At an intermediate stage on the way toward cultural sovereignty

The Special Military Operation (SMO) has been underway for almost two years (22 months), and during that period (as we have repeatedly noted in previous articles ¹ ) a comprehensive transformation of the country has been going on in its economic vector, defense potential, education system.... But the main thing, in our opinion, is the cultural and ideological vector.

First, because cultural sovereignty is a key component of full-fledged national sovereignty , the struggle for which is, in fact, the main goal of the SMO (at least of those larger geopolitical processes for which it has become a “trigger”).

It is for a reason that on January 25, 2023, the President of the Russian Federation signed a decree that unambiguously defines “cultural sovereignty” as “a set of socio-cultural factors that allow the people and the country to form their identity, avoid socio-psychological and cultural dependence on external influence, be protected from destructive ideological informational influence, preserve historical memory, and adhere to traditional Russian spiritual and moral values ”; besides, “ the priority of culture is established , designed to ensure further development of the potential of society and the individual, preservation of civil unity, protection of national interests, and achievement of national development goals of the Russian Federation ” ² .

As experts point out, cultural sovereignty is the cornerstone of statehood. “A country that has forgotten its past and abandoned its traditions will sooner or later perish, disappear ” ³ . This explains the fact that on January 25, 2023, the President included the protection of the cultural sovereignty of the Russian Federation in the goals of state policy ⁴ .

Second, we should note that formulating the idea of the image of the future society and country

“Cultural sovereignty is the basis for the formation of cultural identity and national security of the country , the cornerstone of any statehood. The urgency of increasing attention to the sphere of cultural sovereignty today is associated with its being at the forefront of ideological and information-psychological confrontation, global competitive struggle... Cultural sovereignty is not only an integral part, but also a necessary condition for ensuring state sovereignty... It is culture that plays the role of the guardian of the civilizational code of the nation, its value base” ⁵ .

launches the process of formation of a new Social Contract, which has been going on and will probably proceed much more actively after the final achievement of all the goals of the SMO.

“People make reality” as it is described by the person expressing the Idea (journalist, expert, ideological worker, etc.” Therefore, “first there must be an Idea... and only then ... there is action” ⁷ .

Emphasizing cultural sovereignty and the ideological component of full national sovereignty, we should note an important event that took place in Russia in November 2023, which, according to some experts, could “change the destinies of Russia and the world radically” ⁸ .

“You can’t have a society without an ideology, these are elementary concepts of state and law... I propose to seriously consider this. Taking into account our historical society, taking into account the modern realities in which we live, thinking about the prospects for the development of our society, it is still necessary to formulate the ideology of our society, our goals and enshrine it in the Constitution of the Russian Federation” ⁶.

November 27–28, Moscow hosted the 25th World Russian People’s Council, its topic was “The Present and Future of the Russian World” ⁹ .

“The World Russian People’s Council is undoubtedly the main public organization of the Russian people. This organization embodies the most important principle without which neither Russians nor Russia exist – the principle of the unity of the State, the Church and the people. Only “sobornost” can be the foundation for a new ideological platform on which the Russian state stands... In the end, the Council, despite all the diversity of topics, is concerned with one thing : elaboration of solutions to protect the life of the Russian people itself” ¹⁰.

“The Council, which was attended by 6 thousand people, did not just confirm the status of the main public organization of Russia and the entire Russian world. It defined the constants of our future” ¹¹.

The World Russian People’s Council (WRPC) is the main public organization of the Russian people ¹² . Its scale and the forces that were involved in this event in 2023 (state, political, public, military, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, religious, etc.) are best illustrated by the level and diversity of its participants: representatives of the authorities, the RF Presidential Administration, heads of regions, heads of security agencies, representatives of the business community and civil organizations, religious denominations and scientific institutions, and many others. According to TASS, about 1.5 thousand people took part in thematic sections, and about 6 thousand in the plenary session ¹³ (Insert 1) .

Russian President Vladimir Putin also took part in the plenary session of the WRPC, which in itself speaks about the importance of this event, since during all his presidential terms the head of state did not always participate in it personally.

