What is Russia? History and Culture

Who are the Russians?

Some cultural identifiers Language; Arts: literature, music, theatre, film; Ethnicity; Religion; Common history; Food and drink; Holidays.

Russians … …speak a Slavic language, closely related to Ukrainian and Belarusian …are mostly Orthodox Christians … had a largely peasant population until the 20 th century …have strong family and social traditions …have a strong attachment to “Mother Russia”

The Russian land: “Too much geography” What are the implications of the geography of Russia for the Russian state?

Imperial Russia

What is Russia? Russia situated on a vast plain in Eastern Europe – west of the Urals in Europe – spreads to the PacificRussia Vastness is difficult to control, develop economically Poor communications over a vast land Northern climate, relatively little arable land. Rivers flow north south, away from main trade flows. Rich in raw materials: oil, gas, timber, gold… Long border

Consequences of size and location Lack of clear borders encouraged expansion to create a defensive empire: the Russian Empire and then the USSR Russia absorbed non-Russian peoples Russia straddles Europe and Asia: the double vector Russian space contains “fault lines” between civilizations

Frequent invasions led to tradition of strong leader…

…who could unite the country.

A Decisive Moment in Russian History 988 The Conversion of the Eastern Slavs to the Eastern Orthodox religion. St. Vladimir

The Line through Europe Foundation of Constantinople by Constantine in 330 AD. Schism between Roman and Greek churches Fall of Constantinople to the Turks 1453 and assumption of role of “Third Rome” by Muscovy. Next page:

The Meaning of the Wall The cultural division of Europe since Roman times. Latin, later Catholic Europe centred on Rome. Greek and later Slavic speaking Orthodox Europe centred on Byzantium/Constantinople.

Culture meets Politics Mstislav Rostropovich at the Berlin Wall

Ethnic diversity in the USSR

The Collapse Soviet bloc dissolved. Berlin wall removed and Germanys united. USSR breaks up into 15 sovereign states. Russia, the largest state, goes through crisis of identity.

Russia and the “near abroad”