Since the first world war, Russia, or USSR, and most recently The Russian federation appears to be a region that certainly presents unique features in terms of conflict, tension, resources, hegemony and ideology. Recent events with the Ukraine testify to a specific political agenda that aims to build a barrier that distinguishes the region with clear demarcation lines from Westernn Europe.Little is known about the geopolitical schools of thought of the region, especially with geopolitics more and more taught in Business schools and other university courses. Are there any reasons in your opinion why this is so?
Perhaps not as sufficiently in anglophone world. But, be assured, media might be covering it and relevant agencies might be analysing it.
This world, after cold world, became unipolar one, wherein America played important role. After Obama, now vacuum is being filled by China. China's geopolitics is important in research and down to textbooks.
It should be included, and if it were studied sufficiently, we might not find ourselves at the impasse that we are in, at the mercy of sublimely ignorant politicians in both the USA and Russia, holding the rest of the world in thrall. Queen Elizabeth Tudor was quite conscious of the Czars' influence when she founded the British East India Company at the close of the 16th century. In fact, it was originally known as the Muscovy Company. She was trying to understand Moscow, not to ignore it...or be bought by it.......
Dear Mohamed,
Thank you for the question that you shared with me. I will try to be objective. I'm not sure that modern Russian geopolitics needs some more special consideration compared to the geopolitics of other major or leading countries. The reason for this is that this policy is in fact of reflexive nature, at least for the time being. This policy is in fact a direct reflection on the disintegration of the Soviet Union, as a result of which a much weaker state was formed. However, the mentality to self-preservation of the Russian and Russian-speaking people living in modern Russia turned out to be much more stable than the mentality to self-preservation of the ruling elites (top leadership of the Communist Party) in the Soviet Union. And this steady mentality of the Russian population to self-preservation essentially dictates to the modern ruling class of Russia those rules of the game to which this population has become accustomed at least for the last 100 years that have passed since the time of the famous revolution. From this it follows that although the role of any individual politicians in the formation of a new Russia is important, but not as strong as it is often imagined in the West.
Best regards,
Vladimir
Dear Vladimir,
I consider significant the opinion of a Russian scientist in this question. However, I would welcome a more detailed approach perhaps with some simple examples. Regarding the used “self-preservation”, I cannot interpret it. So, I feel a lack or scarcity. By the way, I would like to know how Russian scientists/intelligentsia can find their place in the society and they are comfortable?
Dear András,
You in a soft form hint at your disagreement with my opinion and ask to prove it. But this is not a scientific work that must be proved, but only a private opinion. Nevertheless, I will give the most obvious simple example in favor of my opinion, namely, the mass march “immortal regiment” on May 9, which has already become traditional. As for the self-preservation of any nation, which is expressed in its mentality, in my opinion there is no subject for discussion here at all. For example, no one will argue that the mentality of Americans is different from the mentality of Europeans or say Chinese, etc., etc. Similarly, this applies to the Russian. As Bismarck said, geography is a verdict. Regarding your last question. I did not conduct a statistical survey among Russian scientists as far as they live comfortably. On the other hand, as far as I can imagine, the task of a true scientist is to produce new knowledge, and not to pursue the comfortable conditions of life. I am not sure that Galileo’s life could in principle be comfortable. Moreover, if we are talking about the intelligentsia, then it ceases to be such by definition, if it puts at the center the conditions of its comfortable existence. As for the general diagnosis, it was put by me in a well-known article: http://dx.doi.org/10.22147/jusps-B/290402
The Western powers and their geopolitical schools of thought simply ignore everyone else. Let them enjoy in their self-comforting self-isolation.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:mMqieMdD28wJ:europolity.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Vol.9.No_.1.2015_227-233.pdf+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=iq
To read about Russian geopolitics, you need to know Russian language and that you are truly interested in finding information, according to my deep conviction. There are many portals and magazines that address these issues, Reading the answers to this raised question, it seems to me that I felt the intolerant intolerance towards Russia, and the Russians as a nation, which I disapprove and disagree that they should be the place in this medium that connects the academic staff of the whole World.
Dear Anastas,
Perhaps you might like to enlighten us a bit more. German geopolitics and the works of Ratzl; Swedish geopolitics and the works of Kjellen; french geopolitical school of thought and the works of Foucher and Lacoste have all diffused ideas and principles as well as theoretical lenses through which we can grasp an understanding of gepolitics today.
Are you suggesting that russian geopolitics is inaccessible? is there something inherently different in the russian language that inhibits our understanding of geopolitics ? I would really appreciate your input on these questions. Many thanks in advance.
It is impossible to understand Russia, using mind.
The common measuring means aren't suitable for Russia.
Russia has special force.
It is possible only to believe to Russia.
Умом Россию не понять, Аршином общим не измерить: У ней особенная стать – В Россию можно только верить.
(Федор Иванович Тютчев)
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