In total, Vladimir Putin participated in the World Russian People’s Council three times, and each time his speech reflected the historical period that Russia, which is part of the world community, was going through.

For the first time it was on December 13, 2001 . Back then, the RF President focused on the danger of international terrorism and the need to consolidate the efforts of world powers to combat it.

“The events of September 11 did not just shake the planet. Not only did they change the world and remind all of us of its fragility. They also made us think about the enormous responsibility that rests on all of us. Responsibility for the future, for the creation of a democratic, fair and secure world order system … I am convinced that to create such a system, it is not enough to combine the efforts of states. We need public unity in the rejection of xenophobia and violence. Everything that feeds the ideology of terrorism”¹⁵.

“ We see what efforts are being made today to “reformat” the world, to destroy traditional values and those cultural and historical spaces that have been taking shape for centuries. The goal is to create all sorts of faceless “protectorates”. After all, divided peoples, deprived of national memory, reduced to the level of vassals, are easier and more convenient to manage, use as a bargaining chip in their interests …

There are still, of course, as they say, more questions than answers. I have no doubt about one thing for sure: Russia’s voice in the world of the future will sound dignified and confident. This is predetermined by our tradition, our inner spiritual culture, self-awareness and, finally, the very history of our country as an original civilization, unique, but not self-confidently and boorishly claiming to be exceptional. Because it is impossible to imagine the history of humankind without the same unique civilizations as India, China, Western Europe, America and many others. This is really a multifaceted complexity, each facet of which complements and enriches each other”¹⁶.

For the second time Vladimir Putin took part in the World Russian People’s Council on November 1, 2018 and spoke about the destructive trends of spiritual and value transformations taking place in the world, and in this regard, about the need to preserve the civilizational identity of Russia and other civilizations.

Finally, on November 28, 2023, taking part in the World Russian People’s Council for the third time, Vladimir Putin briefly and meaningfully summed up the main results of today’s historical stage: the global situation, Russia’s role in the coming multipolar geopolitical future, threats to national security the country is facing, and the potential that will allow Russia not only to successfully to pass this historical stage, but also to ensure its sovereignty in the future (Insert 2).

“ ... we defend the security and well-being of our people, the supreme, historical right to be Russia – a strong, independent power, a civilization state...

We are fighting now for the freedom not only of Russia, but of the whole world... It is our country that is now at the forefront of shaping a more just world order. And I want to emphasize: without a sovereign, strong Russia, no lasting, stable world order is possible... ”¹⁷

Some experts drew attention to the fact that “it was, of course, a confrontational speech. The speech of a person who understands that there is nothing more to lose, despite the fact that the situation at the front is getting better…” ¹⁸

We should emphasize that Vladimir Putin in his speech at the World Russian People’s Council in 2023 repeated much of what he had spoken about in 1999 in the article “Russia at the turn of the Millennium” ¹⁹ , assessing the internal situation in the country, the key problems and potential of Russian society ( Insert 3 ), as well as much of what he had noted during his Munich speech in 2007 ²⁰ , addressing, first of all, the international establishment, expressing his view of the situation in the world ( Insert 4 ).

Both in the past and in the present, it was about Russia’s sovereignty; about the importance (and even priority) of ideological content over practical measures in addressing the country’s pressing problems; about the lessons that Russia should learn from its own past; as well as about the inevitability of the collapse of the unipolar world and specifically about the threats posed to Russia from the US side.

This succession of public statements by the President, stretching over decades, testifies to a systematic, consistent approach, and the commitment of the head of state to the course of national development, which he has been implementing for almost 25 years.

Thus, at the World Russian People’s Council in 2023, the President actually outlined the contours of the image of the future of Russia, shared not only by him personally, but also by representatives of the highest levels of state, political, public, and religious circles; that is, those people who first of all have to implement this image of the future in practice. As M.G. Delyagin, one of the participants of the Council, State Duma deputy and a member of the Izborsk Club, very aptly noted, “ in order to win, we need to show an image of the future that will be attractive to everyone. And this is our main task! Because a person always chooses the future, even if it is blurred and unclear. And we need to create this “future” in Russia right now so that people want to live in it. And so that people enjoy living in it” ²¹ .

