The topic of the so-called special path of development of the country is one of the “evergreen” ones. But it acquires increased significance and emotional severity during periods of trouble, the need to reassess one’s historical past and choose the future. And this is exactly the period Russia is going through now. Therefore, the authors examined the topic from a variety of angles - in comparative historical terms, from the point of view of the successes and failures of different countries on the path of economic and social modernization, as a political ideologeme that legitimizes authoritarianism in the opportunistic interests of state authorities, as a psychological attitude that impedes the free development of the individual, as a map in the political struggle. A number of crossroads in Russian history are considered that determined the subsequent directions of the country's development. The idea of a certain unique historical “track” of Russia, popularized and supported by official circles, as a factor that supposedly excludes us from developing along the path of democracy and liberalism common to other successful countries, has been subjected to a variety of well-reasoned criticism. Which in fact leads to the consolidation of an archaic paternalistic type of relationship between state power and society, to the revival of repressive political practices in various areas of public life as a weapon in the struggle to retain power. The book is written in a genre that combines scientific thoroughness and versatility with popularity and ease of presentation. Therefore, it is addressed to the widest readership.