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historians note a number of geopolitical characteristics peculiar to
russia that have been instrumental in shaping its historical
development and the national mentality of its population. one
feature of the country抯 geography, in particular, seems to have had
a fundamental influence: russia抯 location in the center of the
eurasian landmass. russia抯 position between europe and asia has had
a profound effect on the emergence of a distinctive civilization. it
was asiatic in the eyes of the europeans and too european for the
asians. |
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russian state found its fitting symbol in the double-headed eagle of
byzantium. one of its crowned heads is turned to the east and the
other, to the west. it was adopted as the coat of arms of the
muscovite tsars, then of the russian empire, and now resurrected as
a state symbol of post-communist russia. the double-headed eagle
symbolizes the dual nature of a great state that extends for
thousands of miles across two continents. this state accommodated
the traditions and ways of life of its extraordinarily diverse mix
of peoples with their distinct mentalities and political cultures
that clashed and interacted within the confines of a great empire.
the
dual nature of this eurasian empire and its unique geopolitical
location have given rise to unending efforts by the russian
political and cultural elites to define russia抯 place in the
surrounding world. what is the nature of russia抯 mutual relations
with the great civilizations of the west and the east? what should
be the orientation for russia to follow in its political,
socioeconomic, and cultural development? these questions have
aroused public debates over the last two hundred years. they loomed
particularly large at critical periods in the life of russian
society, when a radical transformation of social and political
structures looked unavoidable and the country confronted the problem
of choosing the path for its further development.