Insert 2

Vladimir Putin’s speech at the plenary session of the World Russian People’s Council, November 28, 2023. Available at:

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Experts on Vladimir Putin’s decision to participate in the presidential election on March 17, 2024 ²³:

B. Kamkiya (political scientist): “Vladimir Putin’s decision to run for a new presidential term is very important for Russia, as well as on the scale of international relations... He is a person who has accumulated huge political capital and huge opportunities to lead Russia forward. Vladimir Putin has concentrated his practical potential, and he is really second to none... Under the current conditions, with the threat hanging over Russia, Putin has become the leader who can respond to these challenges with his decisions ”.

P. Danilin (political scientist, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, director of the Center for Political Analysis): “Putin feels that he has a huge burden of responsibility for the country... And the presidential election itself is actually becoming a struggle for Russia’s victory…”

• A. Asafov (first deputy Chairperson of the Commission of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation on public examination of draft laws): “Society has different motives. First of all, the motives of patriotism and trust, because in the current situation, only Putin can make decisions ”.

• E. Minchenko (president of the communication holding “Minchenko Consulting”): “In the context of a large-scale geopolitical confrontation, there is no reason to change an experienced leader... Therefore, hardly anyone thought that Putin would not nominate his candidacy ”.

Ten days after his speech at the WRPC on December 8, 2023, Vladimir Putin announced that he would participate in the presidential election to be held on March 17, 2024 ²⁴ . The head of state pointed out: “I had all kinds of thoughts on this matter at different times. However, you are right – the time to decide has come. I will run for President of the Russian Federation” ²⁵ .

And we should note that for most experts Vladimir Putin’s decision did not come as a surprise: on the one hand, there is simply no alternative to the role of national leader in Russia today; on the other hand, there is a high demand in Russian society for a new presidential term of Vladimir Putin. This is evidenced not only by the opinions of experts, but also by the results of all-Russian sociological research.

According to the results of a VCIOM poll conducted on December 7, 2023, 78% of Russians are going to participate in the 2024 presidential election, 61% of them stated this with full confidence (for comparison, 8% do not plan to vote yet, 14% haven’t made up their mind so far) ²⁶ . Therefore (taking into account the current high level of support for the head of state in society, as well as the results of the last elections held after the start of the SMO ²⁷ ), we can predict with a high degree of probability that the presidential election will take place on March 17, 2024.

• P. Danilin: “Russians would like Putin to run as a candidate. This is the request of the citizens”²⁸.

• E. Minchenko: “There is a high public demand for Putin’s candidacy”.

• 78.5% trust the RF President, 17.3% do not)29.

According to VCIOM:

V approval level for the President’s performance has been stable at 73-75% since June 2023 (according to the latest data as of December 3, 2023 – 75.8%; the share of negative characteristics – 14.9%);

V level of trust in Vladimir Putin during the same period was stable at 77-79% (as of December 3, 2023,

According to the FOM:

• V 70% of Russians believe that Vladimir Putin should run for a new term;

V 67% say that “Vladimir Putin’s work as President of the Russian Federation meets their interests” ³⁰.

What do the broad strata of Russian society expect from Vladimir Putin’s next presidential term?

This question can be answered if we look at the results of the “direct line” combined with the press conference that Vladimir Putin held on December 14, 2023.

In terms of duration, it was the longest event of this format since 2018 ³¹ . The “direct line” received more than 2.5 million questions. The key topics among those voiced in the live broadcast concerned the rights and social support of the participants of the SMO, the situation on the front line and the likelihood of the second wave of partial mobilization, healthcare, housing and utilities, agriculture, increase in price for certain goods and services, support for the domestic car industry and aviation, Russian sports, regulation of the information environment and education of future generations of Russians, prospects for the development of artificial intelligence, and much more.

“The number of questions is really enormous... probably the largest all-Russian sociological survey took place... it is physically impossible to answer all the millions of questions, but there are, of course, common topics. And which of them are in the lead? No doubt, the main topic is the special military operation… Payments, certificates, supplies… Well, there are also traditional questions about housing and communal services, sports and what not.

