The problem of Russia - excessive imperial pride.

The problem of Russia - excessive imperial pride.
 
24.08 13:33 MIGnews.com

So says Richard Pipes, a famous historian, Professor Emeritus at Harvard University, who in the 1980's was a member of the National Security Council in the government of Ronald Reagan.

Below we provide the text of his article http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...790418994.html, published Aug. 24 in The Wall Street Journal.

Russia is obsessed with order to be recognized as "great power". This desire came over her in the XVII century after the conquest of Siberia, and especially after the victory in the Great Patriotic War and the success associated with the flight of the first man in space.

In fact, nothing is to pretend that you acknowledge its claim to such a high status, as well as to show her respect and listen to her wishes. From this point of view, the recent comments of the Vice-President Joe Biden over Russia in a newspaper interviews were irresponsible and harmful. "Russia must make some very difficult and costed solutions", - he said. - Because its population is falling, the economy languishes, and the banking sector is unlikely to survive in the next 15 years. "

These comments are inaccurate, but such a public statement serves no other purpose than to humiliate Russia. Trends that are listed vice-president is likely to make Russia more open to cooperation with the West, says Biden. It is important to note that when U.S. Secretary of State tried to quickly recover damages Biden's words, "Izvestia, a leading newspaper, is proud to announce the title" Hillary Clinton acknowledges Russia a great power. "

Russia's influence in world affairs in no way connected with its economic power or cultural development, but only with its unique geopolitical location. She - not only the world's largest country with the longest border in the world, it dominates in the Eurasian space, directly in contact with the three main regions: Europe and the Middle and Far East.

This position allows her to take advantage of the crises that occur in the most densely populated and strategic areas of the globe. For this reason it is and will remain a major player in world politics.

Public opinion polls show that most Russians are nostalgic for the Soviet Union collapsed and are nostalgic for Stalin. Of course, they are not bored by the repression that occurred under communism, not a miserable living conditions, but on the status of their country as a force to be reckoned with, which is respected and feared. In the present context is the easiest way to achieve this goal - say "no" undisputed superpower, the United States of America. This explains their refusal to deal more effectively with Iran, or their outrage over the proposal to establish the elements of American missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Their media are happy to report any negative news about the United States, and especially the dollar, which, according to their predictions, will soon go down completely (and this despite the fact that their central bank holds U.S. securities valued at 120 billion dollars, representing 30%of all foreign exchange reserves).

One unfortunate consequence of possession status of "great power" is that it leads to the fact that Russian ignore internal conditions in their country. But this is where it is still much to be done. To begin: in economics. Russia's aggression against Georgia had cost her dearly in terms of capital outflows. Due to the drop in world energy prices, which constitute about 70%of exports, this is the export in the first half of 2009 decreased by 47%. The stock market, which experienced a catastrophic decline in 2008, restored and maintained the stability of the ruble, but foreign exchange reserves are melting, and the future does not look promising. Recent statistics indicate that Russia's GDP this year will fall to 7%. That is what prompted President Dmitry Medvedev, require a major restructuring of Russia's economy and end its dependence on energy exports. "Russia should move forward," - he said at a meeting with leaders of parliamentary parties - but this movement yet. We are playing for time, and it clearly demonstrated the crisis ... as soon as the crisis happened, we collapsed. And we have crashed more than many other countries. "

One of the main obstacles to doing business in Russia is total corruption. Since the government plays a huge role in the economy, controlling some of its most important sectors thereof, there is little that can be done without bribing officials. A recent study conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, showed clearly that the average size of bribes this year increased nearly threefold compared with the previous year, it is now more than 27,000 rubles, or almost 1,000 dollars. What's worse: the company can not rely on the courts in resolving their claims and disputes, and only in extreme cases, resort to arbitration.

The political situation may seem to foreigners, brought up on Western values, incomprehensible. Democratic institutions, although not completely suppressed, play a minor role in the conduct of affairs established by the leading ideologist of the regime as "sovereign democracy". In fact, President Medvedev has publicly stated its opposition to the "parliamentary democracy" on the grounds that it would destroy Russia.

One of the only party - United Russia - virtually monopolizing power with the support of the Communists and several smaller satellites. Parliamentary institutions are taking all the bills submitted by the Government. Television - the main source of news for the vast majority of the country - monopolized by the state. Single station and several newspapers with small print runs are able to freely express their opinions, the freedom given to them in order to silence the dissident intellectuals. Nevertheless, the population as a whole, it seems, does not see and pay attention to this political arrangement - their tacit consent is contrary to Western belief that all people yearn for the right to choose and direct the activities of their government.

