For 200 or 300 years, philosophical and political arguments have been going on between Slavophiles and Zapadniki in Russia. The Slavophiles contend that Russian culture and tradition are superior to anything non-Russian. Zapadniki, often labeled Westernizers, advocate making Russia modern and more like the economic, industrial, and military powers of Western Europe.
Peter and Catherine, the greats, would be considered Zapadniki. The final tsars of Russia, especially Alexander III and Nicholas II (and their tutor Pobedonostsev) were Slavophiles. It's been argued that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is a Slavophile organization (without the religious connotations).
It may be that Putin is leading Russia as a Slavophile as he seeks a unifying ideology. Please read the article below. What do you think about Putin? Slavophile? Zapadniki? or both?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/world/europe/vladimir-putin-pushes-patriotism-in-russia.html?_r=0
Peter and Catherine, the greats, would be considered Zapadniki. The final tsars of Russia, especially Alexander III and Nicholas II (and their tutor Pobedonostsev) were Slavophiles. It's been argued that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is a Slavophile organization (without the religious connotations).
It may be that Putin is leading Russia as a Slavophile as he seeks a unifying ideology. Please read the article below. What do you think about Putin? Slavophile? Zapadniki? or both?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/world/europe/vladimir-putin-pushes-patriotism-in-russia.html?_r=0
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