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What Shall We Do?

A sequence of essays documents urban poverty through street observations and encounters with destitute people and officials, classifies different kinds of need, and examines how laws and institutions respond; it then argues that remedies require personal moral reform and a return to simple, Christian-inspired charity, criticizing legalistic and economic systems that perpetuate suffering and urging nonviolent, ethically consistent behavior and communal responsibility.

By graf Leo Tolstoy
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Essays, Letters & SpeechesRussian Literature

About This Book

A sequence of essays documents urban poverty through street observations and encounters with destitute people and officials, classifies different kinds of need, and examines how laws and institutions respond; it then argues that remedies require personal moral reform and a return to simple, Christian-inspired charity, criticizing legalistic and economic systems that perpetuate suffering and urging nonviolent, ethically consistent behavior and communal responsibility.

About the Author

Tolstoy, graf Leo portrait

graf Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy, a prominent Russian author and philosopher, is best known for his epic novels that explore complex themes of morality, society, and human experience. His most famous works include "Anna Karenina," which delves into the intricacies of love and infidelity, and "War and Peace," a sweeping narrative set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. Beyond fiction, Tolstoy was a significant thinker in the realms of ethics and spirituality, as evidenced in his essays such as "The Kingdom of God Is Within You," where he articulates his views on nonviolent resistance and Christian anarchism. His literary contributions have left a lasting impact on both literature and philosophy.

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