Zubov Andrei

RUSSIA: HISTORY CONTINUES?

Fully agreeing with R.Pipes in that Russia is a misdeveloped rather than weakly developed nation, A.Zubov contemplates about the sources that the disease of our society originates from and possible ways of its treatment. He posits that the roots of Russia’s misdevelopment dates back to the historical events, as deeply as 15^th century, when after having exiled the Greek metropolitan Isidore and declared independence from Constantinople, the Russian Church automatically isolated itself from the rest of the Christian world. According to the author, the second “Russian mistake” that flows from the first one is having transformed the East Russian political system from the Medieval civil monarchy into the East tyranny. Pointing out several attempts throughout the Russian history to overcome national development distortions, Zubov suggests that today we might have a real chance to wander off the beaten path. According to his conclusion, this might be possible if the ruling elite will start to participate in the process of democratization and legal egalitarization of the society realizing that its own survival depends on this.

DOI: 10.30570/2078-5089-2011-62-3-22-33

Checking out of the diagnosis. Reflection on the book by Thomas Graham “Russia’s decline and doubtful recovery”.

The author focuses on the causes of the decline of Russia and the prospects of its revival. The article is written as polemics with an American researcher Thomas Graham. A. Zubov consistently analyzes and challenges Graham’s position on the time of the beginning of the decline and the synonymy of the tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union. The author proves that pre-bolshevik Russia was a different country, it was normal for its time although a bit lagging behind in the development of social relations and national economy. The current situation in Russia is the price to pay for the way of violent redistribution of power and property once chosen.

DOI: 10.30570/2078-5089-2003-28-1-52-79

Pages: 52-79

Geopolitical vision of the world and the new Russian self-identity

This analytical article is based on the surveys of the Public Opinion Fund regarding different countries. The author researches a wide scope of issues in a very detailed way.

The starting point of the research is the data on the knowledge of the Russian people about the outer world. According to A.Zubov, this knowledge is high enough to take seriously the assessment of foreign states level of friendliness to their country. The author follows the dynamics of the change of the Russian citizens’ attitude to the USA after September the 11-th, to the Muslim world, to Israel and to the former allies in the East block.

The author mentions that the surveys reveal the depth of the people’s historical memory. In A. Zubov’s opinion, in general, the vector of the geopolitical preferences of the population is definitely pointed to the West. However, one can feel the realistic approach in the search for optimum allies in other parts of the world as well, for example, among Asian countries.

DOI: 10.30570/2078-5089-2002-25-2-62-83

Pages: 62-83

Mission of Russian Emigration and the Future of Russia at the Beginning of the XXI Century

Unlike Central and Eastern European countries which rejected the communist legacy and dismantled the foundation of the communist arrangement Russian Federation, according to the author, did not become the successor of pre-revolutionary Russia. It adopted the republican form of governing, the federative structure of the state, the national and administrative borders and many other institutions of the USSR and the RSFSR, and thus recognized the legality of the revolution which had created them, and, consequently, the illegality of the legal order canceled by it. Russian citizens are the heirs of the Soviet era, and not Russia both in the state and the property spheres. In the author’s opinion this situation is caused by a deep cultural amnesia, the loss of moral self-evaluation, the inability to repent of the fathers' choice. That is why he believes that the Russian emigration which keep the memory and the life style of old Russia should play a leading role in the national renaissance. Inspired by paternal traditions cherished by the exiles Russia will find its way.

DOI: 10.30570/2078-5089-2000-17-3-84-92

Pages: 84-92