Lessons in Russian History: A Personal Perspective

After briefly commenting on I. A. Il'in's (1993) periodization of Russian history, the catastrophic consequences of tsarist autocratic rule, peasants' revolts caused by oppressive serfdom, the revolutionary upheavals at the beginning of the 20th century, & the civil & two world wars on the nation's collective psyche are examined. The legacy of tsarist governments was the delay with which Russia entered modernity. The civil & world wars inflicted colossal losses on the country's population. Socialism fought religion, nationalism, & patriotism as obstacles to the world-wide spread of atheist, international communist community. It is argued that the events of the 1990s resemble the state of affairs in the country by the end of the 19th century which led to the revolutions of 1905 & 1917. This new era which promises to return Russia to the international community of modern nations cannot be itself guarantee that the Russian citizenry, society, & state will become modern only because they freed themselves from the Soviet nightmare. The country urgently needs political stability, cooperation between the government & constituency, peaceful resolution of social, political, & economic conflicts, & the populace's support for united nation as a single political community. 14 References. Z. Dubiel