The Ideology of Justice:

Slavophile Thought and Post-Soviet Era Justice Practice

Mustafa İlboğa

 

Abstract: This article examines the instrumentalisation of the concept of justice as an ideological tool within the context of Slavophile thought and post-Soviet practices through a normative method and historical perspective. The article's central focus revolves around whether justice is employed as a moral necessity aligned with its ideal essence or as a political instrument reinforcing state authority. To this end, the concept of justice idealised by Slavophile thought is defined through its religious connections and its relationship with the state is analysed, clarifying these links within the framework of the historical and intellectual heritage of the concept. The implementation of justice demanded within the practices of Islamic law emerging during the post-Soviet era is compared with the Russian political stance shaped by Slavophile thought, illustrating how justice has assumed an ideological character. Based on the resulting findings, the conceptual tragedy of justice’s transformation between normative principles and political practices has been revealed. Thus, the concept of justice has been reconsidered not only from a normative perspective but also through epistemic foundations and political viewpoints, aiming to contribute to the field of philosophy of religion.