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The Evolution of Civilizational Paradigm in the Works of O. Spengler, A.J. Toynbee, S. Huntington: Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis
The article deals with the issue of continuity and innovations in the development of civilizational approach in the
humanities and social sciences of 20th century. The objects of analysis are the texts and views of three most outstanding
representatives of this intellectual tradition – Oswald Spengler, Arnold J. Toynbee and Samuel P. Huntington. The author
examines the stereotyped view on these thinkers as unoriginal followers of their predecessors and argues that there is just
surface affi nity of these theories whereas their foundations arte rather different. Moreover, if O. Spengler, not recognizing
himself as someone’s successor, gave occasions for suspicions in plagiarism, both A.J. Toynbee and S. Huntington paid
much attention to the comparative analysis of their own concepts and views of predecessors and considered themselves more
as their opponents, than followers. Basing on analysis of early Toynbee’s texts and his unpublished papers from Special
Collections of Bodleian Library (University of Oxford) author argues that A.J. Toynbee invented his theory irrespective of
Spengler and developed absolutely another treatment of nature, coexistence and future of civilizations. On the other hand,
S. Huntington’s civilizational approach in some aspects appears more close to O. Spengler than to A.J. Toynbee. But it is
not the turn to The Decline of the West. Huntingtonian conception actually could be considered as the synthesis of both
theories as well as A Study of History really was antithesis of Spengler’s conception.
humanities and social sciences of 20th century. The objects of analysis are the texts and views of three most outstanding
representatives of this intellectual tradition – Oswald Spengler, Arnold J. Toynbee and Samuel P. Huntington. The author
examines the stereotyped view on these thinkers as unoriginal followers of their predecessors and argues that there is just
surface affi nity of these theories whereas their foundations arte rather different. Moreover, if O. Spengler, not recognizing
himself as someone’s successor, gave occasions for suspicions in plagiarism, both A.J. Toynbee and S. Huntington paid
much attention to the comparative analysis of their own concepts and views of predecessors and considered themselves more
as their opponents, than followers. Basing on analysis of early Toynbee’s texts and his unpublished papers from Special
Collections of Bodleian Library (University of Oxford) author argues that A.J. Toynbee invented his theory irrespective of
Spengler and developed absolutely another treatment of nature, coexistence and future of civilizations. On the other hand,
S. Huntington’s civilizational approach in some aspects appears more close to O. Spengler than to A.J. Toynbee. But it is
not the turn to The Decline of the West. Huntingtonian conception actually could be considered as the synthesis of both
theories as well as A Study of History really was antithesis of Spengler’s conception.
civilization, westernization, Spengler, Toynbee, Huntington, Russia