Russophobia - what is it: ideology, worldview or mental deviation? Yes, you are a Russophobe.

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Portal Discrimination

Russophobia- biased, suspicious, hostile attitude towards everything related to Russia and/or Russians; special case of xenophobia.

Writers and public figures about Russophobia

For the first time, the term "Russophobia" was used by the Russian poet Fyodor Tyutchev in connection with the appearance of hostility towards Russia in Europe after the suppression of the Hungarian revolution of 1849 in the Austrian Empire by the Russian troops, after which the Russian Empire began to be called the "gendarme of Europe". Tyutchev countered Russophobia with pan-Slavism.

Is it possible that even here they will not allow and will not allow the Russian organism to develop nationally, by its organic strength, but certainly impersonally, servilely imitating Europe? But what to do with the Russian organism then? Do these gentlemen understand what an organism is? Separation, "split" from their country leads to hatred, these people hate Russia, so to speak, naturally, physically: for the climate, for the fields, for the forests, for the order, for the liberation of the peasant, for Russian history, in a word, for everything, hate for everything.

The topic of Russophobia has been repeatedly raised by Russian writers, whom some authors refer to as nationalist figures - Igor Shafarevich and Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

Accusations of representatives of other nations in Russophobia can be used by Russian leaders nationalist organizations as a justification for their negative attitude towards "foreigners", "immigrants", as a slogan capable of "consolidating" the Russian nation. According to Lev Rubinstein, the word "Russophobia" has largely turned into a demagogic concept, divorced from the real content:

If by Russophobia we understand hostility towards certain persons only on the grounds that these persons are ethnically Russian, then it is clear what it is: this is exactly what fascism is (...). But the trouble is that it is in this sense that the word "Russophobia" as a rhetorical or polemical tool is used extremely rarely. As a rule, “Russophobia” refers to any form of disagreement with certain statements or actions of certain citizens or organizations that position themselves as “Russians”.

Russophobia among other ethnic phobias

Grade negative traits of one or another people is a very common phenomenon, especially during periods of conflict. For example, Germanophobia has a long history (including in Russia). There is no evidence that Russophobia stands out in any way against this background.

One of the criteria for the danger of ethnic phobia is the presence of influential political or social movements that set as their goal the destruction or expulsion of a people (see genocide). In relation to the Russians, such calls were heard in Nazi Germany (“The Russian must die so that we live”), and in the 1990s. - in separatist Ichkeria (“Russians, don’t leave, we need slaves and prostitutes,” such an inscription, lined with white stone, was located at the entrance to Grozny under Dudayev).

Varieties of Russophobia

Manifestations of Russophobia in various countries

The history of Russophobia at the level of state policy and the widespread public sentiment can be traced quite clearly from the 1840s, when the imperial anti-liberal and militaristic policy of Nicholas I, after a series of military successes, began to cause fear and be perceived by some European powers as a threat to their interests.

In some Orthodox countries, the attitude towards Russians is generally positive: in Serbia, Bulgaria, Belarus; in the first two, the history of mutual sympathy in modern times dates back to the support by society and the government of Russia of the struggle of the population of these countries against the Ottoman yoke in the 1870s. In others, the relationship is more complex and ambiguous (Ukraine, Greece, Georgia).

In Western countries nutrient medium for wary moods is the penetration of criminals from Russia (the so-called "Russian mafia").

A significant reason for Russophobic statements in the Western media are the conflicts of economic interests between Russia and the EU countries and the United States. Until now, articles appear that claim that polar bears roam the streets of Russian cities, and the peasants “weakly glow at night” from radiation.

In 2004, the international organization Gallup International (USA) conducted a worldwide survey "Voice of the People" about the attitude of the population various countries to the leading states of the world ("Big Eight"). Against the background of the other members of the G8, the most critical is the attitude of the inhabitants of the Earth towards Russia and the United States ().

The United States has the lowest popularity rating (34% of respondents have a negative attitude towards it). Russia (25%) and the UK (18%) are next. The least negative attitude is caused by Canada (8%) and Italy (11%).

The leader in the positive attitude of the public is Canada (49%). The United States received 40% of positive responses, while Russia had the lowest rate - 31%.

Russia has an unfavorable balance of positive and negative assessments in Western Europe, where it is (-12%), while the residents of Austria (-32%), the Czech Republic (-27%), France (-23%), Germany ( -21%) and Norway (-19%). The most favorable attitude towards Russia is in Greece (+13%) and Iceland (+15%).

The most significant predominance of negative assessments of Russia is characteristic of the Middle East (-37%). 41% of the inhabitants of Egypt and 57% of the inhabitants of Turkey have a negative attitude towards Russia - it is characteristic that these two countries are among the main directions of Russian foreign tourism.

England

The first active propagandist of anti-Russian views (which concerned both the policy of the government and the Russians themselves) in England was General Sir Robert Wilson, who during the War of 1812 was the official observer for the Russian army from England. Although he had the status of a non-combatant, he fought in battle on numerous occasions and earned Russian nobility from Alexander I. Returning to England, he began to actively debunk the romantic notions about the Russians, which then dominated the English society, which saw Russia as an ally in the fight against Napoleon I: he accused Russian command in complete incompetence, which allowed Napoleon with a significant part of his army to leave Russia and again sit on the throne of France, the soldiers and the population (especially women) - in extreme cruelty to prisoners, tsarism - in hatching plans to capture Constantinople and India and establish world domination. All these ideas, partly dating back to The Testament of Peter the Great, he outlined in an anonymously published book A sketch of the military and political power of Russia, in the year 1817. The ideas set forth in the book, which was a success (it was reprinted 5 times), did not then meet with wide sympathy and support.

USA

According to political scientist Andrei Tsygankov, the vast majority of the American media and representatives of the political class demonstrate an elementary misunderstanding and unwillingness to understand Russian realities. “Themes of allegedly growing tendencies towards authoritarian rule and imperialism in relation to immediate neighbors such as Georgia and Ukraine, corruption, ongoing instability in Chechnya and throughout the North Caucasus, and Russian cooperation with anti-Western regimes are constantly being discussed.” All this contributes to strengthening the image of Russia as at least unfriendly towards America. Against this background, the facts of improving the life of Russians turn out to be hardly noticeable, and most importantly, Tsygankov believes, “the trajectory itself is distorted Russian development". Instead of understanding that "Russia is somehow getting out of a situation of poverty and half-life", the society is "inspired with the idea that the country is moving in the wrong direction and that this is due to the unwillingness to follow the example of the West" .

According to Pentagon officials, for example, real threats to US security in Lately creates an intensification of Russia's intelligence activities in combination with its nuclear potential, increased combat readiness Russian army, a departure from democracy and the predominance of anti-American sentiments in the country's leadership.

