Imperial statehood as the basis for successful national development of Russia

This article is devoted to the study of imperial statehood as a traditional form of statehood for Russia and the Russian people. The author of the article notes that in the minds of most Russians and residents of the Earth, the term “empire” is perceived with a pronounced negative connotation, which is a consequence of the dominant in science and mass consciousness, thanks to the activities of the media and propaganda, certain myths about empire and ideological attitudes.

Imperial states are usually identified either with a large power in their territorial possessions, or with a special type of state entities seeking constant territorial expansion, coupled with the merciless exploitation of “enslaved” peoples, i.e. with colonial powers, often to raise their status calling themselves “empires”.

Meanwhile, such ideas have nothing to do with reality. Classical empires are a special type of state entity dominated by the idea of   unity of society in the name of the common good. Different ethnic groups coexist peacefully in culture and customs, coexisting under the patronage and supervision of the core imperial ethnic group, while maintaining their traditional way of life, economic structures, the system of local self-government and often statehood.

The study of the phenomenon of “empire” is very important at present in the light of determining the prospects and vector for the further development of the Russian world, Russian society and statehood. For, as history shows, the fate of the empire is inseparable from the fate of the core imperial ethnic group, i.e. the Russian people. And in this sense, the empire is not only a tradition, but also the fate of Russia.

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