Assignment 3

The Drama of Russian Political Histori.

Why I choose this book?

I come from Ukraine. During all history the Ukrainian people were struggling and suffering from cruel irrational Russian political influence[1]. I am not negative to Russian people; vice versa I have a very close friend in Sweden from Russia. Sometimes we are speaking about the situation in our countries. In Russia the life was always difficult for people: political press and prohibition are the reality of their daily life. Why the life conditions are difficult and sometimes terrible in such rich country as Russia? Why people in Russian prefer the strong despotic and antihuman leader instead of rational consequent one with high moral values? The book “Drama of Russian Political History” is giving a scientific explanation about the basic values of Russian people as a nation.

Alexander V. Obolonsky, the author of this book, is analyzing Russian history from Kievan Rus[2] times, collapse of the Soviet Union and Vladimir Putin time. The book was published in 2003 in USA in English language. A. Obolonsky holds a law degree and doctorate in law and politics. He is working since 1972 in the Institute of Russian Academy of Science.

According to Ph.D Obolonsky the biggest problem is hidden in system-centred mentality, vs person-centred way of thinking. I absolutely agree with the author. In Russia individualism is denied, the idea of personality is neglected, the most important are the interest of society, but society is represented of special class, political party or even the group of people in power who “know better the needs of society”, said Mr. Obolonsky sarcastically. Under slogan “for the best of society” century after century is Russia steered by despotic leader. I can add that Russian people as nationality are very conservative in their “system-centred mentality”, that’s why I can explain the nostalgia about Soviet time and before the nostalgia about Russia as a Kingdom.

Another interesting fact is the preference of Russian people the dictator style of leading instead of human. Some of dictators in Russia were Peter I or Peter the Great and Stalin. I want to mention Putin. Because he decided to hide the history about the submarine Kursk and let the sailors to die because military secrets of the country are prioritise instead of the life of people. Obolonsky is writing that gentle leader in Russia is considered as enemy. As example Obolonsky take the Muscovite Tsar Dmitry, who had a significant feature of individual oriented leader: “addressed people simply and courteously…he avoided cruelty…personally trained the soldiers”. Do you know what happened with him? He was proclaimed as False Dmitry and killed. The leaders in Russia who had high human qualities both during empire time Tsarism and Communism were proclaimed as enemy. And opposite the leaders who “as empire (about Peter I) had neither moral nor political restraints, and lacked the most elementary political and social principles” are still popular in Russian.

During one of my discussion about Russian mentality I received comments that the whole Europe in 16 - 17 century had the despotic leaders. But I want to notice: the new leaders as Stalin repeat what was doing before him by Peter I. Obolonsky compared these two leaders. History has spiral development and I will not be surprise if Putin will put his candidature for the next president election in Russia.

After analysing the East European history Obolonsky point several factors which are crucial for the future of the Russia. I want to repeat two of them as conclusion of my reflection of this book. First is conservatism. Personal responsibility instead of collective responsibility are still new thinking for Russia, the leading group in Russia is still system oriented and person oriented policy is still not popular among majority of population in Russia. The second one is Russian nationalism. In Russian the blame for trouble put government or people often to the strangers and foreign influence instead “of looking in the own mirror”.

The book is difficult to read, it has scientific language, but I think it is grate book for those who are looking for answers and explanation of political events in East Europe and Russia.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodomor
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kievan_Rus'