Russophilia
Encyclopedia
Russophilia is the love of Russia
and/or Russians
. The term is used in two basic contexts: in international politics and in cultural
context. "Russophilia" and "Russophilic" are the terms used to denote pro-Russian sentiments, usually in politics and literature. Its opposite is Russophobia
.
s produced by mass-culture ("traditional Russian hospitality", "Russian tenderness" etc.), as well as on in-depth study of Russian mentality, as expressed, e.g., by American author Robert Alexander
: "I love Russians for their dramatic, emotional nature. They're not afraid to love, not afraid to get hurt, not afraid to exaggerate or act impulsively."
In October 2004, the International Gallup Organization announced the results of its poll,, according to which approximately 20% of the residents of Western Europe
viewed Russia positively, with the most positive view coming from Iceland
, Greece
, and Britain
. The percentage of respondents expressing a positive attitude towards Russia was 9% in Finland
, Turkey
, and Japan
, 38% in Lithuania
, 36% in Latvia
, and 34% in Estonia
. Estonia and especially Latvia have a large number of ethnic Russians, which was likely to affect the result.
, in Serbia and Montenegro, who also share Orthodox religion with Russia, there was no Soviet occupation and Russians were always seen as friendly brotherly people. About 53% of Serbs see Russia as their first ally on international scene.
: москвофільство, moskvofil’stvo) was a linguistic, literary and socio-political movement in the Western Ukrainian
territories of Galicia, Transcarpathia
, and Bukovyna in the 18th - 20th centuries. Proponents of this movement believed in linguistic, cultural, social union with Russian people and later in state union with Russia. Among the causes for the emergence of this phenomenon were the loss of Ukrainian statehood, centuries of foreign oppression, fragmented Ukrainian territories and dispersed population, as well as the defection of national elite to neighbouring cultures and a weak sense of national identity.
date back as far as late 18th early 19th centuries when several famous Russians with ties to the government and the court of the tsar settled there. Such famous scientists and social activists as I. Orlai, M. Baludiansky, P. Lodiy and others lived in Transcarpathia and maintained close ties with the country of their birth and thereby promoted interest towards Russia, especially towards its cultural life, its language and literature.
. Metropolitan M. Levytsky began to introduce the Ruthenian language
in elementary schools, developed grammar books, insisted on instruction in University in Ruthenian and founded "Ruska Troyka" Society. The Lemko-Rusyn Republic
, after World War I
, attempted to join Lemko territories to Russia, and later to similar Russophile areas of the newly formed Czechoslovakia
.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and/or Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
. The term is used in two basic contexts: in international politics and in cultural
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
context. "Russophilia" and "Russophilic" are the terms used to denote pro-Russian sentiments, usually in politics and literature. Its opposite is Russophobia
Russophobia
Russophobia refers to a diverse spectrum of prejudices, dislikes or fears of Russia, Russians, or Russian culture. Its opposite is Russophilia....
.
Russophilia in Western culture
Love of Russians (or at least admiration) in Western Countries may be based on stereotypeStereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s produced by mass-culture ("traditional Russian hospitality", "Russian tenderness" etc.), as well as on in-depth study of Russian mentality, as expressed, e.g., by American author Robert Alexander
Robert Alexander
Robert Alexander was an American planter, lawyer, and Tory political leader during the American Revolution. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress for Maryland in 1776.- Background :...
: "I love Russians for their dramatic, emotional nature. They're not afraid to love, not afraid to get hurt, not afraid to exaggerate or act impulsively."
In October 2004, the International Gallup Organization announced the results of its poll,, according to which approximately 20% of the residents of Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
viewed Russia positively, with the most positive view coming from Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The percentage of respondents expressing a positive attitude towards Russia was 9% in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, 38% in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, 36% in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, and 34% in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. Estonia and especially Latvia have a large number of ethnic Russians, which was likely to affect the result.
Russophilia in Serbia and Montenegro
Russia is hugely popular in Serbia and Montenegro, and Serbs always have seen Russia as a close ally. While in other nations of Eastern Europe Russia remains unpopular due to its influence over those nations during the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, in Serbia and Montenegro, who also share Orthodox religion with Russia, there was no Soviet occupation and Russians were always seen as friendly brotherly people. About 53% of Serbs see Russia as their first ally on international scene.
Russophilia in Modern Ukraine
Some Ukrainian citizens, mostly in the east and south of the country, would like to a see a more Russophile attitude of the government, ranging from closer economic partnership to full national union.Russophilia in Western Ukraine
Russophilia (Moscophilia, UkrainianUkrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
: москвофільство, moskvofil’stvo) was a linguistic, literary and socio-political movement in the Western Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
territories of Galicia, Transcarpathia
Carpathian Ruthenia
Carpathian Ruthenia is a region in Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast , with smaller parts in easternmost Slovakia , Poland's Lemkovyna and Romanian Maramureş.It is...
, and Bukovyna in the 18th - 20th centuries. Proponents of this movement believed in linguistic, cultural, social union with Russian people and later in state union with Russia. Among the causes for the emergence of this phenomenon were the loss of Ukrainian statehood, centuries of foreign oppression, fragmented Ukrainian territories and dispersed population, as well as the defection of national elite to neighbouring cultures and a weak sense of national identity.
Russophile Movement in Transcarpathia
The first instances of Russophilia in TranscarpathiaCarpathian Ruthenia
Carpathian Ruthenia is a region in Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast , with smaller parts in easternmost Slovakia , Poland's Lemkovyna and Romanian Maramureş.It is...
date back as far as late 18th early 19th centuries when several famous Russians with ties to the government and the court of the tsar settled there. Such famous scientists and social activists as I. Orlai, M. Baludiansky, P. Lodiy and others lived in Transcarpathia and maintained close ties with the country of their birth and thereby promoted interest towards Russia, especially towards its cultural life, its language and literature.
Russophile Movement in Galicia and Bukovyna
When Galicia and Bukovyna were incorporated into the Habsburg Empire in 1772 the Austrian government treated the Ukrainian population of these territories with suspicion as it was afraid it was susceptible to Russian influence due to the closeness of Ukrainian and Russian languages and cultures. This mistrust of the authorities was cultivated by influential Polish politicians and activists in an effort to forestall the growth of national consciousness on territories where Poles traditionally had influence. Any attempt at cultural revival was met with hostility from the Austrian government which regarded them as an influence from Moscow. In spite of this atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion the first educational establishment "The Fellowship of Priests" was founded in PrzemyślPrzemysl
Przemyśl is a city in south-eastern Poland with 66,756 inhabitants, as of June 2009. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship; it was previously the capital of Przemyśl Voivodeship....
. Metropolitan M. Levytsky began to introduce the Ruthenian language
Ruthenian language
Ruthenian, or Old Ruthenian , is a term used for the varieties of Eastern Slavonic spoken in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later in the East Slavic territories of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth....
in elementary schools, developed grammar books, insisted on instruction in University in Ruthenian and founded "Ruska Troyka" Society. The Lemko-Rusyn Republic
Lemko-Rusyn Republic
The Ruthenian National Republic of the Lemko People , often known as the Lemko Republic or the Lemko-Rusyn Republic, was founded in Florynka on 5 December 1918, in the aftermath of World War I, after the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
, after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, attempted to join Lemko territories to Russia, and later to similar Russophile areas of the newly formed Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.