Russian Cultural Overview

Russians are the people of Russia, a nation of northern Eurasia.

Geography

Russia is the largest nation by land area in the world, stretching from eastern Europe to the Pacific coast of Asia. Its lands west of the Ural Mountains are more densely populated and home to large cities like Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Novosibirsk. Its eastern landmass is dominated by the vast, wintry forests and plains of Siberia before growing more temperate along the Pacific coast.

• Climate: Ranges from temperate

• Capital: Moscow

• Total Population: 142,122,776 (2018 est.)

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History

Russian civilization begins with Kievan Rus, a powerful medieval trading state founded by the Norse Varangian Rurik and indigenous Slavic peoples in the 9th century CE. The merchants of early Kiev traveled far and wide, reaching the markets of Europe, Baghdad, China, and Constantinople, among others. They adopted Eastern Orthodoxy through Byzantine monks and a modified version of the Greek alphabet, or Cyrillic. Kiev faced competition from similar trading states to the north, including Vladimir and Novgorod. Its power came to an end in the 13th century, when Tatar and Mongol armies razed the city as part of the larger conquests of the Mongol Empire.

For about two centuries, the people of what is now Russia lived under the “Mongol yoke,” paying tributes to a series of khanates concentrated to the south. The emerging Russian culture shifted northwards to cities like Moscow and Novgorod. Leaders like Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible overthrew the khanates and began the work of building a ‘Third Rome,’ taking the title of tsar, or caesar. The Rurikid line, however, grew weak after the passing of Ivan the Terrible. In 1613, a new family, the Romanovs, assumed control. Under the reigns of tsars like Peter and Catherine the Great, Russia expanded into a flourishing empire with greater cultural ties to Europe.

But while the Russian Empire entered a golden age in its arts and literature, its population was for the most part still enslaved as rural serfs. Emancipation came in 1861, but poverty and landlessness remained widespread. Tsars like Alexander III and Nicholas II either could not or would not move quickly enough to placate their subjects. World War I, a time of hardship and extreme endurance among Russia’s common people, saw increasing support for communist and socialist ideologies. In 1917, revolution broke out and the Romanov dynasty was shattered. By 1922, the USSR had formed.

The nation began to reinvent itself, including a massive industrial push, the official abandonment of Eastern Orthodoxy, and equality between men and women. It also suffered from mismanagement, political instability, and famine. The USSR entered World War II in alliance with Germany but was betrayed and invaded in 1941. The Soviet Union then joined the Allies and was a major contributor to their hard-fought victory.

After the war, Russia and the United States emerged as the leading military and economic powers of the world. They engaged in a decades-long Cold War, fought primarily through proxy wars, espionage, and propaganda. The USSR eventually declined and collapsed by 1991. Since that time, Russia has been reborn as the Russian Federation, its modern state.

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Daily Life

Historically, the average Russian person lived as a peasant farmer, working land as part of a larger estate. In exchange for their labor, they were given part of a separate field to grow food and other crops for their own family. Families slept on or near wooden stoves in their *izba, *a common timber home. Their staple crops included beets, cabbages, rye, and other hardy vegetables. Women produced clothing for their family, often in shades of red and white and embroidered with natural patterns. Meanwhile, the elites of the Russian Empire led lives more similar to their European counterparts than their own subjects. They tended to live in large estates, sometimes moving between an urban house and a country manor.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 forever changed the common lifestyles of Russia. The USSR saw huge migrations to cities as part of a modernizing economy. While shortages and state violence did occur, living conditions varied widely by the status, location, and ethnic background of a family. Most modern Russian people lead lives similar to those of European nations, though more rural areas may still see older customs and lifestyles.

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Society

From the medieval era to the 20th century, Russian society organized itself around dynastic families supported by a small class of skilled tradesmen and a much larger base of peasant farmers. Independent city-states like Tver, Vladimir, Novgorod, and Moscow practiced different forms of government, ranging from oligarchic councils to more traditional principalities. They united in the 15th and 16th centuries to form the Russian Empire under the Rurikid and Romaov dynasties.

