The Paradoxical Role of Russian Nationalism in a Future Soviet State
Abstract
The Communist Party, once the center of all Soviet power, has lost its preeminence to new governmental institutions-the presidency, the Congress of People's Deputies, and the Supreme Soviet-and to new centers of power in the union republics-city governments, striking workers, and nascent political parties. Change, formerly dictated from the top, now rises from multiple centers across the vast and decaying Soviet Empire. The process of change may be blocked or accelerated by events that are unforeseen. This study focuses on the role of Russian nationalism in these changes. Paradoxically, the author concludes that Russian nationalism, in sharp contrast to its counterparts in the non-Russian Republics, has played a surprisingly small role in the dynamics that are pushing the Soviet State closer to an as yet unknowable alternative future. The 'coup' of August 19, 1991, is the most recent and dramatic example of the old guard's inability to use traditional symbols of Russian nationalism to mobilize support or to discredit the supporters of Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev. The research is part of a larger Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) project on Alternative Soviet Futures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 26, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA240701
Entities
People
- Peter Rutland
Organizations
- United States Army War College