Vladimir Putin. Russia: the national question
For Russia - with its diversity of languages, traditions, ethnic groups and cultures - the national question, without any exaggeration, is fundamental. Any responsible politician, public figure should be aware that one of the main conditions for the very existence of our country is civil and inter-ethnic consent.We see what is happening in the world, which are accumulating the most serious risks. The reality of today is the growth of interethnic and interfaith tensions. Nationalism, religious intolerance become the ideological basis for the most radical groups and movements. Destroy, undermine states and divide societies.
The colossal migration flows — and there is every reason to believe that they will increase — are already being called the new “great migration of peoples,” capable of changing the habitual way and appearance of entire continents. Millions of people in search of a better life are leaving regions suffering from hunger and chronic conflict, poverty and social insecurity.
The most developed and prosperous countries, which had previously been proud of their tolerance, came up against the “aggravation of the national question”. And today - one after another they announce the failure of attempts to integrate into the society a cultural element, to ensure non-conflict, harmonious interaction of various cultures, religions, ethnic groups.
The “melting pot” of assimilation junk and chadit - and is not able to “digest” the ever-increasing large-scale migration flow. A reflection of this in politics was “multiculturalism”, which denies integration through assimilation. It makes an absolute “minority right to distinction” and, at the same time, does not sufficiently balance this right - with civil, behavioral and cultural duties towards the indigenous population and society as a whole.
In many countries, closed national-religious communities are being formed, which not only assimilate, but even refuse to adapt. There are neighborhoods and entire cities where already generations of visitors live on social benefits and do not speak the language of the host country. The response to such a model of behavior - the growth of xenophobia among the local indigenous population, an attempt to firmly protect their interests, workplaces, social benefits - from "alien competitors". People are shocked by the aggressive pressure on their traditions, their habitual way of life, and they seriously fear the threat of losing their national-state identity.
Quite respectable European politicians are starting to talk about the failure of the “multicultural project”. In order to maintain their positions, they are exploiting the “national map” - transfer to the field of those who themselves had previously considered marginal and radical. Extreme forces, in turn, are dramatically gaining weight, seriously claiming to state power. In essence, it is proposed to talk about compulsion to assimilation - against the background of "closedness" and a sharp tightening of migration regimes. Carriers of another culture must either “dissolve in the majority” or remain a separate national minority, even if provided with various rights and guarantees. And in fact - to be excommunicated from the possibility of a successful career. Frankly speaking, it is difficult to expect loyalty towards one’s own country from a citizen who has been placed in such conditions.
Behind the “failure of the multicultural project” stands the crisis of the very model of the “national state” - a state that has historically been built solely on the basis of ethnic identity. And this is a serious challenge that Europe and many other regions of the world will have to face.
Russia as "historical state"
With all the external similarity, the situation with us is fundamentally different. Our national and migration problems are directly related to the destruction of the USSR, and in fact, historically, of big Russia, which was formed at its core in the 18th century. With the inevitable degradation of state, social and economic institutions. With a huge development gap in the post-Soviet space.
After declaring sovereignty 20 years ago, the then deputies of the RSFSR, in the heat of the struggle against the "Allied Center", launched the process of building "national states", even within the Russian Federation itself. The "Allied Center", in turn, trying to put pressure on opponents, began to play a backstage game with the Russian autonomies, promising them to raise the "national-state status." Now the participants of these processes shift the blame on each other. But one thing is obvious - their actions equally and inevitably led to collapse and separatism. And they had neither courage, nor responsibility, nor political will to consistently and persistently defend the territorial integrity of the Motherland.
What the initiators of “plots with sovereignties”, perhaps, did not realize, all the others, including those outside our state, understood very clearly and quickly. And the consequences were not long in coming.
With the collapse of the country, we were on the verge of, and in certain well-known regions - beyond the civil war, and it was on ethnic grounds. We managed to extinguish these pockets with tremendous exertion of strength, great sacrifices. But this, of course, does not mean that the problem has been resolved.
However, even at that moment when the state as an institution became critically weak, Russia did not disappear. What Vasily Klyuchevsky said in relation to the first Russian Troubles happened: "When the political braces of public order broke down, the country was saved by the moral will of the people."
