The book describes the life path and activities of the outstanding Russian scientist, business executive, thinker and publicist Alexander Nikolaevich Engelhardt. Unlike other works on this topic, usually devoted to the details of his biography and analysis of his book “From the Village,” in this work the thoughts of A.N. Engelhardt about the development paths and historical mission of Russia and about the fundamental values of human life, his ideas about the rational distribution of productive forces throughout the country, the cosmic nature and optimal methods of management from the state and national points of view, the type of economy that will inevitably replace the market one, about the role of the intelligentsia in society and the type of public intellectual. The book is intended for a wide range of readers.