The old problem of responsibility in politics is discussed in the interview. May politics be cynical? Does the morality have a place in politics? It is impossible to give answers to these questions out of bounds of conceptual and situational context which is preset by geostrategic planning. Finally politics pursued by actors involved in political process does not depend on personal desires of these actors. History and politics exist in dialectical relation of what ought to be and of what the given moment requires. That said it is necessary to keep in mind category «meaning» along with categories «morality» and «cynicism» etc. A responsible politics (as well as history) has to have meaning.

The article is devoted to the crucial problem of modern international relations like NATO-enlargement to the East in the last 10 years. Firstly, the short pre-history of the NATO-transformation that brought to the non-stop enlargement is given, then the enlargement process is characterized both in military and political aspects. It is being explored from inside not only as geographical, but also as institutional enlargement and enlargement of missions. The article is focused on the changing role of NATO, which is reflected in the military actions of the alliance outside its juristic borders without taking the UN Security Council’s resolutions into consideration.

The article introduces the life and creative work of Kirik Novgorodets (1110 — no earlier than 1156/58), the outstanding Russian scientist and thinker of the 12th century. The author demonstrates that Kirik’s creative work represented a glaring and multifaceted phenomenon. The author analyzes facets of Kirik’s talents in mathematics, calendar, theology, philosophy and investigates the scientific and philosophical content of «Study of numbers» and theological and ethical aspects of «Raising the questions». Kirik as the author of these works is considered in the article not just as an outstanding scientist but as a major religious philosopher, a representative of the theological rationalism tradition in Ancient Rus thought as well. The author of article comes to the conclusion that the scientist and thinker from the Great Novgorod belonged to a group of Russians who attained the European level of education. Kirik by far surpassed his times.

For the last thirty years, enterprises in Capitalist countries have been fostering among their staff a sense of engagement and participation in the life of the company. Self improvement techniques are being actively promoted: once intended only for managers, nowadays they are compulsory for all workers. The article shows how the Soviet Union pioneered this move. From the outset, the Bolsheviks set great store by work on the self, which was obligatory for those running both enterprises, and the country itself. Political and industrial achievement depends not only on the amount of physical and mental effort put in, but also on the energy spent on self improvement, which is necessary in any institution. The bureaucracies of the twentieth century were not that impersonal after all, human subjectivity playing a direct part in their creation and functioning. The paper examines subjectivity in a historical context: the different uses of the word «I», the choice of one particular «I» due to one’s activity, the reflexive «I», and the Communist ‘party «I», which tries to subjugate all other «I»s, whether or not Communism is in power.

The round-table is dedicated to analysis of «The social thought of the Russians emigration» encyclopedia published 2009. This work is the first attempt to track development of the social thought in chronological limits of all waves of emigration from the mid-19th to the end of the 20th century.

The published text is the first public appearance of the prominent Russia Social Democrat, one of the Mensheviks' leaders Yuli Osipovich Martov. This text is the foreword written by Martov for the Russian translation of the «Collectivism» speech delivered by J. Guesde, the French Socialist. The illegal publication of this speech undertaken by Martov’s circle inaugurated transition of the circle members from ideologically undefined Radicalism to Marxism. Then when Martov was 20 years old he enunciated political principles he considered to be of highest priority. Martov remained to be loyal to these principles to the grave: the total rejection of the «conspiracy tactics» in struggle for power and the unconditional, independent value of struggle for democracy.