Templars of the Proletariat

In Templars of the Proletariat, Alexander Dugin explores National Bolshevism, tracing its various origins, such as Orthodox esotericism and the notion of the Third Rome. He also acknowledges Western influences like Guy Debord and Aleister Crowley.

Dugin highlights the “Scythian movement” within “left-wing National Bolshevism,” illustrating that the October Revolution was not merely political but was deeply linked to national identity. Major figures included Alexander Blok and Maxim Gorky. This movement evoked the archaic roots of the nation and embraced tumultuous change to birth a new world. In contrast, “right-wing National Bolshevism” views a nation’s journey as unchanging. Nikolay Ustryalov saw revolutions as brief moments in a long history. The essence of a nation endures, with real conservatism rooted in its lasting spirit, not just in political shifts.

One of the most important components of this work is its reorientation away from the profane, secular politics of “left” and “right” and toward the sacred, metaphysical politics of “the Absolute,” touted as the only valid opposition to Karl Popper’s “Open Society.” This work can serve as a Rosetta Stone for anyone who seeks a comprehensive understanding of Dugin’s intellectual origins; it is an interpretive key to his entire conceptual universe.