Characteristics of the liberal project in post-Soviet Russia

The article explores characteristics of the liberal project in post-Soviet Russia, its outcomes, its current state, and prospects. It is concluded that despite criticism of current liberalism in Russia, its axiological and ideological potential is a predictor of its possible future return not only as one of conditions for the development of a democratic political process in Russia, but also as a viable program of the country’s alternative development. The main argument that underlies feasibility of this prognosis is that in current Russian political culture, supposedly alien ideas and values of liberalism quite organically took the place of reference points of modernization, which is acknowledged by the leading Russian politicians, regardless of their ideological stance. Over the course of its implementation in Russia in the 1990s, the liberal project was not viewed favorably. In this respect, its criticism from the right and the left is valid. However, the paradox of the current Russian political process is the existence of a sustainable liberal trend that ensures the very existence of the right and the left in this process and the very possibility of widespread criticism of different political ideas, institutions, and values. This situation shows that the liberal project (like «new returns» of Russian socialism and conservatism) is likely to return in the future in some new, structurally and conceptually enhanced and, consequently, more popular version.