Vasily Likhachev, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, believes that Russophobia has always been characteristic of a number of American ideologists:

Eastern European countries

Czech

According to Oscar Krejci, Czech political scientist, professor at the Matej Bela University in Banska Bystrica (Slovakia), main reason The negative attitude towards Russia in the Czech Republic is the fact that the modern political and cultural elite of the country belongs to a generation whose political ideas were formed under the influence of the suppression of the Prague Spring in 1968. The entry of troops of the USSR and other Warsaw Pact countries into Czechoslovakia in 1968 caused a significant decrease in the number of supporters of leftist views and a sharp drop in sympathy for the USSR among Czechs and Slovaks. For most people of this generation, today's Russia, despite the changes that have taken place since the collapse of the USSR, is still perceived with apprehension and distrust.

According to Jiří Maštalka, MEP (Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, head of the Friends of Russia group in the Parliament of the Czech Republic), after the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Czech politics became characterized by stereotypical and artificially induced fears of Russia. In particular, the majority of the ruling elite and the most influential media have a negative attitude towards everything related to former USSR, including the victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany- The liberation mission of the Soviet Army is presented solely as a path to "socialist slavery." IN social sciences geopolitical approaches were strengthened, according to which the decisive contribution of the USSR to the victory was aimed solely at promoting the imperial ambitions of Moscow.

At the same time, there is a deep disappointment of the left forces of the Czech Republic, caused by the fact that Russia has actually abandoned its former allies to their fate, making them the object of persecution by the new political elites. The distrust of the left is also associated with the presence in modern Russia of a huge gap between the poorest and richest sections of the population and serious internal problems.

According to Jiri Mashtalka, Czech society is actually deprived of contact with modern Russian culture: in the Czech Republic, mostly Russian films the first half of the 1990s. A negative attitude towards Orthodoxy is deliberately cultivated, which is presented as "backward Byzantineism, which is in direct conflict with enlightened Catholicism and Protestantism."

In the economic sphere, cooperation with Russia is seen as "a road to socio-economic backwardness, an orientation towards a low quality and standard of living."

At the same time, Jiri Mastalka notes that, as the results of a study of public opinion in the Czech Republic and Slovakia show, despite the attempts of politicians and the media to promote Russophobic sentiments, only a small part of the population of these countries believes that Russia poses a threat to the world.

However, according to polls conducted in August 2008, more than two-thirds of Czechs consider Russia a non-democratic state and 41% feel threatened by Russia. Until now, about 64% of Czechs cannot forgive Russia for the Soviet army's invasion and occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Although Czech attitudes towards Russia have been gradually improving over the past few years, the war in South Ossetia has changed this trend. .

Poland

Speaking about Russophobia in Poland, it is apparently necessary to make a distinction between Russophobia as a manifestation of the centuries-old rivalry between Russia (the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the Kingdom of Russia) and Poland (the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Commonwealth), on the one hand, and everyday Russophobia - on the another.

As early as 1974, the Polish émigré political scientist Juliusz Mieroszewski wrote in his article "The 'Polish Complex' of Russia and the Territory of the ULB", published in the French magazine Kultura, about the clash between "Polish and Russian imperialism":

Russia is an imperialist power, because it has always been one ... None of us knows what Brezhnev is thinking about and planning in the depths of his soul. However, we know from history what his predecessors thought and planned over the past two hundred years. Therefore, we conclude that Brezhnev thinks the same way as his predecessors, because "essentially nothing changes" ...

On the other hand, according to him, "for Russians, Polish imperialism is an ever-living historical trend" - "the desire to restore the Polish empire of the 16th and 17th centuries."

The arena for the clash of interests between Moscow and Warsaw is now independent, and at the time of writing the article, Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus were part of the USSR. Juliusz Meroshevsky, noting the claims among part of the Polish emigration to “Lviv and Vilna” as an integral part of the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, pointed out that “Poles are more formidable assimilators than Russians. In order for the Poles to be able to fully deploy their assimilation wings, only the appropriate conjuncture is needed, "and therefore the" Jagiellonian Idea "- the concept of Poland's eastern policy, based on the idea of ​​a federation of Poland and regions located in the area of" Polish cultural influence "-" for Lithuanians, Ukrainians and Belarusians represents the purest form of traditional Polish imperialism.”

It was the territory of Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus that for many centuries determined the form of Polish-Russian relations. The rivalry between Poland and Russia in these territories has always pursued the goal of establishing the dominance of one side or another, and not good neighborly relations. According to Meroshevsky, "it is impossible to discuss Polish-Russian relations in isolation from the territories of the ULB [Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus], since Polish-Russian relations have always been a function of the situation that prevailed in these territories in a given historical period."

This approach continues to this day, especially sharply manifested in 2004-2005. in connection with the activation of the opposition in Ukraine and Belarus.

According to him, Russian policy is a threat to Polish interests and a challenge to Polish politics:

“Russian foreign policy is thoughtful, rooted in the past and directed to the future. Its goal is the same, only the means of its realization differ. In relation to Chechnya, Russia uses cruelty and violence, in relation to Ukraine and Georgia - economic pressure, against Poland and the Baltic countries, it uses its a good relationship with France and Germany.

“There is no empire without Ukraine, and the only threat for us from the East is the exhumation of the empire. Our enemies are not the Russians and not the new, federal Russia. What threatens us from that side is precisely the idea of ​​empire, because ideas in Russia sometimes have practical consequences.

The Polish ruling elite is irritated by the unwillingness of the Russian leadership to consider Poland as an equal partner and rival, which leads to a painful desire to force Russia to reckon with Poland. Big hopes in this regard, they are assigned to the full membership of Poland in the EU and NATO, where Poland has already managed to oppose itself to the more peaceful policy of the "old Europeans" - primarily Germany and France. This was expressed, in particular, in the refusal to sign a new cooperation agreement between Russia and the EU, in countering the plans to build the North European gas pipeline along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, in providing the United States with the opportunity to deploy elements of the American national missile defense system on its territory.

The Russophobia of the Polish ruling elite is fueled by historical memories of the partitions of Poland, the policy of Russification, and the brutal suppression of national uprisings. As noted by Oleg Nemensky, an employee of the Center for Ukrainian and Belarusian Studies of Moscow State University and the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences,

“When it comes to Poland's relations with its eastern neighbors, terms are bound to appear that are alien to both modern Russian and Western political discourse. This is primarily the "politics of memory" and "historical politics". It is on them that any ideology of the Polish eastern policy is based, no matter what party it is proclaimed. The Poles speak openly about Poland's "painful sensitivity" to Russia and demand respect for their feelings.

In recent history, there have also been many events that contribute to the preservation of historical alienation between the Polish and Russian peoples - the Soviet-Polish war of 1920. , the rejection by the Soviet Union of the eastern territories of Poland in 1939, fixed by the Yalta-Potsdam agreements, the deportation of the Polish population, the Katyn tragedy, the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, the assistance of the USSR in establishing a communist regime in Poland and the subsequent inclusion of Poland in the Soviet sphere of influence. As a result of World War II, a crushing blow was dealt to the national pride of the Polish nation - defeat in the war with Germany, many years of occupation, huge human, material and territorial losses, and after all this - the position of the Soviet satellite (“ally”). Under the influence of anti-communist, nationalist propaganda, the current Polish society places a significant share of the blame for this on modern Russia. In many ways, this becomes the cause of a kind of "domestic" Russophobia.