Many problems were solved even proactively, but there remain many unresolved ones! And most importantly, we all now live in a completely different world, and, of course, people are concerned not only about social issues ”³².

E. Glushakova (RIA-Novosti): “Generally, the grand agenda includes extensive discussions on both the special military operation and the new regions. In principle, today’s news conference reflects this agenda” .

The international agenda was also touched upon: the present and future of Russia’s relations with the USA, China, CIS countries and Western Europe; the geopolitical situation around the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, the functioning of the Russian economy under sanctions pressure from the Collective West, Russia’s presidency in BRICS and CIS countries in 2024, etc.

We should note that, just as during his communication with war correspondents on June 13, 2023 (especially when answering questions concerning Russia’s internal problems), the President repeatedly had to use such expressions as “there is a problem, of course. I agree”; “these are gaps that should not have been allowed”; “it is not always enough, not everything works out”, “this is a failure in the work of the Government”, etc. ³³

This indicates, first of all, that the relevance of problems related to ensuring the effectiveness of public administration in the “manual mode” is still high.

And if, with the advent of Vladimir Putin’s new presidential term it is indeed possible to expect the achievement of SMO goals and a more active process of normalization of geopolitical relations in the world, then for tangible shifts in solving internal issues of improving the effectiveness of public administration, as well as for significant progress in solving more global issues related to achieving public agreement on the image of the future and the formation of a new Social Contract, which is based on the idea of a just social state, most likely (according to many experts), It will take the next (sixth) presidential term of Vladimir Putin34, that is, the period 2030–2036.

At least, we can agree that “in the next 4–5 years (2022–2027), under the conditions of the world catastrophe, Russia’s ruling stratum and elite will be forced to change”, and only by the early 2030s, perhaps, “all balances will be found and consensus will be achieved”.

“ In the next 4–5 years (2022–2027)... structures and hierarchical pyramids will be destroyed within the framework of the intra-elite struggle... A new series of people from the “first waves” will make their way into Russia’s upper ruling stratum and elite to become, if they succeed, the heads of power/elite groups and clans...

Another five years will pass (until the early 2030s), and the boundaries of spheres of influence will be defined, balances will be found, consensus will be consolidated. And only after that will the principles and rules… regain relevance, adjusted for the distortion of the basis and idealization. But this will be a different time and a different story”³⁵.

“We believe that all the players in politics and the economy must have a level playing field so that nobody can gain any advantages by cozying up to the authorities from the left or the right. This is very important for the domestic and the potential foreign investor. Nothing can be accomplished without solving this issue. That is why the building of a legal structure and the fight against corruption take on such importance. This is not just routine work in the law enforcement field. It is, in effect, about creating a new image of the country… Keeping all the players on the market at an equal distance from the authorities, on the one hand, and guaranteeing property rights, on the other, is a cornerstone of the political and economic spheres”³⁷.

Today, unfortunately, one cannot but recognize that the President, in fact, continues to be the only “customer for sovereignty” for the time being. Although Vladimir Putin has been dealing with the problem of nationalization of the elites since the very beginning of his presidential term. If one were to describe this long-term, multi-year work in a few words, it would include the following:

• 1.    The principle of “equidistance of all market subjects from the authorities” announced by the RF President on February 28, 2000 ³⁸ ; as a result of its practical implementation the most odious representatives of the so-called Semibankirshina were either arrested or forced to leave the country ³⁹ .

• 2.    The anti-corruption campaign initiated by Vladimir Putin at the beginning of his third presidential term (after the 2008–2011 presidential term of D.A. Medvedev), has limited the possibilities of activity (criminal cases were initiated against some officials, others left the country or were removed from office “due to loss of confidence of the head of state”, etc.) of such persons as Defense Minister A. Serdyukov, former Minister of Agriculture E. Skrynnik, acting Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation A. Ulyukayev, coordinator of the Expert Council under the Government of the Russian Federation (where he was appointed by the former Chairperson of the Government of the Russian Federation

• 3.    Amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation initiated by the President in early 2020 ⁴⁵ , among them were such as the priority of the Constitution of the Russian Federation over the norms of international law, the prohibition to have

