Features of formation and changes in public consciousness of Russians in relation to historical events

The process of historical development of each state has its own specifics. In Russia, this process is an extremely contradictory path, if we take into account the changes in statehood and socio-economic foundations in conjunction with changes in the historical and social consciousness of Russians. The article reveals this aspect in more detail and shows the example of a number of key events that significantly changed public sentiment. In particular, we are talking about the fact that the Russian Empire, which existed for several centuries, in historical terms, collapsed “overnight” in 1917, and the inhabitants of the former empire quickly accepted and became supporters of Soviet power. And seventy-four years later, Soviet society, seemingly standing unshakably on a political-communist foundation under the monopolistic ruling CPSU, also “overnight” (by the same historical standards) approved of the collapse of the USSR, as evidenced by the adoption in 1993 of the post-Soviet Constitution of Russia, which proclaimed the bourgeois-capitalist system, which until recently was considered completely unacceptable. The reasons for the indicated changes in historical public consciousness are presented, about which it is not necessary to speak definitively. It is noted that a public dialogue is needed about which vector of the country's future most closely corresponds to Russian traditions, taking into account the achievements of general civilizational development.