Russia

“Project Empire wows the Russians”

Since the annexation of Crimea prevails in Russia of Patriotic elation – but that could change quickly, says the expert on Russia and author Ulrich Schmid. The Kremlin uses yearnings for Imperial size.

Deutsche Welle: Herr Professor Schmid, in her new book, “technologies of the soul” describe three pillars of the Russian state ideology: Neoimperialismus, religious legitimization of the Russian Orthodox Church and Eurasismus as the geopolitical grounds. What do you mean with Neoimperialismus? But not only the Aggression against the Ukraine?

Ulrich Schmid: of Course not. Neoimperialismus refers to a concept in the Russian contemporary culture is very strong is applied: the Empire. In my book, I have attempted to show how this concept is already in the 2000s in the conservative circles have come up is and then also from the Polittechnologen of the Kremlin picked up and has been amplified. Many representatives of the Elite in Russia today try, the raison d’être of Russia in the future, on the concept of this Empire to sustain. For example, I have the Director of a government-backed Institute for strategic studies, is quoted to have said, what is the permission for the Russian state. Alone the backup of the prosperity of the population, could not be. Such a Legitimation of a state could be in the Netherlands or to Estonia to work, but not in Russia with its Imperial history.

Which role plays the Russian nationalism? In the Russian Federation life is really different peoples.

The Russian nationalism does play a role in the justification of this Empire. But I would say that at the Moment we are rather a geopolitical and not a purely Russian nationalist justification of this Empire. In the official terminology of this new state ideology is often used by Russia as a unique civilization with a genuinely Russian national cultural core spoken. This can also be seen on official documents, such as the new national security strategy, which President Putin on the last day of the last year has presented. There does culture play a very important role. Today it is officially part of the national security strategy of Russia.

Does the title of your book on Stalin, is the author of “engineers of the human soul” had called?

Ulrich Schmid: Many conservative writers like the strengthening of the Russian state

I am glad that you found me on the title of my book to appeal to, because he is, of course, a hidden agenda. The title not only plays on Stalin’s dictum of Soviet writers as “engineers of the human soul”, but also on Michel Foucault. He has defined that the Power is something that does not come from above, not from the elites of today’s Russian cultural industry, the Budgets and loans decide. Foucault once said that Power is something that comes from below. Just writers have in Stalinism, not only simply commands executed from above, but attempts, in this great Imperial project bring, they are also often fascinated. It would be too easy, only as an expression of Repression to explain. Just as, I believe, that even today many conservative writers, the strengthening of the Russian state like. You do not have any order from the Ministry of culture, but are themselves convinced that what they write, of an important truth. Today one can not simply by the writers as the implementing AIDS of the state, but they bring themselves in this great national neoimperiale project in Russia.

You quote in your book of some experts that Russia as a post-modern dictatorship call.

Russia is no dictatorship in the classic sense, but may be a post-modern dictatorship, which has managed, the large majority of the population, the famous 86 percent, and on the side of the government to drag. So a dictatorship with the consent of the Ruled. Very many people are with the authoritarian course, the government agree.

The writer and Nobel prize-winner Svetlana Alexievitch speaks of a “collective Putin”. You agree to it?

Putin’s influence is generally overestimated. You can’t say that Russia is a “collective Putin”. In my book I try the Patriotic elation to explain the Russia, especially since the annexation of the Crimea has taken. I believe that this Patriotic enthusiasm not simply comes from Nothing, but something like a strengthening and radicalization of the Patriotic moods that we’ve had for about ten years in Russia.

According to them, suffers from the Russian society to a loss of contact with reality. Can this change again?

The Propaganda is for two years as strong as they have been in the Soviet era was no more. We have in Russia today is not just a battle for influence, but also to truths. In my book, I tried to counter movements to this loss of contact with reality as a result of the Propaganda to present. I believe that this Patriotic enthusiasm, which two years ago increased considerably, also quickly disappear. We have in Russia a sufficiently developed critical culture.

Ulrich Schmid is Professor for culture and society of Russia, University of St. Gallen. His book “technologies of the soul. The Manufacture of truth in the Russian contemporary culture,” is in the Suhrkamp-Verlag.

The interview was conducted by Efim Schuhmann.