foi sociale

11:32 Jan 29, 2018 

Thanks for the insightful discussion, it clarified a lot for me by providing more context than I originally had!

14:52 Jan 27, 2018 

Sure, why not? But it isn't here, so that is beyond the realm of this translation. It would appear that if anything the author would define the period's zeitgeist as reactionary.

13:03 Jan 27, 2018 

@ David Vaughn

Socialism can define a period of time's zeitgeist. Please read E. Hobsbawn and his history of fascism and communism.

04:11 Jan 27, 2018 

In 1924, even more than today, this reference to "foi sociale" is a fairly transparent reference to socialism. The original readers of this text (as we should be) were clearly aware that the author's perspective (shown in part by quoting Tolstoy in a favorable light) is socialist, even communist. The translation itself doesn't need to include this fact, but it must be informed by it.

04:01 Jan 27, 2018 

I think your instinct is right, foi must be translated in the same way in both cases. Foi commune is most likely referencing religious faith, "the opiate of the people", which Marxists like Tolstoy thought needed to be replaced.

01:39 Jan 27, 2018 

There is a German concept adopted by the English language, zeitgeist (the mind/soul of the time), which means all the cultural and ideological features of a period of time.

To apply it to a society, it is necessary to talk about a social zeitgeist.

18:52 Jan 26, 2018 

In my opinion, "l’assurance que nous sommes à la source même de tout un système de création artistique, harmonieux, complet et sincère. (...)" indicates the artists' awareness of themselves as a creative group or movement, having a "shared credo", a "shared set of principles".