Nihilist movement

This article is about the Russian cultural and political movement. For the philosophy of nihilism, see nihilism.

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The Nihilist movement was an 1860s Russian cultural movement marked by the questioning of the validity of all forms of preconceived ideas and social norms. It is derived from the Latin word "Nihil", which means "nothing". The Nihilists championed the independence of the individual and shocked the Russian establishment. Those ideas had a political impact, as they opposed servitude and demanded democratic reforms. Nihilists were denounced as agitators, and after the killing of the Tzar Alexander II they became known in the Western Europe as preconizers of destruction as the primary tool for political change.

Related Topics:
1860s - Russian

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