The 19th century saw notable reforms within Russia, though they would not be enough to save its imperial dynasty. The empire’s system of serfdom saw common families at the mercy of their estate owners; serfs, or ‘souls,’ could be traded and sold on a whim. Popular rebellions like the Decembrist Revolt threatened the monarchy. The tsars made concessions through reforms like local zemstva councils, a mild limit on their authority. The serfs gained their freedom in 1861, but in many cases were stuck working the same plots of land as before. In 1871, Tsar Alexander II was assassinated via bombing, prompting a crackdown by his son, Alexander III. By 1917, the government of Tsar Nicholas II had been removed from power entirely.

The Soviet system emphasized collective labor and wellbeing. A central party made decisions through committee and a party congress. Despite its goal to form a classless society, in reality, differences still existed between party officials, academics, tradespeople, and farmers. Modern Russia has adopted a more market-oriented economy and operates as a semi-presidential republic. The majority of its population is ethnic Russian, but it is also home to numerous smaller cultures. In recent decades, the nation has seen prolonged violence in the Caucasus and conflict with Ukraine over ownership of Crimea.

• Major Languages: Russian, Tatar, Chechen

• Urban Population: 74.4% (2018 est.)

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Economy

From its roots as a network of medieval trading states, the Russian Empire adopted a feudal, agrarian economy until the 19th century. Vast gaps in wealth and freedom existed between its upper classes, tradesmen, and serfs, who were treated in many cases like cattle. The empire was slow to industrialize, which led to a string of embarrassing military defeats and lingering poverty in both the cities and the countryside.

Under the Soviet Union, Russia organized as a centrally planned economy. Instead of individuals working to generate personal wealth, it envisioned a society of collective organization, with everyone working toward the common good. Its economic development was complicated, however, by the Cold War and internal struggles like corruption, famine, and a lack of infrastructure. Shortages and black markets became a relatively common part of daily life until the Soviet Union’s collapse. Modern Russia has privatized many of its industries, leading to a new class of wealthy and powerful oligarchs. Its economy today relies primarily on its large reserves of oil, natural gas, and minerals. Recent economic sanctions by other nations, however, have slowed its growth.

• Major Industries: Oil and gas, chemicals, metals, manufacturing, and military equipment.

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Beliefs

The people of Kievan Rus and its surrounding areas began adopting Eastern Orthodox Christianity in the 10th century. Prior to this, Slavic peoples practiced a diverse mix of polytheistic faiths, generally referred to as Slavic Paganism. Its followers typically recognized deities like Perun the Thunderer, an earth mother, and smaller spirits such as the guardians of a home. They adopted the Byzantine branch of Christian Orthodoxy due to its close proximity and status as a major trading partner of Kiev. Actual conversions among the common people were likely slow, and pagan practices have survived in some areas to the present day. Over time, Russia also came to encompass lands with high Jewish and Muslim populations, sometimes leading to violent clashes.

The Soviet Union officially encouraged atheism and suppressed many forms of worship. This proved deeply unpopular, however; since its fall, Russian Orthodoxy has seen a major resurgence.

Religious Demographics:

• Russian Orthodox 15-20%

• Muslim 10-15%

• Other Christian 2% (2006 est.--the majority of the remaining 63% likely claimed no faith.)

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Arts & Music

Russia possesses a rich artistic heritage drawing from both Eastern, Western, and indigenous customs. Besides peasant crafts, its medieval arts were dominated by religious imagery, particularly through icons and illuminated manuscripts. Its religious architecture similarly took its cues from the Byzantine Empire, eventually evolving into the unique and colorful domes still seen today.

Increasing European influence in the 17th and 18th centuries introduced more secular styles of painting. This led to a talented generation of painters, who often depicted historical events and the lives of peasants in vibrant detail. In addition, the nation is home to a long literary tradition ranging from medieval epic stories and ballads to the more modern novels of authors like Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky. Highly trained dancers continue to perform in the popular Russian ballet. The Soviet Era brought a new proliferation of pop art and science fiction, exploring both the nation’s past and future through new media like television and pop music. Modern Russia is still a major center of the arts, home to many museums and private collectors.

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References

Bushkovitch, Paul. *A Concise History of Russia. *Cambridge University Press. 2012.

Moon, David. The Russian Peasantry 1600-1930: The World the Peasants Made. Routledge. 2014.

Rowland, Daniel Bruce. Medieval Russian Culture. University of California Press. 1984.

“The World Factbook: RUSSIA.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 29 May 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html.

Vernadsky, George. Kievan Russia. Yale University Press. 1973.

Ziegler, Charles. The History of Russia. ABC-CLIO. 2009.

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