And, by the way, our holiday 4 of November - the Day of National Unity, which some superficially call the “Day of Victory over the Poles,” in fact, is the “Day of Victory over itself”, over internal hostility and strife, when the estates, nationalities realized themselves to be a single community - one people. We can rightly consider this holiday as the birthday of our civil nation.
Historical Russia is not an ethnic state or an American “melting pot”, where, in general, everything is one way or another migrants. Russia arose and developed over the centuries as a multinational state. A state in which there was a constant process of mutual addiction, mutual penetration, mixing of peoples at the family, friendly, and official level. Hundreds of ethnic groups living on their land together and next to the Russians. The development of vast territories that filled the entire history of Russia was a joint affair of many peoples. Suffice it to say that ethnic Ukrainians live in the space from the Carpathians to Kamchatka. Like ethnic Tatars, Jews, Belarusians ...
In one of the earliest Russian philosophical and religious works, The Word about Law and Grace, the theory of the “chosen people” itself is rejected and the idea of equality before God is preached. And in the Tale of Bygone Years, the multinational character of the ancient Russian state is described: “But who speaks Slavonic in Russia: the glade, the Drevlyans, the Novgorodians, the Polochans, the Dregovichs, the Northerners, the Bougins ... But other peoples: Chud, Merya, all Murom, Cheremis, Mordva, Perm, Pechera, Pit, Lithuania, Corsa, Nara, Liv - they speak their own languages ... "
It was about this special character of Russian statehood that Ivan Ilyin wrote: “Not to eradicate, not to suppress, not enslave someone else’s blood, not to strangle a foreign and other Orthodox life, but to give everyone a breath and a great Motherland ... to observe everyone, to reconcile everyone, to give everyone pray in their own way , to work in their own way and the best from anywhere to engage in state and cultural construction. "
The core that holds the fabric of this unique civilization is the Russian people, the Russian culture. This is just the core of all sorts of provocateurs and our opponents will try to pull out of Russia with all their might - under the fake talk about the right of Russians to self-determination, about “racial purity”, about the need to “complete the 1991 case of the year and finally destroy the empire sitting on its neck the Russian people. " To ultimately - to make people destroy their own homeland with their own hands.
I am deeply convinced that attempts to preach the ideas of building a Russian “national”, mono-ethnic state run counter to our entire thousand-year history. Moreover, it is the shortest way to the destruction of the Russian people and Russian statehood. And any viable, sovereign statehood in our land.
When they start shouting: “Enough to feed the Caucasus,” wait, tomorrow there will inevitably be a call: “Enough to feed Siberia, the Far East, the Urals, the Volga region, the Moscow region ...”. It was according to such recipes that those who led to the collapse of the Soviet Union acted. As for the notorious national self-determination, which, while fighting for power and geopolitical dividends, have repeatedly speculated politicians of various directions, from Vladimir Lenin to Woodrow Wilson, the Russian people have long since identified themselves. The self-determination of the Russian people is a polyethnic civilization, sealed by the Russian cultural core. And this choice was confirmed by the Russian people time after time - and not by plebiscites and referendums, but by blood. Throughout its millennial history.
Common cultural code
The Russian experience of state development is unique. We are a multinational society, but we are one people. This makes our country complex and multidimensional. Gives tremendous opportunities for development in many areas. However, if the multinational society affects the bacilli of nationalism, it loses its strength and strength. And we need to understand what far-reaching consequences may condoning attempts to incite national enmity and hatred towards people of a different culture and a different faith.
Civil peace and interethnic harmony is not just a once-created and frozen picture. On the contrary, it is a constant dynamic dialogue. This is the painstaking work of the state and society, which requires very subtle decisions, a balanced and wise policy, capable of ensuring “unity in diversity”. It is necessary not only to respect mutual obligations, but also to find common values for all. You can not force to be together. And you can not force to live together according to the calculation, based on the weighting of benefits and costs. Such “calculations” work until the moment of crisis. And at the moment of crisis they begin to act in the opposite direction.
The confidence that we can ensure the harmonious development of a multicultural community rests on our culture, history, type of identity.
It may be recalled that many citizens of the USSR who turned out to be abroad called themselves Russians. And they considered themselves as such, regardless of ethnicity. Another interesting fact is that ethnic Russians have never and nowhere in any emigration constituted stable national diasporas, although both numerically and qualitatively were represented quite significantly. Because in our identity - a different cultural code.
