Prof. Margarita Terzieva, DSc.
Prof. d-r Asen Zlatarov University
8010 Burgas, Bulgaria
Abstract. Tolstoyism as a teaching with its antimilitary line, with its preaching
about fraternal love and unity, with its ethic religious feeling which is an upbringing
tool, with the vegetarian way of life which priorities have been demonstrated by its
followers, wins disciples in Bulgaria in the first decades of 20th century. A number
of organizations were set up and started functioning under the influence of these
ideas – Bulgarian vegetarian union, temperance societies and unions, Esperanto
movement, pacific movement – which contributed to its broader social support. But
Tolstoyism could not survive in the epoch of sharp political collisions because it
teaches beautiful but helpless ethics. Today its ideas are subjected to analysis and
discussions.
Keywords: Tolstoyism, ideas, social organizations