Polish journalist Bronisław Lagowski notes that Russophobia in Poland reaches "some kind of anti-Russian insanity." Thus, the opinion was expressed in the Polish media that the storming of the Beslan school during the hostage-taking in September 2004, accompanied by a large number of victims, was a provocation by the Kremlin. A significant part of Polish society, by the way, from the very beginning provided moral support to Chechen separatism. According to Lagovsky

today's Poland poisons itself with a feeling of hatred, intended, as it were, for enemies. The anti-Russian upbringing that the Poles have been subjected to for the past sixteen years (mainly thanks to the Gazeta Wyborcza, which the rest of the media imitate) has had a strange and unexpected effect: their psychological dependence on Russia has become as deep as ever.

Amir Gismatullin, businessman and independent expert, consultant on public relations Russia with new EU member states (Poland and Czech Republic), believes:

“Russophobia develops among Poles mainly in the process school education and under the influence of the mass media, which constantly support the theme of Russia's guilt towards the Poles for centuries, mix facts with speculation and label Russians. This creates either a sacrificial or heroic image of Poland.”

Another aggravation of Russian-Polish relations occurred in early August 2005, when in Warsaw three children of Russian diplomats were beaten and robbed by a group of Polish teenagers, and in Moscow two employees of the Polish embassy and a Polish journalist were beaten by Russian hooligans. . Five Polish teenage hooligans were quickly arrested and put on trial. Russian hooligans were not found. Experts noted the “mirror-like” nature of the beatings and the fact that the principle of “an eye for an eye” is decisive for the special services; the Poles themselves - the victims of the beatings - noted that the attacks followed the same scenario and were apparently carried out by one group; they accurately predicted that the organizers would not be found. The incident was regarded by the Russian media as a clear manifestation of Russophobia.

the Baltics

Anti-Russian sentiments in the Baltic countries, which had existed latently since the time of the accession of the Baltic states to the USSR in , splashed out with the collapse of the USSR and became dominant.

The most acute problem in relations between Russia and the Baltic countries is the recognition or non-recognition of the fact of the annexation and occupation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union in -. The unsettledness of this issue for many years did not allow to resolve the issue of state borders between Latvia and Estonia, on the one hand, and Russia.

An unhealed wound in the modern Baltic states is the memory of the Stalinist deportations of tens of thousands local residents on the eve of the Great Patriotic War and after its end. After gaining independence in the Baltic States, several trials were organized against former employees of the Soviet state security agencies, party and Soviet workers, Soviet partisans who were accused of crimes against civilians in the 1940s.

In Russia, in turn, they are constantly reminded of how Waffen SS divisions were formed in Latvia and Estonia during the Great Patriotic War, as well as police battalions that fought on the Soviet-German front and took an active part in punitive actions against the civilian population. Immediately after the return of the Red Army, an active anti-Soviet partisan movement unfolded on the territory of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which was finally suppressed only by the mid-x. Nowadays, the participation of former Baltic collaborators (“fighters for independence from the USSR”) in actions against the Red Army is glorified and glorified, while the merits of the Red Army in expelling the German occupiers from the Baltic states are belittled and denigrated. Under the slogans of cleansing from the Soviet past, monuments to fallen Soviet soldiers are being transferred (see, for example, Bronze Soldier).

Related to the problem of “annexation” and “occupation” are questions about the situation of the Russian-speaking minority in the Baltic States, including the lack of progress in the field of naturalization (according to Russian data, so far 450-480 thousand inhabitants of Latvia and 160 thousand inhabitants of Estonia are classified as persons without citizenship). Only Lithuania accepted the so-called "zero option", automatically granting their citizenship to all citizens of the USSR who lived on its territory at the time of independence.

Russophobic attitudes of the official authorities of the Baltic states are expressed, in particular, in the creation of language and legal barriers for ethnic Russians, as well as in restricting access to the labor market and the right to receive higher education.

In 2005, experts from the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences conducted a sociological study of the ethnopolitical situation in Latvia, which demonstrated the presence of deep Russophobia in Latvian society, manifested in mass stereotypes, media activities and public policy. .

In Lithuania, hostility towards the eastern neighbor is manifested in the rejection of large Russian investments. Every time representatives of moderate center-left forces come to power, mass warnings about the threat of aggression from the east appear in the local media, articles with compromising materials against Lithuanian politicians “bought” with KGB money, etc.

Ukraine

Manifestations of Russophobia at various levels

The above facts are only a small fraction of what is actually happening with the “erosion” of the Russian language in Ukraine, which is the object of severe and massive administrative pressure. These include measures to oust the Russian language from television and radio broadcasts, Ukrainize film distribution, transfer the higher education system into Ukrainian, and reduce the import of Russian books.

Batko Bandera come before us, gay!

Win for Ukraine, lead us, gay! Will Ukraine be free, will be independent! Gay Muscovites on knives, on knives! Do not cry, old mother, becoming a hero! Vin for Ukraine bowed his head. The flow of the river Tisa, in the city of Moscow blood. We beat the Muscovites, we will beat again!

Finland

At a seminar on Russophobia in Joensuu, researcher Pentti Stranius stated that Russophobia in the Finnish media is overflowing. In practice, this manifests itself in the fact that almost every Russian living in Finland can experience Russophobia on himself, says researcher Olga Davydova from Petrozavodsk, who works at the University of Joensuu.

The editors of the Focus Magazine, which for the first time touched upon the problem of Russophobia in this country, were subjected to a flurry of criticism and accusations of pro-Kremlin orientation. The Tourism Development Center and the Finnish embassy announced their refusal to cooperate with this magazine.

Russophobia in Russia

Fyodor Tyutchev, after the abolition of serfdom, found among the Russian intelligentsia in "double standards" in relation to his country and Europe:

This is Russophobia of some Russian people - by the way, very revered. They used to tell us, and they really thought so, that in Russia they hate the lack of rights, the lack of freedom of the press, etc., etc., because it is precisely because they love Europe so dearly that it undoubtedly everything that is not in Russia. And what do we see now? To the extent that Russia, striving for greater freedom, asserts itself more and more, these gentlemen's dislike for her only intensifies. And on the contrary, we see that no violations in the field of justice, morality, and even civilization, which are allowed in Europe, have in no way lessened the predilection for it. In a word, in the phenomenon that I have in mind, there can be no talk of principles as such, only instincts operate here, and it is precisely in the nature of these instincts that one should understand.