• 4.    The beginning of the SMO, announced by the President on February 24, 2022 ⁴⁸ ; after which many representatives of the liberal elites left the country, and many of the important people who did not do this, but could not give up their liberal worldviews, also lost their positions. For example, Presidential Adviser V. Yumashev is Boris Yeltsin’s son-in-law, a member of the executive board and the board of trustees of the Yeltsin Center; according to experts, Yumashev is “one of the few remaining links between the Putin administration and the Yeltsin government... strategist and policy guide for the remnants of the Family [actually beneficiaries of the unipolar world in Russia]” ⁴⁹ .

“ With Putin’s assuming office as President once again, the power clans have regained some of the influence they lost during Medvedev’s presidency and will not miss an opportunity to use the anti-corruption campaign in their own interests... The theme of the fight against corruption was chosen because of its popularity among the people... Repressions are still of a pinpoint nature”.

“ There is no example in the whole world when the fight against corruption does not have an element of intra-elite struggle for power and influence... Putin needs, on the one hand, to stay on the edge of the anti-corruption blade, and on the other hand, not to scare the elites, because there is no one to replace them with , the social elevators in the country are almost inoperative” (opinion of Evgeny Minchenko, director of the International Institute for Political Expertise)⁴⁰.

D. Medvedev ⁴¹ ) A. Voloshin (a man whom some experts call the “ideologue of the Family” ⁴² and the “brain of the liberal clan” ⁴³ ), as well as a huge number of officials at the regional level ⁴⁴ .

foreign citizenship for persons holding positions “critically important for ensuring the security and sovereignty of the country”, etc. Some experts very mildly stressed that this “offended quite a large number of quite influential people. From Medvedev to very, very high-status liberals” ⁴⁶ . However, in fact, new “rules of the game” were being established for the liberal elites; the new Constitution, according to some estimates, “cut off market liberals from power”, but even if it did not “cut them off” completely, it at least created conditions under which they were forced to turn in the direction of patriotic moods.

“…The draft Constitution under discussion, with all amendments, cuts off market liberals from power in the long run.

The ruling elite was completely satisfied with the current liberal version of the Constitution, it interpreted the laws as it wanted. The changes were needed when the end of Putin’s fourth term loomed on the horizon. The elite, apparently, wanted to get a mandate to change the Constitution in such a way that would allow the current system of power distribution to be preserved through a new configuration of state institutions... But it received an actual request for a new Constitution, and of a paternalistic, Soviet type… ”⁴⁷

However, from the “equidistance of the oligarchs from power” to the beginning of the SMO, the solution to the problem of nationalization of the elites was complicated by the need for the head of state to “maneuver” between the interests of the general population and the interests of the ruling elites, who since the 1990s were associated with the interests of Western countries, lobbied them, tried to live and actually lived in the “fairway” of the liberal the course.

“First, a former PREMIER (Kasyanov*) and eight (!) former deputy prime ministers have fled there [abroad]. At the same time, three more former deputy prime ministers and at least one acting deputy prime minister live in two countries.

Second, if we count the ex-heads of the Presidential Administration (!) - Yumashev, Voloshin and Chubais, as well as all the ministers and their deputies (like Kozyrev, Skrynnik, Vavilov, Chuyan, Reimer, etc.) who have fled Russia, that’s another 50 people. And I am not talking about dozens of ex-governors and vice-governors and hundreds of officials of the federal government alone.

Third, if we count those high-ranking officials of the Russian Federation who have sent their children abroad and, consequently, are preparing to go there themselves in one way or another, that’s dozens and dozens more people.

Fourth, despite the SMO, former deputy prime ministers and former ministers continue to flee, unhindered (Chubais, Kudrin) along with stolen money and state secrets.

The list of former deputy prime ministers and their current location: Ilya Klebanov – in Israel, Alfred Kokh – in Germany, Arkady Dvorkovich – in the USA, Aleksandr Khloponin – in Israel, Yakov Urinson – in Israel, Maksim Akimov – in Israel, Anatoly Chubais – In Italy, Andrei Kudrin – in Israel...”50.

