Putin’s attitude toward history may at first glance seem contradictory. On one hand, he is a diehard traditionalist who gives historical justifications for his decisions, appeals to the national past as a key source of popular mobilization and is deeply engaged in the restoration of Russia’s remote and not so remote imperial grandeur. At the same time, his approach to history is deeply postmodern. His adviser and former minister of culture Vladimir Medinsky—whom Putin appointed to head Russia’s delegation to the now suspended talks with Ukraine—once claimed that historical truth is a spurious concept and one has to believe in facts and interpretations that are beneficial to Russia. Putin is clearly an adherent of this theory, which is fully compatible with his obsession with the past. According to him, history provides answers to all political questions and he—as a direct successor of powerful monarchs who extended Russian borders and military glory—is entitled to interpret it and to explain its meaning.
Read Full Article »
