How majority of Russians see the role of Russia today?

[Balamut]

MAybe the price is too high ?
(Don't kill me)

[MichaelB_PL]

Originally posted by Alex_Ivanov

One of the things many people miss a lot now, is security. SU was quite a safe place to live, far safer than Russia today.

Funny, here in Poland it's the same- nearly everything is better now than before...except security, which was actually better in the old communnistic Poland.

Utopia - we won't be allowed to exist quietly. We should be strong if we want to exist. History teaches us so.

Hmmm, yes and no. Russian Federation(or SU before) was and still is a oversized empire which occupies lands taken from other by conquests, and it is likely that like other empires from the past (Britain,France,Germany,Austria,etc) it will have to let go of the lands which are not really Russia.

The problem is that Russia was/is a land colonial empire, not for example a naval one like Britain was,and it creates a illusion of being one country.

Britain did let Canada,Australia,India or Ireland go and it exists.
France did let Algiers go and it exists.
Germany did lose Prussia and it exists.
Austria lost Hungary,Czechy,Slovakia and Croatia and it exists.
Finally, the ex-empire ethnically most related to Russia, Poland,have lost Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltics and it exists.

Will Russia cease to exist if it will lose Kurile and Caucasus, maybe Kaliningrad,maybe Siberia?

Of course not, none of these territories was ever Russian in the same sense as Moscow or Novogrod is, just as Kiev is't Polish or Dublin is't British.

What however would NOT survive is the self-perception of being a empire, but since the British,French,Germans,etc learned to live with it, then Russians can probably do it as well.



Michael

[Alex_Ivanov]

Originally posted by MichaelB_PL

Hmmm, yes and no. Russian Federation(or SU before) was and still is a oversized empire which occupies lands taken from other by conquests, and it is likely that like other empires from the past (Britain,France,Germany,Austria,etc) it will have to let go of the lands which are not really Russia.

The problem is that Russia was/is a land colonial empire, not for example a naval one like Britain was,and it creates a illusion of being one country.


The problem is that British colonies, French colonies, German colonies were culturally completely different to these countries, while Russian 'colonies' (not originally, of course, but now) have the same culture and populated by the same people as historical 'Russia'.

I was born in 'colony' (Far East) and I do not want somebody to let my land 'go' somewhere. I consider my region Russian land and I do not want to separate myself from Russia. So dreams about 'letting colonies go' are just a dreams.

[MichaelB_PL]

Originally posted by Alex_Ivanov

The problem is that British colonies, French colonies, German colonies were culturally completely different to these countries, while Russian 'colonies' (not originally, of course, but now) have the same culture and populated by the same people as historical 'Russia'.

It depends on particular colonial territory- what you wrote is true for Far East, wrong for Caucasus for example.

I was born in 'colony' (Far East) and I do not want somebody to let my land 'go' somewhere.

Well, Far East is a bit different- it's more likely to be annexed by Japan or China then become independent.

BTW do you admit that if somebody (let's say Chinese) would occupy Moscow and Novogorod and colonize it with his own colonists, it woud make Moscow or Novogrod as Chinese as Far East is now Russian?

I consider my region Russian land and I do not want to separate myself from Russia. So dreams about 'letting colonies go' are just a dreams.

Dreams? Some of it already happened. Colonies like Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia,Estonia, Finland (well, minus Karelia) which were once colonies,are independent now.

Others like Chechnya, are subdued only by force, others (Kaliningrad),probably slowly drift culturally apart.


Michael

[Dan26]

There's one person here, who really believes that he cannot be wrong, and that his trues is THE real trues. I hate such dumb single-minded people. Reading his posts I have feeling that he's greatly influenced by someone else's points of view and opinions; thus, his arguments don't really make a lot of sense - he just knows that he cannot be wrong. In response to anyone's post he just writes what he (*probably he*) thinks and ignores opinions expressed by others. When I read his posts, I really feel sympathetic for everyone who suffered from SU (not russian) rulings ( ), but at the same time I feel sorry that russians didn't do enough to make sure this idiot wasn't born... I have no words to express my immediate opinion after reading his comments. I really wanted to avoid discussing anything with dumb trolling asses (and that's why I stopped to read/discuss on this forums), but I couldn't stand to let this person know my personal point of view about him....

P.S. yes, Jeremy, you got it right - I'm talking about you boy.

P.S.S. My opinion does not try to condemn any nationalities or countries. I'm not being nationalist etc., so don't try to label me as such. My opinion is not based on the ideas and believes expressed by the subject - it's only about the way he behaves and directly expresses hate towards big nations (no need to say big great nations; Before saying that entire Russia sucks and it's a barbaric state full war criminals and I'm completely wrong, ask me why I think so, or what nations are great in my opinion ). I'm wondering if there are any other people that share this point of view...

[Dan26]

Originally posted by MichaelB_PL

Hmmm, yes and no. Russian Federation(or SU before) was and still is a oversized empire which occupies lands taken from other by conquests, and it is likely that like other empires from the past (Britain,France,Germany,Austria,etc) it will have to let go of the lands which are not really Russia.

The problem is that Russia was/is a land colonial empire, not for example a naval one like Britain was,and it creates a illusion of being one country.

Britain did let Canada,Australia,India or Ireland go and it exists.
....

You are right... I'm agree with you. But at the same time you forget about other illusions. Canada second largest territory in the world occupies lands very similar to those occupied by the Russians in the northern Siberia. These lands are populated by similar peoples. The thing is that intuits (in Canada) consider themselves to be Canadians, and chukchas consider themselves to be Russians. (Please catch my idea, in Canada every chinese guy who is citizen of Canada is a Canadian, so by saying Russians I mean citizens)
The same story is about the US. A big great country. Not so long ago stories about brave conqestadors killing native iroqueses and apaches etc, were very popular. (Now views are changed, I hope)

I think Russia will not break apart, at least because it's mostly populated by native russians who do not plan to separate. The same applies to Canada and the US. What you say about russia will likely apply to most of the biggest countries of the world including china, india etc...

[Dan26]

Originally posted by MichaelB_PL
Dreams? Some of it already happened. Colonies like Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia,Estonia, Finland (well, minus Karelia) which were once colonies,are independent now.

Could you please tell more about these colonies. I've never heard of it