Volume 16, Issue 71 , November 2011, , Pages 133-162
Abstract
Sorrow resulting from the loss of Tsarist and Soviet greatness can be one of few sharing points among active spectra in the socio-political trends of the post Soviet Russia. The feeling ...
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Sorrow resulting from the loss of Tsarist and Soviet greatness can be one of few sharing points among active spectra in the socio-political trends of the post Soviet Russia. The feeling noticeable in the ideal form of transforming Russia into a "great power" is based on a variety of material and spiritual elements of Russia's past, present and future and is a considerable factor for creating domestic cohesion in its society of unbridled identity. The thinking is also influenced by Russian elite and people belief of Westphalian nature of international system as an independent and distinct identity too. Efforts in 1990s to achieve this ideal failed due to the lack of necessary resources and ideological approaches, nevertheless, adopting a pragmatic one Putin and Medvedev were relatively successful in realizing some "hard" aspects of this purpose. However, a mere looking "from above", disregarding factors of soft power and the continuing echo of traditional approach to some areas, including near-abroad were main causes of not fully realization of this idea.
