The article deals with the important contradictions in the scientific heritage of the Russian-American social theorist Pitirim Sorokin. The article focuses on the theory and practice of revolution, described in the «Sociology of revolution» P. Sorokin. The author traces the evolution of sociologist's views on the problem of revolutionary transformations. For a better understanding of the evolution of Sorokin's ideas, his fantastic novel «The forerunner» («Laundry of human souls») is attracted. The problem of connection of Pitirim Sorokin's approach with other theories of revolution is considered. The sociology of the Sorokin revolution is associated with its theory of vertical mobility and problems of socio-cultural dynamics. The relevance urgency of Sorokin's ideas for modern Russia is emphasized.
Russia; revolution; Pitirim Sorokin; crisis; political regime; communist dictatorship; disintegration of the state; hunger; social mobility; socio-cultural dynamics; utopia; tabula rasa.