Russian Ultranationalism
Some people believe that drastic economic and social changes that result in unemployment and poverty can spark extreme nationalism. In these circumstances, people's interest in personal security, economic security, and the values of their own group can become all-important. When the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, for example, Russia and 14 other independent republics emerged. But the transition was difficult, and insecurity about the future bred hatred of people who were different, especially immigrants and asylum seekers. In 2006, Alexander Verkhovsky of Moscow's SOVA Centre for Information and Analysis - a non-governmental organization that monitors racist violence in Russia - said, "Most of our population supports the idea of 'Russia for Russians,' which means for ethnic Russians, not for Russian citizens."
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Looking Back...Joseph Stalin
At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia was an absolute monarchy (remember the French Revolution). The Russian Revolution in 1918 resulted in the assassination of the czar and royal family and launched a civil war that brought even more suffering to millions of people who had already endured great hardship during World War 1.
By 1928, Joseph Stalin, a communist, had emerged as the country's leader. One of Stalin's first acts was to confiscate land owned by farmers and create collective farms owned by the state. Those who objected were executed, and an estimated five million people were deported to forced labour camps in Siberia or Central Asia. |