After the beginning of the SMO, when the so-called “former Western partners” began aggressive actions against Russia (in the broadest sense: economic, political, military), the need to always take into account the interests of elites associated with the West in the system of public

“The main part of the oligarchy was dissatisfied with these actions of the statespersons [SMO], as it suffered from the economic sanctions imposed by the West. Someone has demonstrated their dissatisfaction with the flight from Russia and the withdrawal of capital from it. And someone began to look for an opportunity to remove the statespersons, and above all President Vladimir Putin, from power. It was this group that played on the political ambitions of the head of the Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin ”⁵¹.

“It should be understood that Prigozhin, of course, is not an independent figure... since the days of his very active activity in Saint Petersburg, he certainly had partners, companions, and curators in various government bodies of the Russian Federation, including the Presidential Administration. And later, when he started a very large business in Africa, which concerned not only his private military company (the campaign associated with Prigozhin was engaged in politics there, lobbying for the interests of big business, etc.; a campaign in which a large number of those in power and those who make decisions were involved). And, of course, after he joined the SMO, these connections did not vanish... he has his own clear role; in this sense, he is connected to many persons ”⁵².

administration has significantly decreased, although it has not disappeared completely . This was clearly demonstrated by the attempt of an armed rebellion by E. Prigozhin, which, as experts noted, was an attempt “to remove the statespersons and, above all, President V. Putin from power” by a certain “group of oligarchs” and which eventually brought the country to the brink of a “failure of Russian statehood” ⁵³ .

Nevertheless, the further process of forming new elites in the country, capable of working more effectively and guided solely by national interests, is complicated by other factors: first, the need to nurture a new generation of elites (to this end, the President is taking many steps to raise not just a new, nationally oriented elite, but a new generation of Russians, from among which this elite will be subsequently created);

“… A genuine elite can be reproduced only if its concentration in power exceeds 50%... Where will the president find such a large number of necessary personnel at one time? Even if we assume that the entire Izborsk Club will be called up for public service, then in this case a second problem arises – experience, the need to understand the essence and details of the organizational work of the state machine. And this means that it will not work right to the very top; and if they do not make it to the very top right away, then they will either be devoured or face such strong resistance and sabotage that the president will have to manually guide everyone personally through all levels of government to the very top”⁵⁴.

Second, the need to “adjust” the effective operation of social and personnel “elevators” , so that they could be used by people who, for example, have proven themselves in the implementation of tasks in the course of the SMO (it is no coincidence that Vladimir Putin was asked about this during his meeting with war correspondents, and the head of state’s answer makes it clear that this task has not been solved yet);

Excerpt from the meeting with the war correspondents ⁵⁵:

• S.    Pegov: “Unfortunately, the existing bureaucratic system is set up in such a way that those who are good at serving on the parquet floor.... There are a lot of talented people now, good daring guys, but the system prevents them from rising the top. How can we resolve this issue so that we get new gems in our military affairs and in the art of war?”

V. Putin: “Of course, we need to look for people like that. There are many of them, you are absolutely right. The Defense Minister and the Chief of General Staff completely share my position, I have mentioned this issue many times, and they say: “Of course, we must do this”. You are right in saying that, just like in any ministry, they have a multi-layered bureaucracy. Certainly, we need to create social mobility mechanisms, including those that locate such people and elevate them to the required level in the army and society”.

“The downside of this scenario, like any other revolutionary one, is the inevitable weakening of the state and the emergence of so many vulnerabilities, which, with the current civilizational confrontation with the West, will give the latter a lot of opportunities to take advantage of the situation and come with all chances to seize power, control over nuclear facilities and part of the regions, provoke civil conflict, famine, dysfunction of centralized government, separatism and the annexation of regions with a weakening of the center and a lot of smaller problems, because the West does not need Russia at all. And whether it will be possible to rebuild it again and by what forces is the big question that stands above this whole scenario, filled with so many costs that a true statesperson and patriot of Russia will decide on it only as a last resort”⁵⁶.

