Sources of the Estate Myth in Alexander Chayanov’s Utopia
The article discusses the sources of an idea of a utopian secular monastery-university called “Brotherhood of St. Florus and Laurus“ from the famous economist and writer Alexander V. Chayanov’s novel “The Journey of my Brother Alexei to the Land of the Peasant Utopia“. In this utopian university, located in the ancient estate of Arkhangelskoye, students combine agricultural work with the study of science and arts. Chayanov had a profound interest in the history of Moscow. In particular, the history of the Petrovsko-Razumovskoye estate attracted his attention. In 1865, it became home of the Peter’s Agricultural Academy (later, the Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy), where the famous scientist used to study and teach, and this is where Chayanov’s idea of a utopian university can be traced to.