The Essential Characteristics of the Russian Nation in the Twentieth Century

Abstract

The Russian nation emerged as a distinct socio cultural system with the establishment of the Kievan or Va rangian state in the middle of the ninth century. This nation from that time to the present has remained the main group whose activities have largely determined the nature of the sub sequent character of the Russian state, culture, and historical destiny. Among the essential characteristics of the Russian nation are: its comparatively long life, enormous vitality, re markable pertinacity, outstanding willingness to sacrifice for its survival on the part of its members, and extraordinary ter ritorial, populational, political, social, and cultural growth. To these essential features, a number of additional peculiarities may be noted: racial and ethnic diversity, unity in diversity, placement of non-Russian persons at highest political and so cial positions, comparative peaceful expansion and growth, the fighting of primarily defensive wars, comparative orderliness, and high dedication of members. Like other Western nations, Russia has experienced the rise and decline of Christian phi losophy and its replacement by agnostic, materialistic, and atheistic philosophy. Since the end of the 1920's, Russia has begun to display other traits: the supplanting of rude force by the rule of law, the modification of totalitarianism in favor of economic and social democracy, the establishment of non-Rus sian nationalities as autonomous groups, the restoration of the monogamic family, gains in material well-being, cultural growth, and the moral renaissance of the Soviet people.