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Revision as of 08:49, 18 October 2005 by Knyaz (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Russophobia, litterally meaning "fear of Russia(ns)" is more commonly used to describe a negative attitude towards Russia or Russians. The term is used usually by Russians.
The term is used in two basic contexts: in ethnic conflicts involving Russians, and in international politics.
Ethnic
Dislike of Russians, which is sometimes described as "Russophobia", is sometmes a backlash of the policy of Russification in the times of Imperial Russia and Soviet Union. However, while it is probably the main reason in some formerly Russian-controlled countries, it is not the only historical reason of it. Russophobia has a long tradition and already existed many centuries before Russia became one of major powers in Europe. Russophobia was closely connected with religious aspects, since some, predominantly Catholic neighbours of Orthodox Russia, for many centuries aimed at gaining control of this vast resource-rich country and converting its inhabitants into Catholicism. To justify that, Russians were portrayed as uncultivated infidels and Asiatic barbrarians and these views became spread throughout Central Europe. The history of the long Russo-Polish conflict for the heritage of the ancient Kievan Rus (which Poland eventually lost) and the loss of Polish imperial status surely contributed to these dislikes.
In the 18th century, when Poland was not yet partitioned, Catherine the Great was known for her words: "The Polish people hate us so deeply, that there is no other way out for us and our security, than to subordinate and to control them".
On the individual level it is difficult to draw a distinction from a casual xenophobia, observable for any two peoples living side by side or even intermixed and historically involved in armed conflicts.
The accusations of Russophobia are often brought up by the Russian government and press in connection to the Eastern Europe that was under the influence or direct control of Moscow, sometimes heavy-handed, for the most of the 20th century.
Adolf Hitler strengthened russophobe stereotypes with his racial theory of "subhumans" which probably was the apogee of Russophobia. Although some of people who dislikes Russians might support nazism, most of those living today are not related to that and does not consider Russians to be subhumans.
The Red Scare in the United States, the Cold War, and the associated negative portrayal of "Russkies" in cinema and fiction significantly contributed to Russophobia among Americans.
International
"Russophobia" and "Russophobic" are the terms used to denote anti-Russian sentiments in politics and literature.
In modern international politics this term is also used more specifically to describe cliches and outdated attitudes towards modern Russia preserved from the times of the Cold War. Many prejudices, whether justified or simply introduced as elements of political war against the Soviet Union, are still observed in the discussions of the relations with Russia.
Russians also frequently support the idea that some of the states in Eastern Europe are Russophobic, for example Latvia; these states denounce such arguements.
See Also
References
- New York Times After Centuries of Enmity, Relations Between Poland and Russia Are as Bad as Ever, July 3, 2005 (subscription may be required for full text)
- Anatol Lieven, "Against Russophobia", World Policy Journal, Volume XVII, No 4, Winter 2000/01; a review of a modern Russophobia in international politics, available online.
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