"When talking about Russia, they constantly imagine that they are talking about the same state as others. In fact, this is not the case at all. Russia is a special world, submissive to the will, arbitrariness, imagination of one person. Whether he is called Peter or Ivan is not the point: in all cases, it is the personification of arbitrariness," wrote Alexander Herzen, an outstanding Russian publicist, writer, public figure. He was well aware of the peculiarities of Russian life, met with the highest leaders of the state, served in state institutions, was exiled twice and, in the end, had to leave Russia. In his memoirs and articles, Herzen not only vividly described the situation in the country, but also drew deep conclusions about the Russian way of development, about the future of Russia. Many of his thoughts are relevant to this day.