The solution to this puzzle lies in the fact that during the 1000-year history of statehood, the Russian almost never had the opportunity to elect their government or to influence his actions. As a result, they became completely depoliticized. They do not see what a positive impact government can have on their lives: they believe that they themselves must take care of himself. Yes, they are willing to accept social services, if they are offered, as it was under Soviet rule, but they did not expect. They are unlikely to feel themselves as citizens of a great country, but confine their attention to their closest relatives and friends, as well as the area where they live. From opinion polls is clear: they think democracy throughout the world of pure fiction, and that all governments are run by crooks, who use their positions for personal enrichment. All they require from the authorities - is to maintain order. When asked what is more important to them, "order" or "freedom", the inhabitants of Voronezh region overwhelmingly in favor of "order". Moreover, they associate political freedom, ie democracy with anarchy and crime. This explains why the general population, except for well-educated urban minority, does not express concern about the repression of their political rights.

One aspect of the syndrome of "great power" is imperialism. In 1991, Russia lost its empire, the last one remaining in the world, as all its colonies, previously disguised under the guise of "union republics", which became sovereign states. This imperial collapse was a painful experience, to the consequences of which the majority of Russians still can not get used.

The reason for this lies in history. England, France, Spain and other European imperial powers created their empire abroad and did so only after the establishment of a national state. As a result, they are never confused their imperial possessions in the metropolis. Thus, the separation of the colonies they suffered relatively simple. Entirely different has happened with Russia. Here the conquest of the empire took place simultaneously with the formation of the national state. In addition, there was no ocean separating him from the colonies. As a result of the collapse of the empire caused confusion in the Russian sense of national identity. They have great difficulty acknowledged that Ukraine, the historic cradle of their nation, is now a sovereign republic, and even the dream of the day, when she reunited with Mother Russia.

A little less difficult for them to recognize the sovereign status of Georgia, a small state, which was a part of Russia a little over two centuries. Imperial complex has a significant impact on Russia's foreign policy.

These imperial ambitions were given new expression in the law, which President Medvedev presented to Parliament in mid-August. It is now reviewed the existing law on the defense, which allowed Russia's military to act only in the case of external aggression. The new law will allow them to operate well, "to avoid or prevent aggression against another State" and "to protect the citizens of Russia abroad." It is easy to see how conflicts can be triggered under this law, which would allow Russia's troops to intervene in matters beyond its borders.

How can we deal with such complex and weighty neighbor, who may do a lot of trouble if it becomes really violent? It seems to me that foreign powers should deal with Russia on two different levels: one to take into account her feelings on the other - to respond to her aggressiveness.

We are right when they strongly oppose the fact that Russia considered its former colonial possessions, not as sovereign states, as well as associated countries that are in the privileged zone of influence. Despite this, we must take into account its sensitivity to the advancement of Western armed forces are too close to its borders. Government of Russia and the majority of its citizens consider NATO a hostile alliance. Consequently, we must be extremely cautious and avoid any actions creating the impression that we are supposedly trying to military action "encircle" Russia.
In the end, we Americans, with our Monroe Doctrine and the violent reactions to the penetration of Russian troops in Cuba or any other region of the Americas, to be well understood Moscow's reaction to the initiative of NATO, along its borders. This should be a distinction between the mild-mannered and harsh realities of politics. We must not give in to Russia in its relation to the "near abroad", as their satellites, and we acted correctly in opposing last year's invasion of Georgia. We should not allow Moscow had the opportunity to veto the planned installation of parts of our missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, and guided solely by the consent of their governments to protect us from future Iranian threat. These interceptors and radars do not represent the slightest threat to Russia, as it has publicly confirmed Russia's General Vladimir Dvorkin, who has long served in strategic forces. The only reason for Moscow's objection is that it considers Poland and the Czech Republic country located in the "sphere of influence."


Today, Russians are confused: they are absolutely not know who they are and where they are. They - not the Europeans: it is confirmed by opinion polls conducted among Russian citizens. The question "Do you consider yourself European?" Majority - 56%- answered "almost never". But as Asians, and they clearly are not, they are both in the psychological state of limbo, isolated from the rest of the world and decide what kinds of model to adopt for themselves. They are trying to overcome this confusion by harsh statements and rigorous action. For this reason, the Western powers should have the patience to persuade the Russians that they belong to the West, and they should adopt Western institutions and values: democracy, a multiparty system, the rule of law, freedom of speech and press, respect for private property. It will be a painful process, especially if Russia's government refuses to cooperate. However, in the long run is the only way to curb the aggression of Russia and integrate it into the world community.

http://www.mignews.com/print/240809_132711_21943.html