Russophobia in fiction and poetry

To tell the truth, I was reluctant to meet Russians abroad. I even recognized them from a distance by their walk, the tailoring of their dresses, and most importantly, by their facial expressions. Self-satisfied and contemptuous, often imperious, it suddenly gave way to an expression of caution and timidity... The man suddenly became alert all over, his eyes darted around restlessly... “My fathers! didn’t I lie, didn’t they laugh at me, ”this hurried look seemed to say ... A moment passed - and the grandeur of the physiognomy was restored again, occasionally alternating with dull bewilderment. Yes, I avoided the Russians, but I liked Gagin immediately.

The old hosts gathered in the square and, squatting, discussed their situation. Nobody spoke about hatred of Russians. The feeling experienced by all Chechens, young and old, was stronger than hatred. It was not hatred, but the non-recognition of these Russian dogs by people and such disgust, disgust and bewilderment at the ridiculous cruelty of these creatures that the desire to exterminate them, like the desire to exterminate rats, poisonous spiders and wolves, was the same natural feeling as the feeling of self-preservation.

Quotes

Since we still had a lot of time at our disposal, we walked around the neighboring village. The Russian village is so terrible that one can understand the communists who burn it as soon as they persuade the inhabitants to join the collective farm and live like a human being. The British, accustomed to beauty and comfort rural life would have done it much sooner. Imagine a dog kennel, like in Brobdingnag, made of rough, dark, unpainted wood. In such a kennel the Russian peasant huddles. Inside is a bulky open closet that emits a stale smell, and a stove on which to sleep when it's cold. A lot of furniture is not kept in the hut so that there is room for livestock, with the help of which the peasant cultivates his piece of land. If you are well dressed, then the owner will bow low to you - repeatedly and earnestly. If you condescend to talk with him, he will grab your hand, run it over his bushy beard and begin to shower with kisses, while saying all sorts of affectionate words. It is very possible that such a peasant will seem to you more attractive than a clean-shaven collective-farm machine operator, but it is quite obvious that the Soviet government is acting in the interests of civilization when it burns down the hut and “liquidates” him.

The mass ideology of this country has always been a cult own strength and vastness, and the main theme of her cultural minority was the description of her weakness and alienation, a vivid example of which is Russian literature. Her Slavic state alternately created by the Scandinavians, Byzantines, Tatars, Germans and Jews - and alternately destroyed their creators. It betrayed all its allies as soon as it saw the slightest advantage in this, never taking any agreements seriously and never having anything in common with anyone.

• Valeria Novodvorskaya, Russian ultra-liberal politician:

I absolutely cannot imagine how one can love a Russian for his laziness, for his lies, for his poverty, for his spinelessness, for his slavery. But this may not be all of his qualities.

• Boris Stomakhin, Russian dissident sentenced to 5 years in prison for inciting ethnic hatred towards Russians:

The Jewry of Russia must take up arms - a bomb, a pistol, a Kalashnikov, finally! - to protect themselves from the Russian-Nazi scum and anti-Semitic trash that the country is populated with. Jews need nothing less than their own Jewish Shamil Basayev! [regarding the Koptsev case]

• Kokh, Alfred Reingoldovich (former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, former head of the State Property Committee of Russia) in an interview with journalist Alexander Minkin:

Journalist:- But to trade with Russia, with huge country where there is a huge need to buy, buy, buy… Alfred Koch:- In order to buy, you need to have money. Russians can't earn anything, so they can't buy anything.

They admire themselves so much, they still admire their ballet and their classical literature XIX century, that they are no longer able to do anything new.

• Nukhaev, Khozh-Akhmed Tashtamirovich, Chechen criminal authority, Deputy Prime Minister of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev's government:

• Kadyrov, Akhmat Abdulkhamidovich former mufti of Chechnya in 1994-2000, leader Chechen Republic in 2000-2004, calling for jihad, he declared:

Each Chechen must kill 150 Russians, and then the war in Chechnya will stop!

see also

Literature

• Platon Lukashevich. Reasons for the hatred of the British towards the Slavic peoples. Kyiv: Printing house of K. N. Milevsky. 1877
• "Revision" of national history. "Russian News". Mikhail BARANOV, Dmitry ZHANTIEV, February 22, 2007 http://www.inosmi.ru/print/233012.html
• WISNEWSKI Edward. RUSSIA IN POLISH TEXTBOOKS OF HISTORY. http://www.historia.ru/2004/01/poland.htm

Notes

1. http://www.amursu.ru/vestnik/7/15_7_99.html
2. http://news.account.spb.ru/politics/32335/
3. http://www.charter97.org/bel/news/2006/11/03/ru
4. THE BIG CAUCASIAN DEAD END. Yuri Soshin. Information and analytical magazine "Fact" #23 http://www.fact.ru/www/arhiv23bez-2.htm
5. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/rod_liddle/article2199176.ece
6. Peter Hopkirk. The Great Game. New York, 1994, pp. 59-62.
7. Functional Russophobia
8. Letters from Queen Victoria to Alexander III
9. Educated by a poet, brought up by the Lyashenko Palace Leonid Mikhailovich. Alexander II, or the story of three loneliness.
10. Russia. By D. Mackenzie Wallace. 2 vol, London (Cassel et Co), 1877.
11. Moscow News. 1877, January 12, No. 9, p. 5.
12. Wallace Mackenzie. Russia. T. I., St. Petersburg, 1880.
13. http://www.rambler.ru/news/world/0/9815403.html Features of American "Russophobia": layouts and trends
14. http://www.rambler.ru/news/politics/army/9823832.html Americans are frightened by the successes of the Russian army

IN last years, due to the overall stress political environment in the world, especially against the backdrop of all kinds of insinuations of the West in relation to Russia, in various media, from the lips of politicians, cultural figures and even ordinary citizens, the word “Russophobia” is increasingly heard. In order to figure out whether it really is so massive, you first need to answer the question of what Russophobia is, the definition and meaning of this term also need to be deciphered.

What is Russophobia and how it happens

The word itself comes from "ruso" (referring to Russian) and the Greek "phobos" (fear) and denotes rejection, bias, suspicion, and often hatred and aggression towards everything Russian and Russia in particular. Russophobia is one of the directions of ethnophobia (Greek "ethnos" - "people"). And also it is one of the manifestations of xenophobia (Greek "xenos" - "alien"). However, it is Russophobia that is a whole ideology with its own structure, concept, history of development and other characteristic manifestations. It should be divided into grassroots and elite. The first is of a mass nature, which means that it is the people of this or that country who, for the most part, fear and despise everything Russian. The second is political, comes from the highest echelons of power that govern the country and shape the position of the state on the world stage.

Background

The roots of the problem go back to the deep past, at least in the 16th century, when Europeans began to discover Russia for themselves. To many of them, Russia seemed wild, unacceptable, they were horrified by the customs, way of life and way of the Russian people, the Russian people turned out to be incomprehensible and mysterious. Russia was unlike the Europe they were accustomed to, and people are often frightened by what they cannot understand. These were only the beginnings of Russophobia, which had a non-systemic character. As a result of active propaganda, Russophobia began to spread to the Polish and Lithuanian states, since an active struggle was waged between them and the Moscow state for the lands of Rus'. Religious differences were also one of the reasons. The end of the XVIII - beginning of the XIX century is the time of the formation of Russophobia as a system. The concept itself was first introduced by Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev as an opposition to pan-Slavism.

