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Why Russia needs decolonisation for its future democratisation

Cordes, Milosz J. LU orcid (2022) In New Eastern Europe LIV(6). p.41-47
Abstract
Ukraine’s recent success on the battlefield has encouraged discussion on potential changes to Russia’s political setup. While a new leader would be needed, more fundamental change would be required if the country is to embark on a path towards democracy. The key issue lies in Moscow’s relations with its periphery, an exploitative relationship that has persisted for centuries.

The war in Ukraine has been made possible by Russian and Soviet authorities continually focusing their ideological and political attention on European Russia over the centuries. In doing so, they have been ignoring the interests of other regions of the country, as well as their non-Slavic populations. In this sense, 75 per cent of Russia’s territory acts as... (More)
Ukraine’s recent success on the battlefield has encouraged discussion on potential changes to Russia’s political setup. While a new leader would be needed, more fundamental change would be required if the country is to embark on a path towards democracy. The key issue lies in Moscow’s relations with its periphery, an exploitative relationship that has persisted for centuries.

The war in Ukraine has been made possible by Russian and Soviet authorities continually focusing their ideological and political attention on European Russia over the centuries. In doing so, they have been ignoring the interests of other regions of the country, as well as their non-Slavic populations. In this sense, 75 per cent of Russia’s territory acts as Moscow’s internal colonial empire. Not only is it financing the war with its oil and gas, but it is also providing cannon fodder for Russian military commanders, who do not value the lives of Buryats, Tatars or Chechens as much as those of the Slavic citizens. As a result, decolonisation is essential to ensuring the democratisation of Russia. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to specialist publication or newspaper
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Russia, colonisation, Russian Federation, security, Ukraine, Ukraine invasion 2022
in
New Eastern Europe
volume
LIV
issue
6
pages
7 pages
ISSN
2083-7372
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9f487988-19c2-4e53-a4a2-90da2b1d0093
date added to LUP
2023-02-07 16:55:43
date last changed
2023-02-16 14:50:46
@misc{9f487988-19c2-4e53-a4a2-90da2b1d0093,
  abstract     = {{Ukraine’s recent success on the battlefield has encouraged discussion on potential changes to Russia’s political setup. While a new leader would be needed, more fundamental change would be required if the country is to embark on a path towards democracy. The key issue lies in Moscow’s relations with its periphery, an exploitative relationship that has persisted for centuries.<br/><br/>The war in Ukraine has been made possible by Russian and Soviet authorities continually focusing their ideological and political attention on European Russia over the centuries. In doing so, they have been ignoring the interests of other regions of the country, as well as their non-Slavic populations. In this sense, 75 per cent of Russia’s territory acts as Moscow’s internal colonial empire. Not only is it financing the war with its oil and gas, but it is also providing cannon fodder for Russian military commanders, who do not value the lives of Buryats, Tatars or Chechens as much as those of the Slavic citizens. As a result, decolonisation is essential to ensuring the democratisation of Russia.}},
  author       = {{Cordes, Milosz J.}},
  issn         = {{2083-7372}},
  keywords     = {{Russia; colonisation; Russian Federation; security; Ukraine; Ukraine invasion 2022}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{41--47}},
  series       = {{New Eastern Europe}},
  title        = {{Why Russia needs decolonisation for its future democratisation}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/138056819/NEE_6_2022_Cordes_Why_Russia_needs_decolonisation_for_its_future_democratisation.pdf}},
  volume       = {{LIV}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}