Us and Them : Bengt Jangfeldt on the Idea of Russia

A sharp, concise guide to Russia’s enduring split between East and West — and how this ‘civilisation myth’ still shapes its politics today. From the time of Peter the Great to the reign of Vladimir Putin, the question of what Russia’s relation is to the West and to Western values has absorbed and divided the country. A similar dualism characterises another distinctive feature of Russian history, the relation between ruler and people. This concise, illuminating account highlights the swings in Russian history between stagnation and upheaval, oppression and thaw, reforms and counter-reforms. Many Russians like to regard their country as morally superior to countries in the West – a view strongly influenced by the role of the country’s Orthodox Church. By outlining the main features of the Russian ‘civilisation myth’, Russian expert Bengt Jangfeldt helps us understand not only the history of ideas in this vast country but also what is particular about Russian politics and culture today.