The West as the founder of the problem

As for Europe, for example, in France, Russophobia is a consequence of the failure of the Napoleonic campaign. It was in 1815 that Russophobic sentiments began to spread actively there, since European countries accustomed that their culture and development are reference. France managed to conquer more than half of Europe, and then it was defeated by some wild and dense Russians. Germany during the reign of Hitler was massively seized by Russophobia, and not only. "The Russian must die" was the slogan of the Nazis. And although many years have passed, Russophobia, once settled in society, is very difficult to eradicate, especially since the United States continues to cultivate it, both on its own continent and spreading its influence to Europe. It is no longer a secret to anyone that for the United States, Russophobia is not a misunderstanding of the Russian soul, but a well-thought-out tactic to denigrate Russia in the eyes, since it is precisely this that is a direct threat to the unipolar world order that they have established and accustomed to. On this moment The USA is actively imposing political Russophobia all over the world, but they are doing it most actively in Europe and the countries of the former USSR.

Quite clearly, Russophobic sentiments are expressed in the Czech Republic. It is believed that this is a consequence of the very aggressive suppression of the so-called "Prague Spring" by the USSR in the late 1960s. Now many direct participants in those events have come to power. In Georgia, after 2003 and the coming to power of the pro-American oppositionists, there was also an assertion of Russophobia, which had already taken place for two centuries. In Poland, Russophobia has been an integral part of politics and society for many centuries. Perhaps, Poland is one of the few countries where Russophobic tendencies prevail in both manifestations - both in mass and in political. After the collapse of the Union, the official authorities of the Baltic states began to pursue a very tough Russophobic policy. Russian people in these countries began to be perceived as second class. The complete suppression of the Russian language, all condemnation of Russia's actions, and even support and sympathy for terrorists during the Chechen war are just some of the clear examples of the often extreme policies of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Russophobia in Ukraine

In all post-Soviet republics, after the collapse of the Union, they began to actively revive and cultivate national consciousness. Almost all former republics tried to distance themselves from Russia. But it was in Ukraine that this process was very active, it accelerated especially after Viktor Yushchenko came to power. Again, as in the case of Georgia, this happened after, and in the same way, oppositionists aimed at the States and opponents of Russia came to power. History was being rewritten, starting with the Principality of Moscow, Ukraine was oppressed by the terrible Russians. A whole generation of Russophobes has grown up on altered history and substituted values. The result was Maidan and a bloody coup in early 2014. In this regard, a historic event took place - the return of Crimea to Russia. And two regions of Donbass demanded federalization from Kyiv and proclaimed themselves republics. From that moment in Ukraine, the attitude towards the Russians not only deteriorated, they were hated, Russia was accused of attacking an independent country. In the country that defeated fascism, he was reborn. Russophobia has risen to the level of national pride. And this is despite the fact that more than half of the country speaks Russian, and about 25% of citizens consider themselves Russians. A huge influence on the consciousness of the people is exerted by the media, which expose Russia as an aggressor, propagandize hatred for everything Russian.

Enemy within the country

Unfortunately, the problem also exists in Russia itself, and its roots go back to pre-revolutionary times. Back in the 19th century, a considerable number of Russian and Russian intelligentsia were distinguished by Russophobic sentiments, were oriented towards Europe and hated everything truly Russian. IN modern realities the so-called Russian Russophobic elite was nicknamed the “fifth column”. Unfortunately, this “fifth column” has taken deep roots in society, both politically and cultural life countries.

How to fight

Against the backdrop of a nationwide patriotic upsurge, the fight against Russophobia has become very important aspect last time. And at all levels: within the country and in the global space. A very tough information war is now being waged against Russia. Due to the fact that the Russian people, their way of life and customs are still a mystery to foreigners, it is important intercultural interaction. It is necessary not to close oneself from other countries and cultures, but to carry out educational activities, conveying to ordinary people other states the truth about the essence of the Russians and their country. As a result, it is especially relevant to report the truth about what is happening, which breaks the lies of the Western media about Russian aggression. In view of the inveterate Western racism, it is believed that it is almost impossible to completely overcome Russophobia, but it is worth studying its dynamics and developing forms of influence on its manifestations.

There are many phobias in the world. Some of them are absurd, while others are quite rational. Modern society knows firsthand what Russophobia is. This pretty actual problem in the light of recent events.

Russophobia is known firsthand to modern society

Russophobia occupies one of the leading positions among fears. People suffering from this form of phobia have a sharply negative reaction to the object of their fear. Against this background, there are many conflicts in the world, and even wars are unleashed.

What is Russophobia

We are used to the fact that a phobia is associated with fear and panic, but some fears cause completely opposite feelings in a person. He does not try to avoid meeting the object of his fear, but shows open aggression towards him. One such phobia is xenophobia. This is a sharply negative attitude towards something unknown, poorly known, it causes outbreaks of aggression and hatred towards the object of the phobia.

Russophobia is one of the manifestations of xenophobia. The history of this fear is rooted in history. Some scientists consider it a kind of ethnophobia.

Russophobia is expressed by aggression, hostility, hostility and suspicion towards Russians, it is based on the most ordinary fear.

History of Russophobia

Russophobia originates in the 16th century. In those days, scientists, politicians and writers of Lithuania and Poland promoted dislike for the Russian people. This was due to their desire to take over the territory of Russia and establish their dominance there. Later, the clergy joined them when the struggle of confessions began. Catholics spoke unflatteringly about Orthodoxy and its rites.

In the same period, Russia and the Slavic people were opened to Western Europe. Europeans, who had not previously encountered this culture, tried to learn as much as possible about their way of life and traditions.

A pronounced transformation of a phobia into an ideology was not observed, since Russia was the only state that held back the Ottoman Empire.

Formation

At the end of the 18th century, the situation changed completely. The process originates in France, whose policy has a pronounced antipathy towards Russia. Unfolding First World War. Then England picks up Russophobia. This is followed by the Crimean War with Turkey. The Europeans had a desire to destroy high status Russia, which she received after the victory over Napoleon. Added fuel to the fire and the participation of the Slavs in the Hungarian revolution.

Of all the countries suffering from Russophobia, Germany and Austria occupy a special place. Slavophobia propaganda received a response during World War II. The Third Reich had clear goals for:

• capture of the territory of Eastern Europe;
• the destruction of the Slavs as a species;
• assimilation of a small number of the local population to perform various types of work.

Napoleon Bonaparte pursued a policy hostile to Russia

This position was taken for the reason that the Russians were considered the least Germanized people. The entrenched position of the USSR in Europe after the victory over the Nazi invaders only aggravated the situation with Russophobia. Now the state was perceived as a potentially strong rival. This was followed by the revival of the state after the post-war devastation, the Iron Curtain arms race. This state of affairs extremely unnerved America and Europe, since they saw a real threat in the face of the USSR.

