The Laughing Wolf

"Russia is several hundred years behind the rest of the world, having missed both the Renaissance and the Enlightenment."

You can sometimes, possibly despite yourself, be very amusing. The people who gave us Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekov, Gogol, Pushkin, Nabokov, Pasternak, Turgenev, Blok, Bulgakov, Mendelev, Pavlov, Landau, Kolgomorov et al are "several hundred years behind the rest of the world", eh?

Russia is a land of many contradictions, of great horrors and great beauties. But one thing it is not, good sir, is "several hundred years behind the rest of the world".

LOL.

So can you, despite yourself. Take just one of those there -- Pushkin for example. How did he die? Why did he die? It would not have anything at all with his trying to push the ideas of the enlightenment now would it? Russia is indeed a land of contradictions, great beauty, and great ugliness. But the fact remains that they are behind and that their leadership has deliberately kept them behind.

Okay, as I said this is a subject requiring several DenBestian-length posts, but for those serious about this aspect of Russian history, look up the "original" Ivan who united the Rus city-states, created the Russian Orthodox Church based, etc. Skip forward a bit through Ivan the Terrible and forward. Compare and contrast that timeline with what was going on in the rest of Europe. Consider also Mongols, tributes, etc. If memory serves, there are some that argue that much of what allowed the West to pull out of the dark ages was that Russia and others formed a bulkwark that essentially stopped the hordes from the East. Note also what Mongol and related rule did for shaping thoughts on those East. Be sure to add in search terms Boyar and Strelsty (Pomeschik had far less influence). Consider that up until Peter, no Russian leader had ever travelled out of Russia, and that while outside ideas had come in through trade, that most had never been adopted. Interesting concept is to trace outside influence and changes in society, technological or sociological, through clothing. While Peter was determined to modernize Russia, his heirs were far less committed and indeed it was Catherine who began to stop it because she saw the French Revolution as an affront to God (and to her power). Note the reaction of the Tsars to such, and how even mention of the ideas (and ideals) of the enlightenment were treason. Consider also that most such discussions and considerations were among a very limited noble class: reference the various decrees of serfdom that essentially placed the vast majority of Russian population into essential slavery. Reference also the education decrees and opportunities of same class. Result is most of the "revolutionary" ideals of the enlightenment did not go to the masses as in the rest of the West. What did go to the middle classes (mostly) and lower classes was not classic enlightenment but anarchist and the violent extremes (ref. Church of the Blood to see how that played out). Also, reference Decemberists. On further note re: Pushkin, see also his involvement in various revolutionary groups and actions, and see why he died. If you get the chance to go to the Pushkin museum in St. Petersburg, it is interesting btw. For those just looking for a quick overview, do check out the History Channel series previously recommended. Just wanted to throw out some search terms and points for those who are seriously interested.