The Russian people are state-forming - in fact the existence of Russia. The great mission of the Russians is to unite and fasten civilization. By language, culture, “world responsiveness,” by definition of Fyodor Dostoevsky, to bind Russian Armenians, Russian Azerbaijanis, Russian Germans, Russian Tatars ... To bind together in this type of state-civilization, where there is no “nationality” common culture and common values.
Such a civilization identity is based on the preservation of the Russian cultural dominant, the carrier of which are not only ethnic Russians, but all carriers of such an identity, regardless of nationality. This is the cultural code that has undergone serious tests in recent years, which they have tried and are trying to crack. Nevertheless, he certainly survived. However, it must be nourished, strengthened and cherished.
A huge role here belongs to education. The choice of the educational program, the diversity of education is our undoubted achievement. But variability must be based on unshakable values, basic knowledge and ideas about the world. The civic task of education, the education system is to give everyone that absolutely obligatory amount of humanitarian knowledge, which forms the basis of the self-identity of a people. First and foremost, we should talk about the rise in the educational process of the role of such subjects as the Russian language, Russian literature, national history - naturally, in the context of the entire wealth of national traditions and cultures.
In some of the leading American universities in 20-s of the last century, there was a movement for the study of the Western cultural canon. Every self-respecting student had to read 100 books on a specially crafted list. In some universities in the United States, this tradition has been preserved today. Our nation has always been a reading nation. Let's conduct a survey of our cultural authorities and form a list of 100 books that every graduate of the Russian school should read. Not to memorize at school, but read it yourself. And let's do the final essay on the subject of reading. Or at least we will give young people the opportunity to show their knowledge and their worldview at olympiads and competitions.
Corresponding requirements should be set by the state policy in the field of culture. I mean such tools as television, cinema, the Internet, popular culture in general, which form the public consciousness, set behavioral patterns and norms.
Recall how the Americans with the help of Hollywood formed the consciousness of several generations. Moreover, introducing not the worst - from the point of view of national interests, and from the point of view of public morality - values. There is a lot to learn.
I emphasize: no one encroaches on the freedom of creativity - it’s not about censorship, not about the “official ideology”, but about the fact that the state is obliged and has the right to direct its efforts and resources to solve conscious social and social problems. Including the formation of a worldview that holds the nation together.
In our country, where many in their heads have not yet ended the civil war, where the past is extremely politicized and “pulled” to ideological quotations (often understood by different people to the exact opposite), subtle cultural therapy is needed. A cultural policy that at all levels - from school aids to historical documentary - would form an understanding of the unity of the historical process in which a representative of each ethnic group, as well as a descendant of the “red commissioner” or “white officer,” would see his place. I would feel myself the heir of the “one for all” - the contradictory, tragic, but great history of Russia.
We need a national policy based on civil patriotism. Anyone living in our country should not forget about their faith and ethnicity. But he must first of all be a citizen of Russia and be proud of it. No one has the right to put national and religious features above the laws of the state. However, the laws of the state themselves must take into account national and religious particularities.
I believe that in the system of federal authorities it is necessary to create a special structure responsible for issues of national development, inter-ethnic well-being, interaction of ethnic groups. Now these problems are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Regional Development and behind the heap of current tasks are being crowded into the second or even the third plan, and this situation must be corrected.
This should not be a standard office. Rather, we should talk about a collegial body that interacts directly with the president of the country, with the leadership of the government and has certain powers. National policy can not be written and implemented exclusively in the offices of officials. National, public associations should be directly involved in its discussion and formation.
And, of course, we look forward to the active participation of the traditional religions of Russia in such a dialogue. The basis of Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism - with all the differences and features - are basic, common moral, moral, spiritual values: mercy, mutual assistance, truth, justice, respect for elders, the ideals of family and work. These values are impossible to replace, and we need to strengthen them.
I am convinced that the state and society should welcome and support the work of traditional religions of Russia in the system of education and enlightenment, in the social sphere, in the Armed Forces. At the same time, the secular character of our state should certainly be preserved.
