Interethnic relations and national policy. Interethnic relations in modern Russia

Among Russian experts, the popular view is that interethnic relations are communications, mechanisms of interaction of people of one ethnic group with fellow citizens or residents of other states representing other nations. Their essence can be based on the discussion of everyday, family, political and other topics, joint problem solving. Specialists in the field of psychology distinguish two main levels on which interethnic relations are built-personal and collective.

Factors of peoples' friendship: collective level

What determines the nature of the relevant communications? What is the key factor in whether interethnic relations will be positive, or, conversely, will carry the potential for conflict? First of all, we note that everything depends on the level of interaction of people - one of the two that are noted above.

First, we study the factors characteristic of the collective. Experts believe that the forecast of how the communication of different nations at the collective level will evolve can depend primarily on how they interact historically. This is logical: most of the nations and ethnoses of the modern world were formed hundreds of years ago, and if we talk about some nations, then thousands too. "Young", who do not have a significant historical experience of interethnic communication of peoples, are relatively few, although they are.

Global factors

Another important factor is the socio-political situation in the country, in the region, in the whole world. There are precedents that testify that quite friendly people, based on historical preconditions, could "quarrel" (or, on the contrary, "reconcile") due to some changes in political processes. The role of the media also plays a role, which, however, does not always reflect the socio-political realities.

Friendship of personalities

What are the factors that influence inter-ethnic relations at the personal level? Of course, those that we listed above also play a significant role. However, they may well come to naught if people get along well (or, conversely, have contradictions) on an individual-psychological level. Also, the way certain people relate to others are affected by the concrete actions of people in certain situations. If, for example, the representatives of the two traditionally warring nations find themselves in a difficult situation, and with their joint forces get out of it, it is possible that they will have, as they say, no water.

Criteria for effective national policy

The political and socio-economic development of the countries of the world, probably, primarily depends on how well the intra-national policy is built. And only after that - from the quality of communications on the external arena. There are, of course, states in which such a problem does not exist - simply because the population is almost "monoethnic", monolingually, the nation is by default consolidated due to the unity of culture and mentality.

But Russia is a country in which hundreds of different peoples live, who have their own language, culture, perception of the world. Therefore, the authorities in Russia always have a task - to maintain a permanent quality monitoring of interethnic relations within the country, identify problem areas and effectively solve complex situations. But what are the criteria for an adequate national policy? How to find and successfully solve problems of interethnic relations? Experts call the most diverse criteria. Let us consider examples of the most logical and justified.

Ensuring equal political rights

And, importantly, in relation to all the nationalities that inhabit the state. Interethnic and interethnic relations are, first of all, parts of the political process. Accordingly, the nations that participate in it must have the same resources to express their own position, views, and beliefs. At their disposal should be comparable, and ideally - identical tools of interaction with the authorities. In practice, this may consist of the same political rights, which is usually attributed to the basic - to elect and be elected. That is, representatives of different peoples of Russia must have the resources to express their interests and participate in the formation of a political agenda for the whole country.

Practical tools for this can be to provide national areas with ample opportunities for self-government, as well as the availability of elective mechanisms through which people of different ethnic groups can be represented in federal and higher-level power structures.

Smoothing socio-economic inequality

Harmonization of interethnic relations within one country is difficult, if different peoples, even living very far from each other, have unequal and incomparable income, access to good education, medicine, infrastructure. The government should build such a model of the country's economic development, in which the national regions in need of economic support would receive it, but not at the expense of those where things are going better.

Practical tools here - a balanced tax and budget policy, reasonable investment - in industry, infrastructure, education.

Creating an atmosphere of mutual tolerance

It happens that several different nationalities are so dissimilar in mentality and culture that they lose the ability not so much to constructive dialogue as to the implementation of communications as such. They may not understand each other, even if communication goes on one, understandable for each of them language. This is, perhaps, not about the meaning of phrases, but about actions, principles, norms of behavior. But this understanding can help to establish a certain third nation by means of it an established institution designed to solve similar problems, providing each of the "uncomprehending" with some kind of compromise model of behavior, creating an atmosphere in which the shortcomings of another nation are accepted, not denied. There must be a place, speaking in modern language, tolerance in interethnic relations.

Practical tools for implementing this component of the national policy can be the improvement of educational programs, work with the media, the conduct of federal measures in the field of cultural exchange.