Third, a rapid change of the elites in the near future is impossible due to the ongoing civilizational confrontation between Russia and the Collective West. The revolutionary scenario (rather than the conservative one, which Vladimir Putin is implementing) of reassembling the personnel base of the public administration system creates additional risks to it, which external forces that prevent the strengthening of Russia’s sovereignty will certainly take advantage of, and there is no doubt about it.

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⁵⁷ This insert is a continuation of the monitoring of the most important regulatory legal acts signed by the RF President; we have been conducting the monitoring since June 2022. Thus, it has been going on for 19 months; its results have been published in 10 articles (the first issue of the monitoring is presented in the article: Ilyin V.A., Morev M.V. (2022). A difficult road after the Rubicon. Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast , 15(3), 9–41).

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We should also note that the public administration system, which will eventually be filled with new personnel, should contain mechanisms for self-defense against “undesirable elements”. As the experience of the collapse of the USSR and, in general, the experience of the collapse of

For example:

September 8, 2023, Sber published the report “The Future 2035+”⁵⁸: “no less than the forecast of Russia’s development until 2035”, analyzing which some experts summarized: “This essay (which the whole Sberbank was not ashamed to sign with its name!) clearly demonstrates the absolute mental dependence of all these experts, analysts, futurists, sociologists, economists, forecasters and whatever else they are called there – on Western thought. Russia has been and remains a colony of the West in the field of thought. We are far from embarking on the difficult path of decolonizing our own consciousness... Sberbank futurologists demonstrate this dependence in a ridiculous and caricatured form, other do it in a more veiled way, but it’s still so far from liberation ”⁵⁹.

“big empires” has shown, “the collapse is based on one common reason – the inability of political elites to ensure sustainable development ...” when “the accumulation of wealth begins to displace virtue and service to the state as the main indicator of success” ⁶⁰ .

In other words, the nationalization of elites is a long process that requires maximum caution and endurance, the traits that Vladimir Putin has always shown; and, by and large, these qualities of his largely allow him to still be the head of state. But “there are still a sufficient number of liberal habits in certain departments (although they are gradually disappearing)” ⁶¹ .

Therefore, during the new presidential term, Vladimir Putin is expected to take more vigorous actions with regard to solving the tasks of his country; with regard to bringing the real situation in the country in line with the basic provisions of the Constitution, which proclaims that “Russia is a social state” (Article 7); finally, with regard to the further implementation of the task of nationalizing the elites and raising the effectiveness of public administration, without which a sovereign (that is, not fixated on Western paradigms) future of Russia is simply impossible.

The victory in the election on March 17, 2024 will allow the head of state to more confidently (as required by the “historical time”) “move forward faster” in realizing the expectations and hopes of the general population.

The President will not only have to withstand the onslaught of all the numerous problematic aspects of global turbulence and defend all the constituent elements of the country’s full national sovereignty (political, economic, territorial, cultural, etc.), but also continue the systematic provision of positive dynamics in the standard of living and quality of life, restoring order in the public administration system.

And most importantly, Vladimir Putin will have to achieve broad public agreement on the image of the future of Russia and a new Social Contract, which is based on a socially just organization of society, as well as protective mechanisms capable of preventing the historical tragedies of 1917 and 1991 and the mistakes of former leaders of the country (Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev, Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin), which led to considerable losses: in social relations, in human capital, in the deterioration of cultural and moral norms, in the worldview of the ruling elites and often, as a result, in the loss of public confidence in the authorities...

It is no coincidence that in his first program article, which in fact set goals and guidelines for the development of the country for decades to come, the RF President wrote: “ There should be no forced civil consent in a democratic Russia. Any public consent here can only be voluntary. But that is why

“Probably, the thinking public agrees that the state in Russia was seized in the 1990s by enemies who established external control over it, over our entire society. The generalizing name for it is liberalism... Putin has been gradually getting the country out of this situation since he came to power in 2000. Very slowly. Slowly. Almost imperceptibly. And we are still on this path... The networks of liberals are so impressive and powerful that it is difficult to deal with them, especially since Putin has chosen a strategy of very gradual squeezing them out. It’s not even clear who will die out first – they or the Russian population... Maybe Putin wins in general, avoiding dramatic turns ; carrion leaves Russia by itself and in portions. And there are no reprisals, no responsibility for what they did. But we are definitely losing the historical time allotted to our people for rebirth, for coming to ourselves. Delaying the deliberation is tactically justified (maybe), but strategically it becomes dangerous... Therefore, we need to move forward faster. Along Putin’s way. But still faster”⁶².

it is so important to achieve it on such fundamental issues as goals, values, and development milestones, which are desirable and attractive to the vast majority of Russians ” ⁶³ .

