Expulsions and exoduses: Russia’s recurring struggle between philosophy and power

Abstract This article explores the recurring conflict between authoritarian state power and independent philosophical thought in Russia, focusing on two critical moments separated by a century: the 1922–23 deportation of intellectuals aboard the so-called “Philosophy Steamer” and the contemporary exodus of Russian intellectuals following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While the 1922–23 deportation forcibly expelled key figures of the Russian intelligentsia in an attempt to eliminate pluralism and enforce ideological conformity, the recent wave of emigration, though voluntary, reflects a similar flight from an increasingly repressive, ultraconservative regime. The current authoritarian order is marked not only by political oppression but also by an explicit antagonism toward critical, independent inquiry—the lifeblood of philosophical thought—which is inherently open to diverse perspectives and resistant to ideological dogma. By tracing the historical and philosophical significance of these two episodes, the article highlights the persistent vulnerability of critical, independent inquiry under authoritarian rule. It argues that the Russian state’s hostility toward critical independent thought has shaped both Soviet and post-Soviet intellectual history, posing an ongoing threat to the possibility of a genuinely reflective and pluralistic philosophical culture in contemporary Russia.