National policy and the role of strong institutions
Systemic problems of society very often find a way out precisely in the form of interethnic tension. It must always be remembered that there is a direct correlation between unsolved socio-economic problems, the evils of the law enforcement system, the inefficiency of power, corruption and conflicts on a national basis. If you look at the history of all the recent inter-ethnic excesses - almost everywhere we will find this “trigger”: Kondapoga, Manezhnaya Square, Sagra. Everywhere there is a heightened reaction to the lack of justice, to the irresponsibility and inaction of individual representatives of the state, disbelief in equality before the law and the inevitability of punishment for the criminal, the conviction that everything is bought and there is no truth.
When it comes to the fact that in Russia, and especially in historical Russian territories, the rights of Russians are infringed, this suggests that the state structures do not fulfill their direct tasks - they do not protect the life, rights and safety of citizens. And since the majority of these citizens are Russians, it is possible to parasitize on the theme of “national oppression of the Russians” and clothe a legitimate public protest in the most primitive and vulgar form of ethnic unrest. And at the same time on every occasion to vote about "Russian fascism."
It is necessary to give an account of what risks and threats are in situations that are fraught with a transition to the stage of national conflict. And in the most rigorous manner, without regard to ranks and titles, it is necessary to assess the actions or inactions of law enforcement agencies and authorities that led to interethnic tension.
There are not many recipes for such situations. Do not erect anything in principle, do not make hasty generalizations. It is necessary to thoroughly clarify the nature of the problem, the circumstances, the settlement of mutual claims in each particular case where the “national question” is involved. This process, where there are no specific circumstances, should be public, because the lack of operational information gives rise to exacerbating rumors. And here the professionalism and responsibility of the media are of paramount importance.
But there can be no dialogue in a situation of unrest and violence. No one should have the slightest temptation to "push the power" on these or other decisions with the help of pogroms. Our law enforcement agencies have proven that they can cope quickly and clearly with the suppression of such attempts.
And one more fundamental point - we, of course, must develop our democratic, multi-party system. And now decisions are being prepared aimed at simplifying and liberalizing the procedure for registering and operating political parties, and proposals are being implemented to establish the election of heads of regions. All these are necessary and right steps. But one should not be allowed - opportunities for creating regional parties, including in the national republics. This is a direct path to separatism. Such a requirement, of course, should be made to the election of regional leaders - those who try to rely on nationalist, separatist and similar forces and circles should be immediately, in the framework of democratic and judicial procedures, excluded from the electoral process.
The problem of migration and our integration project
Today, citizens are seriously worried, and let's say frankly - annoying, many of the costs associated with mass migration, both foreign and domestic. The question also arises - whether the creation of the Eurasian Union will not lead to an increase in migration flows, and therefore to an increase in the problems existing here. I think that it is necessary to clearly define our position.
Firstly, it is obvious that we need to increase the quality of the state migration policy by an order of magnitude. And we will solve this problem.
Illegal immigration can never be completely eliminated anywhere, but it must and can, of course, be minimized. And in this regard, the intelligible police functions and powers of the migration services need to be strengthened.
However, a simple mechanical tightening of migration policy will not work. In many countries, this tightening only leads to an increase in the share of illegal migration. The criterion of migration policy is not its rigidity, but its effectiveness.
In this regard, the policy regarding legal migration, both permanent and temporary, should be extremely clearly differentiated. That, in turn, suggests obvious priorities and favored regimes in migration policy in favor of qualification, competence, competitiveness, cultural and behavioral compatibility. Such a “positive selection” and competition for the quality of migration exist throughout the world. Needless to say, such migrants integrate into the host society much better and easier.
The second. We are actively developing internal migration, people are going to study, live, work in other regions of the Federation, in major cities. And these are full-fledged citizens of Russia.
At the same time, those who come to regions with different cultural and historical traditions should respect local customs with respect. To the customs of Russian and all other peoples of Russia. Any other - inadequate, aggressive, provocative, disrespectful - behavior must meet the appropriate legal, but tough answer, and first of all by the authorities, which today are often simply inactive. We need to see whether all the norms necessary for controlling such behavior of people are contained in the Administrative and Criminal Codes, in the regulations of the internal affairs bodies. It is about tightening the law, introducing criminal liability for violation of immigration rules and registration standards. Sometimes it is enough to warn. But if the warning is based on a specific legal norm, it will be more effective. He will be correctly understood - not as the opinion of an individual police officer or official, but as a requirement of the law, the same for all.