Today, Vladimir Putin often admits mistakes he made in the past, and does so publicly: in the media, in his public speeches, in direct communication with people. For example, in his recent interview on

Rossiya-1 TV channel, he admitted that in the early stages of his presidential activity he had a largely naive idea about the attitude of the countries of the Collective West toward Russia, that there was no “basis for confrontation” in this regard.

However, recent decades have shown that this is not the case; and in this sense, of course, one cannot look to the future without a certain degree of anxiety in anticipation of how effectively Vladimir Putin will cope with all the tasks facing him. He’s human, and it is human to err .

“...at the initial stage, after all, I had a naive idea that the whole world, and above all the so-called (now I speak with absolute conviction) “civilized” world understands what happened to Russia, that it has become a completely different country, that there is no longer an ideological confrontation. This means that there is no basis for confrontation. And if something negative happens in the policies of Western countries in relation to Russia... I naively believed that this was just the inertia of thinking and acting. They are used to fighting the Soviet Union and continue to do so...

It was a naive idea of reality. And the realities are as follows, later I was absolutely, 100% convinced that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, they believed that they had to be patient a little bit so that they could ruin Russia entirely”... Only later did this realization come to me ”⁶⁴.

An excerpt from Vladimir Putin’s speech during the “direct line” on December 14, 2023, characterizing some of his personal traits:

“It would be good if whatever I say would happen but, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Such is the world’s practice…We talk about something, we want something to happen, and some things happen and others do not. This is normal, but it is certainly necessary to strive to reach one’s goals”.

* * *

* * *

“One should think today about what will happen tomorrow... I would also add, always set ambitious goals. Set goals that may look unachievable. Having set such goals, a person will strive to achieve them and will certainly succeed”.

At the same time, it is precisely certain human qualities inherent in the President (purposefulness, strategic foresight, courage in setting ambitious goals and a systematic approach to achieving them) that allow us to look into the future with positive hopes and expectations.

It is today that we need to think about how to get rid of the “liberal hegemony” in the country and among those who surround the head of state. Because the longer this problem remains relevant, the more stringent actions will be required to solve it.

In our opinion, the current situation in the country, characterized by the “deep penetration” and “totalitarian domination” of liberal forces in society, was most systematically described by A. Dugin, one of the most active participants of the Izborsk Club and a participant of the 2023 World Russian People’s Council.

We think that A. Dugin is absolutely right that it is the President “who is the main and only hope for getting rid of the liberal yoke...”, and in this sense, society expects concrete actions from him: “it’s time to open another front – in the field of ideology, worldview, social consciousness”.

The SMO brought many changes, because the beginning of hostilities in Ukraine finally came into conflict with liberal dogma... However, liberal hegemony in Russia still persists. It has penetrated so deeply into our society that it has begun to reproduce itself in new generations of managers, officials, scientists and educators...

We have now entered a new cycle of Putin’s re-election as a national leader. There is no doubt about it... After all, he is our main and only hope for getting rid of the liberal yoke... But the bulk of Putin’s opponents are not on that side, but on this side of the barricades. The liberal totalitarian sect does not even think of giving up its position. It is ready to fight for them to the end... The liberals are restrained only by Putin, with whom they will not dare to have a head-on collision. Systemic liberals are concentrated in his camp, because there is simply no other camp...

Something similar to SMERSH is needed in the field of ideas and humanitarian paradigms... right now it is time to open another front – a front in the field of ideology, worldview, and social consciousness. The totalitarian domination of liberals in Russia – primarily in the field of knowledge, science, education, culture, and the definition of values of upbringing and development – must come to an end”⁶⁵.