Russophobia in the 21st century

Over time, the position of Russians in world society has changed, but the biased attitude still remains. In the modern world, the main hostility unfolds between Russia and America. The rivalry for superpower status and world domination makes Russophobia a fairly common occurrence.

Examples of Russophobia, which the dictionary interprets as dislike for Russians and Russia, appear more and more every year. A new wave was caused by the conflict on the territory of Ukraine and the entry of Crimea into the Russian Federation.

There are Russophobes among the inhabitants of the country itself. In some communities, it is considered fashionable to dislike and speak unflatteringly about Russia. This is seen politicians, writers and poets, public figures bloggers, etc. The scope of Russophobia in the 21st century has reached unprecedented proportions.

Classification

Russophobia has some differences. This division was first made by Semyon Charny, an expert at the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights. He claims that the phobia is divided into:

1. Mass or grassroots Russophobia is characterized by its spread among the common population. It is caused by the general mood in the world, or there are examples of personal hostility towards the Russians. Such a manifestation is quite simply corrected with the help of the media.
2. Political or elite Russophobia - more complex shape having a material background. This group is a huge danger to society. Russophobes holding leadership positions can organize parties, associations, mass movements aimed at the destruction of the Russian population or objects of their culture and faith.

Over the years, Russophobia has evolved from a simple fear into a concept and a political movement. Hostility is laid down in the younger generation, and as a result, we have a new society with formed anti-Russian sentiments.

Russophobes seek to destroy Russian culture

How to deal with Russophobia

The manifestation of xenophobia in all its aspects is one of the reasons for the decay of society. This is a manifestation of racism and nationalism. The fight against Russophobia must have a global character. The causes of Russophobia and its historical origin cannot be corrected, but it is possible to model a different attitude towards Russians in modern society.

It is necessary to treat not a single person, but entire nations and states. There are several methods to combat Russophobia:

1. Dissemination of information about Russians, their traditions and the country as a whole. Its deficiency pushed people to form their own images, formed on the basis of the media. Stereotypes are born that all Russians drink vodka and breed domestic bears. According to sociological surveys, all that Russia is associated with is: nesting dolls, the Kremlin, earflaps, balalaika and winter. Poor knowledge about the culture and life of the representatives of this nation leads to the development of Russophobia.
2. Spreading the correct interpretation of the phobia itself. People who openly express a negative attitude towards everything Russian to the whole world have an unhealthy intolerance towards the object of their fear. This means that a psychologically unstable person imposes his opinion on hundreds of others. This is an information war that is being waged for the minds of people.
3. A change in Russia's aggressive foreign policy is needed. scare strategy military power gives a directly proportional result: there is an increase in Russophobic sentiments in the world. This is a natural reaction of people to danger and fear of it.

Comprehensive work is needed to reduce the percentage of Russophobes and reduce the likelihood of conflicts on this basis. This also applies to ethnophobia in relation to other nationalities.

Aggressive foreign policy provokes the spread of Russophobia

Conclusion

The definition of Russophobia has many interpretations, but its essence does not change. Like any manifestation of ethnophobia, it poses a huge danger to all mankind. The danger of World War III is also based on these aspects.

In order to normalize the situation in the world and in individual countries, it is necessary to completely reconsider the attitude towards Russophobia and its propaganda among the population.

In the world you can find a huge number of phobias, which are even difficult to list. There is a fear of spiders, heights, loneliness, etc. Among the phobias, there are a huge number of absurd ones: fear of long words, gaining knowledge, buttons, gifts, and so on.

In a more global sense, there are special phobias. For example, xenophobia is the fear or even hatred of something alien, the perception of this as danger and hostility. Now it is believed that this phobia has been elevated to the rank of worldview. It is xenophobia that gives us an explanation of what "Russophobia" is, the definition of this concept and the history of interpretation.

What is this

It's easy to guess that this term associated with Russia and the Russian population. In addition, this concept is not just an interpretation of a certain fear, but even now it can be considered a phenomenon that contains a whole collection of ideas and concepts.

Russophobia is a feeling towards Russia or Russians, expressed by hostility, dislike, prejudice and suspicion. Many experts believe that this term is a special trend in ethnophobia. Others are absolutely sure that, looking at other national phobias, Russophobia has nevertheless become a kind of ideology that keeps a historical context, has its own structure, terminology, genesis, development, and even a special manifestation.

Origin

The word "Russophobia" became known thanks to the Russian poet Fyodor Tyutchev. Some researchers believe that she began to use this concept, opposing it with another term - pan-Slavism.

As for the ideology itself, it can be seen as early as the 16th century. Then Lithuanians and Poles were engaged in this kind of propaganda, which became more active against the Russian state. Moreover, politicians, historians, writers, and later clergymen were involved in their number. This behavior was caused by historical events. Many wanted to take possession of the lands of Rus'. In addition, at that time, the confessional struggle between Catholics and Orthodox begins. King Sigismund can be safely attributed to the aggressive Russophobes of that time.

Also, the so-called European Russophobia began to appear here, which was caused by the fact that in the 16th century Russia became an opening for Western Europe. Many began to learn about the Slavs, their traditions, some treated this with interest, some, on the contrary, with horror. Now you can find archival records in which foreigners who came to Russia at that time recorded their negative reviews.

Yet at that time Russophobia was not transformed into an ideology or a system. Perhaps then the ideology was either not formed at all, or created, but did not manifest itself because of the fear of the Turks: the Europeans saw Russia as an ally in containing the Ottoman Empire.

Formation

But already in late XVIII century, changes are taking place, and it becomes clear that Russophobia is a system that works for the hostile policy of the state against Russia. First she appears in France, after the defeat of Napoleon, she goes to England. It is believed that the system itself was fully formed there. It reaches its apogee already during the Crimean War and the Hungarian Revolution.

Now, analyzing historical events, many researchers believe that this behavior of Western countries was due to the fact that they tried to indicate to the Russian population that they do not live according to the European “norm”, that they are not a Western-type state.

Despite all the hypotheses, it is difficult to understand when the term Russophobia as a system was formed. There are researchers who believe that the book of Robert Wilson was the impetus. There is an idea that it was the policy of Nicholas I that became the impetus for the formation of an entire ideology against the state and its population. Many European powers then accepted Russia as an enemy to their interests.

Classification

Now many people understand and know the word "Russophobia". What this means is not difficult to guess, but when studying this concept, it turned out that there is an indicative classification. The fact is that there are two concepts for dividing Russophobia into types. The first belongs to Semyon Charny, the second to Andrey Fursov.

So, according to the first expert, Russophobia can be grassroots and elite. The first relates to mass system, it is a sharp attitude towards Russians, which comes from a wide section of society. But the elite has a political character. It means anti-Russian actions that are carried out by a power or its region.

