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The Ideological Discourse of Putin's Russia : Sovereigntism, Neo-Imperialism, and Fascism

Kiryukhin, Denys LU (2025) p.268-289
Abstract
This essay demonstrates that the origin of modern Russian national conservatism lies in the Soviet underground anti-communist and anti-liberal movement, which developed under the strong influence of the theorists of integral traditionalism, fascism, and the Nouvelle Droite. Vladimir Putin's political ontology, based on the idea of the tragedy of Russia and Europe caused by the weakening of their sovereignty, reveals the closeness of his political and philosophical ideas to both Russian national conservatism and European right-wing populist movements. It is no coincidence that national conservatism has emerged as one of the ideological representatives of modern Russia. Putin's policy, which can be described as neo-imperial nationalism, is... (More)
This essay demonstrates that the origin of modern Russian national conservatism lies in the Soviet underground anti-communist and anti-liberal movement, which developed under the strong influence of the theorists of integral traditionalism, fascism, and the Nouvelle Droite. Vladimir Putin's political ontology, based on the idea of the tragedy of Russia and Europe caused by the weakening of their sovereignty, reveals the closeness of his political and philosophical ideas to both Russian national conservatism and European right-wing populist movements. It is no coincidence that national conservatism has emerged as one of the ideological representatives of modern Russia. Putin's policy, which can be described as neo-imperial nationalism, is not based on a specific ideological doctrine. Nevertheless, the Russian president only sets the principles and the general framework of the state's ideological discourse, within which various doctrines are formulated today. Some of these doctrines can definitely be attributed to fascism. Sven Reinhardt's approach, which shifts attention from the characteristics of fascism to its practices, makes it possible to see that contemporary Russian neo-imperial nationalism, while not fascist in itself, contains the prerequisites for the development of fascist practices, such as the practice of Gleichschaltung. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Russia, Neo-Imperialism, Sovereigntism, Fascism, ideology, Conservatism
host publication
Transnational and Transatlantic Fascism, 1918–2018 : The Far Right in East Central and Southeastern Europe - The Far Right in East Central and Southeastern Europe
editor
Rossoliński-Liebe, Grzegorz and Rudling, Per Anders
pages
22 pages
publisher
Routledge
ISBN
9781003329398
DOI
10.4324/9781003329398-18
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
42cc3331-f6c0-4e8d-b67e-983188da9387
date added to LUP
2025-12-18 11:56:48
date last changed
2025-12-30 10:57:03
@inbook{42cc3331-f6c0-4e8d-b67e-983188da9387,
  abstract     = {{This essay demonstrates that the origin of modern Russian national conservatism lies in the Soviet underground anti-communist and anti-liberal movement, which developed under the strong influence of the theorists of integral traditionalism, fascism, and the Nouvelle Droite. Vladimir Putin's political ontology, based on the idea of the tragedy of Russia and Europe caused by the weakening of their sovereignty, reveals the closeness of his political and philosophical ideas to both Russian national conservatism and European right-wing populist movements. It is no coincidence that national conservatism has emerged as one of the ideological representatives of modern Russia. Putin's policy, which can be described as neo-imperial nationalism, is not based on a specific ideological doctrine. Nevertheless, the Russian president only sets the principles and the general framework of the state's ideological discourse, within which various doctrines are formulated today. Some of these doctrines can definitely be attributed to fascism. Sven Reinhardt's approach, which shifts attention from the characteristics of fascism to its practices, makes it possible to see that contemporary Russian neo-imperial nationalism, while not fascist in itself, contains the prerequisites for the development of fascist practices, such as the practice of Gleichschaltung.}},
  author       = {{Kiryukhin, Denys}},
  booktitle    = {{Transnational and Transatlantic Fascism, 1918–2018 : The Far Right in East Central and Southeastern Europe}},
  editor       = {{Rossoliński-Liebe, Grzegorz and Rudling, Per Anders}},
  isbn         = {{9781003329398}},
  keywords     = {{Russia; Neo-Imperialism; Sovereigntism; Fascism; ideology; Conservatism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{268--289}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  title        = {{The Ideological Discourse of Putin's Russia : Sovereigntism, Neo-Imperialism, and Fascism}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003329398-18}},
  doi          = {{10.4324/9781003329398-18}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}