In internal migration, civilized frames are also important. It is also necessary for the harmonious development of social infrastructure, medicine, education, and the labor market. In many “migrationally attractive” regions and megalopolises, these systems are already working at the limit, which creates a rather difficult situation for both “indigenous” and “newcomers”.
I believe that we should go on tightening the rules of registration and sanctions for their violation. Naturally, without prejudice to the constitutional rights of citizens to choose their place of residence.
The third is the strengthening of the judicial system and the construction of effective law enforcement agencies. This is fundamentally important not only for external immigration, but, in our case, also for internal, in particular, migration from the regions of the North Caucasus. Without this, an objective arbitration of the interests of various communities (both the receiving majority and migrants) and the perception of the migration situation as safe and fair can never be ensured.
Moreover, the incapacity or corruption of the court and the police will always lead not only to dissatisfaction and radicalization of the host society of migrants, but also to the rooting of the “showdown on concepts” and the shadow criminalized economy in the very environment of migrants.
We must not allow for the emergence of closed, isolated national enclaves in which not laws, but different kinds of “concepts” often act. First and foremost, the rights of the migrants themselves are violated, both by their own criminal authorities and by the corrupt officials.
It is on corruption that ethnic crime flourishes. From a legal point of view, criminal groups built on the national, clan principle are no better than ordinary gangs. But in our conditions ethnic crime is not only a criminal problem, but also a problem of state security. And it must be treated accordingly.
The fourth is the problem of civilized integration and socialization of migrants. And here again it is necessary to return to the problems of education. We should talk not so much about the focus of the educational system on the issues of migration policy (this is not the main task of the school), but above all about the high standards of national education as such.
The attractiveness of education and its value is a powerful lever, a motivator of integration behavior for migrants in terms of integration into society. While the low quality of education always provokes even greater isolation and secrecy of migration communities, only now it is long-term, at the level of generations.
It is important for us that migrants can adapt normally in society. Yes, in fact, an elementary requirement for people who want to live and work in Russia is their willingness to master our culture and language. Starting next year, it is necessary to make mandatory for acquiring or extending the migration status of the exam in the Russian language, in the history of Russia and Russian literature, in the basics of our state and law. Our state, like other civilized countries, is ready to form and provide migrants with appropriate educational programs. In some cases, mandatory additional vocational training is required at the expense of employers.
And finally, the fifth is close integration in the post-Soviet space as a real alternative to uncontrolled migration flows.
The objective reasons for mass migration, and this has already been mentioned above, is a colossal disparity in development and conditions of existence. It is clear that a logical way, if not eliminating, then at least minimizing migration flows, would be to reduce such inequality. For this, there is a huge number of various humanitarian, left-wing activists in the West. But, unfortunately, on a global scale, this beautiful, ethically immaculate position suffers from obvious utopianism.
However, there are no objective obstacles in order to realize this logic in our historical space. And one of the most important tasks of Eurasian integration is to create for peoples, millions of people in this space, the opportunity to live and develop adequately.
We understand that it is not from a good life that people leave far to distant lands and often not in civilized conditions earn themselves and their family the opportunity for human existence.
From this point of view, the tasks that we set inside the country (creating a new economy with effective employment, recreating professional communities, developing productive forces and social infrastructure evenly throughout the country), and Eurasian integration tasks are a key tool through which migration flows to normal. In fact, on the one hand, to send migrants to where they will least cause social tension. And on the other - so that people in their native places, in their small homeland, could feel normal and comfortable. You just need to give people the opportunity to work and live normally at home, in their native land, the opportunity that they are now largely devoid of. There are no and cannot be simple solutions in national politics. Its elements are scattered in all spheres of the life of the state and society — in the economy, social sphere, education, political system and foreign policy. We need to build such a model of a state, of a civilizational community with such a device that would be absolutely equally attractive and harmonious for all who consider Russia their homeland.
We see the direction of the work ahead. We understand that we have historical experience that no one else has. We have a strong foothold in the mentality, in the culture, in the identity that others do not.
We will strengthen our "historical state", inherited from our ancestors. State-civilization, which is able to organically solve the problem of integration of various ethnic groups and faiths.
We lived together for centuries. Together we won the most terrible war. And we will continue to live together. And for those who want or are trying to divide us, I can say one thing - do not wait ...
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