19 1.6.3.3 Interpretation . 19 1.6.3.4 Subjectivity . 20 1.6.3.5 Influence . 20 viii 1.6.3.6 Argementum ex silentio .................................. 21 1. 7 EXPLICATION OF TERMS IN THE TITLE . 22 1. 7 .1 The term Influence . 22 1. 7.2 The term dogma . 23 1.7.2.1 Definition of dogma ...................................... 23 1.7.2.2 Definition of religious dogma ............................. 25 1.7.2.3 Dogma versus ideology .................................. 26 1.7.2.4 The working definition of dogma ......................... 29 1.7.2.5 The concept life-view .................................... 30 1.7.2.5.1 Dogma as a life-view ................................... 31 1.7.2.2.2 Autocracy as a life-view ................................ 32 1.7.2.5.3 The Orthodox faith as a life-view ....................... 32 1.7.2.5.4 Communism as a life-view ............................. 33 1.7.2.5.5 Nationalism as life-view ................................ 35 1.7.2.5.6 Humanism as a life-view ............................... 36 1.7.3 The term evolution ............................................. 37 1.7.4 The term education system .................................... 38 1. 7 .5 The term time perspective ................................... 38 1.7.5.1 The significance of time perspective in the title 38 1.7.5.2 The relationship between time perspective and Zeitgeist . 39 1.7.5.3 Zeitgeist versus dogma ................................. 42 1.7.6 The term Russia ............................................... 42 1.8 STYLISTIC CONSIDERATIONS ...................................... 43 1.8.1 Discrepancies in spelling . 43 1.8.2 Use of capital letters . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 45 1.8.3 Dates 45 1.9 OUTLINE OF RESEARCH . 45 1.10 SUMMARY ..................................................· ......... 47 1.11 REFERENCES . 49 ix CHAPTER 2 SOCIO-HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENTS IN EARLY RUSSIA FROM 980 TO 1613 2.1 PROLOGUE . 54 2.2 SOCIO-HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF RUSSIA FROM 980 TO 1613 ............................................................... 55 2.2.1 GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS . 56 2.2.1.1 Physical features . 56 2.2.1.2 The Kievan State ........................................ 58 2.2.2 THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE . 60 2.2.2.1 Origins . 60 2.2.2.2 The Russian character ................................... 60 2.2.2.3 The princes . 63 2.2.2.4 The upper classes and townsmen . 63 2.2.2.5 The peasantry ..................- ......................... 63 2.2.2.6 Relevance of the social structure for this study ........... 64 2.2.3 POLITICAL FACTORS . 64 2.2.3.1 The rulers . 65 2.2.3.2 The Tartar yoke (1237 to ca. 1480) . 66 2.3 THE ADVENT OF CHRISTIANITY AND ITS INFLUENCE . 68 2.3.1 The role of Vladimir I (980 - 1015) .............................. 69 2.3.2 The political significance of Christianity . 70 2.3.3 The cultural significance . 70 2.4 THE ORTHODOX CHURCH . 70 2.4.1 The Tartars and the Church . 70 2.4.2 Differences between the Eastern and Western Churches . 72 2.4.3 The role of the Church in education . 7 4 2.4.4 The effect of the dogma of Orthodoxy on education . 76 2.4.5 The role of the Church in Russian culture . 76 2.4.6 The Church and autocracy . .. .. 77 2.5 THE RURIK DYNASTY . 79 2.5.1 Prince Rurik (862 - 879) . 79 x 2.5.2 THE REMAINING RURIK DYNASTY . 82 2.5.2.1 Yaroslav the Wise (1019 - 1054) ........................ 82 2.5.2.2 Vladimir II (1113 - 1125) ................................. 82 2.5.3 Developments in education . 83 2.6 THE FIRST MUSCOVITE DYNASTY . 83 2.6.1 The role of Ivan Ill (1462 - 1505) . 83 2.6.2 Ivan IV (1533 - 1584) . 86 2.6.2.1 The role of autocracy . 86 2.6.2.2 The depopulation of Russia . 86 2.6.2.3 The further enserfment of the population . 87 2.6.2.4 Expansionism under Ivan IV . 88 2.6.2.5 The influence of dogma under Ivan IV . 88 2.6.3 Boris Godunov (1598 - 1605) . 88 2.6.4 The Time of Troubles (1605 - 1613) . 89 2.6.4.1 Political factors . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 89 2.6.4.2 The influence of the Zeitgeist on education . 90 2.7 DEVELOPMENTS IN EDUCATION AND THE ROLE OF DOGMA ..... 91 2.8 SUMMARY . 93 2.9 REFERENCES . ..