These views are not always parallel. Sometimes it happens that grassroots and elite Russophobia combine, thus forming a goal that leads to the elimination or expulsion of the people.

But Andrei Ilyich Fursov argues that Russophobia can be both an ideological system and simply be a sharp attitude towards Russians caused by certain events.

Aggression

The very concept of this phenomenon is understandable, but the causes of Russophobia are still impossible to pinpoint. In fact, there are three concepts. The first belongs to the historian Nikita Sokolov, who believed that the worldwide hostility towards Russia arose due to aggressive foreign policy both the modern state and past systems.

It is also worth distinguishing between the condemnation of Russian policy and Russophobia in principle. His position was supported by the philosopher Alexander Tsipko. He believed that the emergence of such an ideology was caused by ill-conceived propaganda Russian authorities against fascism.

Fear

The next reason was competition. According to Yuri Pivovarov, Russophobia could be caused not only by competition, but also by traditional European xenophobia. Dmitry Rogozin added that in addition to all this, there is also dislike European nations to each other, hence the emergence of European Russophobia.

Another researcher suggested that hatred of Russians lives in Europe only thanks to the media, which in every possible way support it. And their similar attitude is again connected with the political and economic "competitions" of states.

Back to the past

The history of Russophobia can also name the third reason for the emergence of this concept - the cultural and ideological soil. It was caused by the fact that previously Western countries believed that Russians - barbarians who do not have a material culture, are also subject to autocracy.

These thoughts resumed their existence after the fall " iron curtain". Among other things, this attitude was fueled by the involvement of Russians and migrants in criminal activities.

In the 19th century, Russophobia of migrants began to be observed, who manifested themselves in the Russian-language media abroad. Now such a platform for expressing ideological views is the Internet.

Despite the rather alarming situation, some experts still believe that Russophobia is inapplicable to ordinary Europeans. The negative image that has been created for years against Russia is only the work of the media.

world view

Russophobia is a fairly broad concept, it can now manifest itself different ways. For example, at the beginning of the 21st century, a survey was conducted among the inhabitants of the Earth. This worldwide study showed the attitude of all people on the planet to the G8 states. As a result, people have the most negative feelings towards the United States and Russia.

There was an incident with a Swedish group that created a competition performance that was later called Russophobic. It had a pictorial row that showed the main stereotyped symbols associated with Russia: nesting dolls, a bear, Cossacks, etc. In addition, the words “Goodbye, Putin” or “Cheers, Lenin” sometimes sounded in the songs.

America

Russophobia in the world is operating system especially considering recent events. This topic is very controversial. For example, the Congress of Russian Americans was held in the USA, who tried to protect the Russian people from the enmity of the whole world. Many journalists and researchers felt that American Russophobes were deliberately compromising the authorities because Russia was preventing their world domination.

Although there were those who, on the contrary, believed that people who support the current government of Russia are the most ardent Russophobes.

Western Europe

Everything is more or less clear with European Russophobia. She, as mentioned earlier, appeared in the XVIII century. Then the Russian Empire became something new for Europeans. They perceived the population of Russia as cruel, alien. In addition, Russians were often called barbarians.

True Russophobes

Perhaps it is not surprising that Germany and Austria are the most ardent fans of Russophobia. Initially, everything was connected with Slavophobia, which was promoted by Austria. Well, later, especially during the Great Patriotic War, Germany is the source of this ideology.

The policy of Russophobia was very widely deployed here. The Third Reich considered it his duty to annex the lands of Eastern Europe, and not only deport or assimilate the local population, but also destroy it.

The Nazis were convinced that the Russians were the least Germanized people, so by 1942 a plan was developed that was supposed to lead the world to the complete destruction of the Russian population. The Germans were supposed to evict almost the entire Russian people from the occupied territory to Western Siberia. Some were nevertheless subjected to Germanization. In addition, it is believed that the very concept of "resettlement" was a substitute for another - "destruction".

neighborly relations

Russophobia of the Eastern European peoples seems to many to be only a myth, although it was noticed among representatives in the European Parliament. Also, some believe that such sentiments are associated with the "Americanization" of the Slavs.

At home

It is difficult to judge "domestic" Russophobia. Some politicians believe that such behavior of the people is part of national consciousness, also confirms the presence of "haters" among public figures.

Historically, Russophobia appeared in Russia in the middle of the 19th century. Fedor Tyutchev spoke about her. During the Soviet era, many works domestic authors were accepted by the public as anti-Russian. In the early 90s of the twentieth century, this ideology was noticed among the "non-Russian" population of the country. Especially among the intelligentsia, which had negative feelings towards the culture of the state.

Russophobia- this is a dismissive, biased, impartial, suspicious, unfriendly and even hostile-aggressive attitude towards Russians in particular or Russia as a whole. Russophobia is a separate manifestation, i.e. Russophobia is one of the directions of ethnophobia (negative attitude towards certain ethnic groups).

Many scientists consider Russophobia, unlike other phobias, a manifestation of a specific ideology, consisting in a whole set of concepts and a set of ideas that have a certain structure, history of development, a system of concepts and their own characteristic manifestations.

Causes of Russophobia

To find ways to overcome a phobia, you need to study the origins of Russophobia, understand the reasons for its appearance and origin. The reasons that lead to Russophobia have rather deep roots. From time immemorial, there have always been visiting foreigners in Russia. Even in ancient times, in the 15th-17th centuries, foreigners developed an unfriendly opinion and dismissive attitude to Russia and the Russians. Even then, all sorts of human vices and weaknesses that foreign citizens had were attributed to the Russian people. Foreign chroniclers slandered Russian citizens in their writings, saturating them with all sorts of fabrications, slander and gossip. Therefore, their compatriots were prejudiced against the citizens of Russia, they experienced a feeling of disgust and hostility towards them in particular and towards Russia as a whole, thereby supporting and cultivating Russophobia in every possible way.

Many scientists believe that this phobia should be divided into hostility towards Russian people, which is due to a certain situation, and phobia, which is an ideology. So, for example, according to historians, there is information, documented, about the existence of Russophobia since the beginning of the 16th century. This is due to the fact that it was in this century that the West began to discover the Russian state. And their curiosity was based on the horror that was caused by the opinions of foreigners who visited Russia about people in particular and about the country as a whole.

However, it should be emphasized that until the 19th century, the presence of a huge number of negative reviews and characteristics had no manifestations of consistency. Therefore, there is an opinion that the main reason for the emergence of Russophobia, as a common position, arose a little later. There are facts showing that Russophobia manifests itself in Russia itself, sometimes even in the most unexpected places. Its manifestations are very diverse. So, for example, after several acts of terrorism in 2010 carried out in the Moscow Metro, various inscriptions such as “death to Russians” and others were found in the capital.

Today, there are three main causes of this type of phobia: on the basis of liberalism and the national liberation movement, a consequence of competition, and on the basis of cultural ideology.