The Russian scenario

To what extent does inter-ethnic relations and national policy in Russia correspond to the above-mentioned criteria? On the one hand, the state was able to rebuild the necessary institutions, reflecting each of these mechanisms. Each national republic has its own parliament, representatives in the Federation Council. Any ethnos living in Russia has absolutely equal political rights. With the economic part, everything is more complicated, but it is rather connected with an objectively large territory and, as a consequence, an inability to level the social status of citizens in all regions. Moreover, the difference in living standards between individual regions of Russia is almost not tied to the national factor. First of all, it is caused by resource availability, as well as climate and infrastructure. In the media, at least those that are usually classified as state ones, a completely tolerant editorial policy is maintained, as well as in basic educational programs. On the other hand, Russia in the current borders and in the current political formation is a very young state. Therefore, it is too early to make unambiguous conclusions regarding the fact that inter-ethnic relations and national policy are ideally built for us. Although, of course, the main prerequisites for this are, and we called them.

Let us now consider how interethnic relations develop in Russia at the level of individual social institutions. Let's start with education.

School of Peoples

With all possible comments on the Soviet education system, one of its undeniable advantages is the availability of education for those disciplines that are most significant from the point of view of the development of society - history, literature, social science. At the same time, the national card was never played out. Historical and political events were practically not presented to children through the prism of hostility between the peoples inhabiting the USSR, or as a result of the heroism of any single nation. All the good that the socialist homeland has achieved was achieved thanks to the efforts of the entire Soviet people.

The Soviet model

Many of today's experts believe that thanks largely to this installation, planted in the school, today's adult citizens of the Russian Federation by default treat other nations in a friendly manner, believing that now we are part of a single Russian people. Some experts believe that we should be grateful in many respects for the fact that now there is a relative harmonization of inter-ethnic relations, the school of the Soviet era. It is important not to lose that valuable experience that has been worked out by educators of the Soviet times for decades.

Certainly, some examples of when inter-ethnic relations in school are accompanied by difficulties, is. However, they probably do not represent a system. Today's children, like their Soviet predecessors, for the friendship of the peoples.

State concept

Interethnic relations in modern Russia are built by the state proceeding from the official concept. Let's consider its features.

One of the first significant legal acts in this direction is the Presidential Decree signed in the summer of 1996. This document has already lost its force, but this legal act contains a rather interesting system of views, as well as priorities and various principles that the authorities at the federal and regional levels should respect to national relations. The goal of creating a legal act was proclaimed ensuring the unity of the peoples of Russia in a new historical context.

The document says that the culture of interethnic relations in our country has evolved over the centuries. Most of the ethnic groups inhabiting Russia are indigenous peoples, who played an important historical role in the process of forming statehood. It is emphasized that the Russian people played a unifying role, thanks to which Russians are a nation characterized by a unique combination of unity and diversity of ethnic groups.

Trends in the 1990s

The 1996 Decree noted a number of trends that, in the authorities' opinion, can characterize interfaith and interethnic relations in Russia. We list them.

First, while the transition phase is taking place (at the time of writing the law, not so many years passed since the collapse of the USSR), the development of the Russian nation is influenced by the desire of many peoples for independence.

Secondly, the ethnic groups that shape our nation need the authorities to pursue effective reforms, taking into account the fact that the socio-economic resources of the regions may not be the same.

Thirdly, interethnic relations in modern Russia are characterized by the fact that the peoples inhabiting our country seek to preserve and further develop their cultural identity.

Directions of work today

What does the law offer in terms of practical policies today? What are the measures for harmonizing inter-ethnic relations in Russia? The 1996 presidential decree was replaced by a new presidential decree, published in 2012. Many of the key concepts, which we noted above, are confirmed by this legal act. So, what does the government propose to do when building inter-ethnic relations in Russia? Here are some excerpts that can give an idea of the possible practice of the mechanisms set forth in the new presidential decree.

Firstly, the development and intensification of interregional cultural communications, the dissemination of knowledge of others among certain ethnic groups, is expected.

Secondly, the state sets the task of activating work in the ethnographic direction, in the field of cultural and cognitive interethnic events, tourist trips, sports competitions.

Thirdly, an important area is the improvement of educational work with children and young people with an emphasis on patriotism and the enhancement of civic consciousness.

Friendship of nations is the foundation of Russia's development

These and many other mechanisms of interaction between government and society should, as the Russian legislator believes, create a powerful foundation on the basis of which the development of the society not only of present, but also of future generations will be built. The idea is certainly remarkable. Realization of it depends not only on the policy of the authorities, but also on the actions of the citizens themselves.