Authors

Discussion

Populism-studies is a well-established discipline, but the issue of patriotism poses a new set of questions, particularly in relation to the problem of the operational character of collective memory and patriotismin the context of politics of populism. The paper deals with some features of Russian patriotism. Considering works of S. Lipset (1963) and J-W. Muller (2015) as theoretical frameworks, I analyze political declarations of Kremlin ideologies, government conceptions in the sphere of culture and education as well as parliamentary materials.

I will argue that patriotic mobilization based on collective memory includes idea about Russians as corpus mysticum. In the same time, Russian officials monopolized the right to declare on behalf of ‘Russian people’ and excluded those elite who, as they considered, do not represent ‘people opinion’. Thus, strong critic of elite (1) and neglection of pluralism (2) are the main features of patriotic politics which aims to develop common Russian identity. I'm going to conclude that populism itself in Russia exists as moralistic imagination about politics which is based on the idea of moral purity and ingenious integrity of people. The instrumentalization of memory means that Russian populism develops in form of patriotism and collective memory is to be considered as a recourse for political mobilization.