The first reason has to do with a rather aggressive foreign policy at first. Russian Empire, USSR, and then Russian Federation. Historian N. Petrov believes that many countries condemn the monstrous crimes of I. Stalin in particular and throughout Soviet power in general, as a result of which an incorrect judgment appears, which leads to Russophobia. And the philosopher A. Tsipko considered one of the reasons for the emergence of Russophobia to be the propaganda campaign of the Russian government in the field of combating any manifestations of fascism.

The second reason may be connected, according to D. Rogozin, with the vision of Russia as a rather large state, which can be dangerous for its neighbors. Also, Russophobia may be based on the hostility of European ethnic groups to each other.

And D. Chiesa noticed the background of Russophobia, skillfully preserved and artificially supported by the Western media, which he associated with political rivalry and economic competition between countries.

Cultural and ideological Russophobia arose on the basis of the Western intelligentsia's dislike for Russian citizens. Russophobia is a consequence of the idea of ​​the Western powers about their so-called economic superiority and cultural superiority. This is usually due to the fact that some Western countries Russians were perceived as barbarians with a minimally developed culture and a tendency towards an autocratic model of government. Whereas Europe strives for a developed democratic society. With the collapse of the Union, this opinion gained momentum again, but it has already become associated with Russian emigrants or Russian citizens due to their involvement in criminals (“Russian mafia”, prostitution). Particularly noticeable is the manifestation of Russophobia in the media and in Internet comments directed against everything that is happening in Russia.

There is also an opinion that the origins of Russophobia should be sought in the genetically historical memory society. You can, for example, take the French and their former emperor Napoleon, who shamefully fled from Moscow. His once great army shamefully retreated from the Russian land. All these events of the past years have left an indelible mark on the memory of French citizens. And today it has become unimportant that it was the French who were the first to unleash the war, since at the level of national consciousness the Russian state continues to be associated with something dangerous and formidable. Germany can serve as an example.

History of Russophobia

Active propaganda against the Russian Empire was carried out by the Polish and Lithuanian governments, writers and historians, and then by the Jesuits. The reason for the emergence of such propaganda is the rivalry for the Russian lands. Also, such propaganda arose on the basis of the struggle between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. So, for example, King Sigismund 1 tried by any means to stop and prevent any political unions of Rus' in Europe. He tried to convince the Western monarchs that the Russians were not Christians, but ruthless barbarians who belonged to Asia and conspired with the Tatars and Turks to destroy the entire Christian world.

The origins of Russophobia date back to the time of the split between the Roman Empire and Constantinople due to religious disagreement. At the heart of Russophobia and rejection of the Orthodox Church lies the rejection by the West of the Christian East in general. Russia has always been referred to as renegades and schismatics.

It so happened that in the 16th century Europe began to discover Russian state. At that time, she still perceived Russia on the basis of the “foreign” principle. At first, Europe's dislike for Russia came from the realization that in the Russian state there is a different culture, alien and incomprehensible to Europeans, the Russian people themselves and their actions are also incomprehensible and alien to Europeans. She, with great curiosity, and sometimes with horror, explored traditions, got acquainted with customs and mores. Since the bulk of the population of Europe recognized Russia only from the descriptions of fellow tribesmen, and their descriptions and reviews were often negative, the opinion of the main masses was based on this. This is due to the fact that this is how humanity is arranged - it denies what it does not understand. And the West to this day does not understand the mysterious Russian soul, as a result of which it cultivates Russophobic sentiments in itself.

At the end of the 18th century and at the beginning of the 19th century, the Russophobic attitude was born as a system that determines the hostile-aggressive policy towards the Russian state by this or that country.

Initially, such sentiments appeared in France in 1815 after the failure of Napoleon's plans to seize foreign territories. Then, in the 20-40s of the 19th century, the British became infected with Russophobia. Historian A. Fursov characterizes systemic Russophobia as a psychohistorical weapon. The purpose of such weapons is to prove to themselves and the Russians that they are lagging behind in development, since it does not correspond to the Western version, thereby putting the Russians in a deliberately losing state of defense. The West considers its culture, its development, its traditions as a kind of standard, which the rest must comply with.

Some sources indicate that the emergence of Russophobia as a system began after the anti-liberal and militaristic policy of Nicholas 1. After a number of his successes in military operations, the Russian state began to cause fear and be perceived as a threat to the interests of some European powers.

However, the most dangerous manifestation of Russophobia is considered to be the internal worldview of the country with a Russophobic color. How can the whole world get rid of Russophobia if the Russians themselves do not respect their people, their traditions, the history of the state. For a Russian person, there is no such thing as the Motherland. For him, the Motherland is where he will feel good. This position is incomprehensible to Europeans.

The most important problem of modern Russian society is mass ignorance, ignorance of its history, disrespect for the history of the state. Ignorance always leads to doubt, to exposure to other people's thoughts and ideas, to the influence of other people's traditions and neglect of one's own traditions and culture. For this reason, the phenomenon of Russophobia is born in the Russian state itself and in the minds of a Russian citizen.

Most historians agree that the origins of Russophobia are hidden in the very national consciousness of Russians. This is evidenced by the huge number of Russophobes living in Russia itself, as well as among well-known public Russian leaders. This position also proves the special Russian mentality, which is based on the desire for harsh self-criticism.

The fight against Russophobia

There are several specific views on possible ways to overcome and combat any manifestations of Russophobia, which come from different understandings of its roots. One of the reasons for the hostile attitude towards Russian citizens is the consequence of the unavailability of objective information about Russians in general use, due to the lack of cultural ties between Western countries and Russia, as well as due to misunderstanding and lack of interaction between the indigenous population and Russian diasporas within these countries.

In cases of manifestations of Russophobic sentiments, it would be inappropriate to turn away in revenge from the cultures of such countries, to lock themselves within the boundaries of their own culture and state. Hostility, misunderstanding, dislike can be overcome only if broader interstate ties and intercultural interaction are established.

Russophobia can still be considered from the standpoint of its emergence as a consequence of the deep rooting of racism in Western consciousness and outlook. As a result, many scientists believe that the absolute overcoming of the manifestations of Russophobia will be unlikely. In this case, they can only be softened or completely eliminated. internal manifestations However, the Russophobic attitude will remain in the minds of foreign citizens. To overcome Russophobia caused by the rooting of racism in the minds of Western citizens, it is possible to apply the experience and means of fighting for own rights blacks in the US and Jews in Western Europe.

Another way to overcome the manifestations of Russophobia can be considered the correction of erroneous interpretations of the phobia itself. Often, any critical statements about the Russian people or Russia are interpreted as Russophobic sentiments. There is an opinion that people who point out the manifestation of a Russophobic attitude do so mainly because of their own unhealthy intolerance.

Among the general goals aimed at combating Russophobic manifestations, it is necessary to highlight the need for an expedient and reasonable approach to the problems of this phobia. Such an approach should be based on a comprehensive study and discussion of the problem, monitoring its dynamics, soft influence, without aggressive methods, on the behavior and views of people prone to Russophobic manifestations, in accordance with national interests.