Archangorodsky and Moorehouse: Good Initiatives and the Key to Success

Abstract

Russian literature gives us many brilliant examples of prophetic ideas. In the XX century, this line was continued by such talented writers, as Alexander Solzhenitsyn. One of his works, The Red Wheel, is deeply influenced by American writer John Dos Passos both in form and content. Solzhenitsyn’s Red Wheel is a reflection of Dos Passos’ U.S.A.: in the U.S.A. capitalism wins over socialism, while in The Red Wheel socialism wins over capitalism. Solzhenitsyn seeks the reason for that. With this regard, the article considers two key characters of these works: The Red Wheel’s Ilia Archangorodsky and U.S.A.’s John Ward Moorehouse. We find out that John Ward Moorehouse achieves his personal objectives through bringing together two rivaling parties: capital and labor. Archangorodsky seeks the answer for the failure of reforms in Russia, and finds no answer. The answer, though, lies in social institutions: Moorehouse is the pioneer of public relations in America, and that is the social institution Russian desperately needs in order to survive, but fails to do so because of its absence.