The Philosophy of Inequality: Letters to my Contemners, Concerning Social Philosophy by Nikolai Berdyaev. Short summary

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Inequality is an inherent part of society. There are the subordinates and the managers, and there are the heads and working hands of the doers. The revolution showed how strong the split and disintegration of society and the spirit of the Russian people is.

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The revolution is a punishment for past sins, a mystical fact sent from above. It does not always mean the beginning of the new, but always entails the death of the old. Revolutions are preceded by the disintegration of the soul, the loss of faith, evil and even demonization. It is only outwardly dynamic. Inside, it is static.

The intelligentsia, the aristocracy was at the origins of the Russian revolution. The movement implies that power will be concentrated in the hands of the chosen, the best. Democracy speaks of the rule of all. Aristocracy remains the best form of social organization and the most important human utopia. But, in fact, these concepts cannot be contrasted. They are concepts that are disparate and incommensurable.

All social issues, whether or not they achieve their goals, lead to one goal. It is to discover one’s abilities and to obtain signs of greatness: recognition, power, authority.

The book was written in the post-revolutionary moment and reflects all the negativity regarding the Communist revolution.