Among Russian experts, the popular point of view is that interethnic relations are communications, mechanisms of interaction between people of one ethnic group and fellow citizens or residents of other states representing other nations. Their essence can be based on a discussion of everyday, family, political and other topics, joint problem solving. Experts in the field of psychology distinguish two main levels at which interethnic relations are built - personal and collective.
Peoples' Friendship Factors: Collective Level
What determines the nature of the communications? What is the key factor in whether interethnic relations are positive, or, on the contrary, will carry the potential for conflict? First of all, we note that it all depends on the level of interaction between people - one of two that are noted above.
First, we study the factors characteristic of the collective. Experts believe that the prognosis of how the communication of different nations at the collective level will take shape may depend primarily on how they interact historically. This is logical: most of the nations and ethnic groups of the modern world were formed hundreds of years ago, and if we talk about some nations, then thousands. There are relatively few “young” people who do not have significant historical experience in interethnic communication of peoples, although they exist.
Global factors
Another major factor is the socio-political situation in the country, in the region, and in the whole world. There are precedents that indicate that quite friendly, based on historical preconditions, peoples could "quarrel" (or, conversely, "make peace") due to some changes in political processes. The influence of the media also plays a role, which, however, does not always reflect socio-political realities.
Friendship of personalities
What are the factors influencing interethnic relations at the personal level? Of course, those that we have listed above also play a significant role. However, they may well come to naught if people get along well with each other (or, conversely, have contradictions) at an individual psychological level. Also, how certain peoples will relate to others is influenced by specific actions of people in certain situations. If, for example, representatives of two traditionally warring nations find themselves in a difficult situation and jointly get out of it, then it is possible that they will have friendship, as they say, not spill water.
Effective National Policy Criteria
The political and socio-economic development of the countries of the world is probably primarily dependent on how balanced is the internal national policy. And only after that - on the quality of communications in the external arena. Of course, there are states in which such a problem does not exist - simply because the population is almost "mono-ethnic", monolingual, the nation is consolidated by default due to the unity of culture and mentality.
But Russia is a country in which hundreds of different peoples live, having their own language, culture, worldview. Therefore, the authorities in the Russian Federation are always faced with the task of constantly conducting high-quality monitoring of interethnic relations within the country, identifying problem areas and effectively resolving difficult situations. But what are the criteria for an adequate national policy? How to find and successfully solve the problems of interethnic relations? Experts call a variety of criteria. Consider the examples of the most logical and reasonable.
Ensuring equal political rights
And what is important - in relation to all nationalities inhabiting 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. They should have at their disposal comparable, and ideally identical, tools for interacting with the authorities. In practice, this may consist in the same political rights, which is usually referred to as basic - to elect and be elected. That is, representatives of different peoples of Russia must have resources in order to express their interests and participate in shaping the political agenda for the whole country.
Practical tools for this can be to provide national regions with ample opportunities for self-government, as well as the availability of elective mechanisms by which people of various ethnic groups can be represented in federal and higher authorities.
Smoothing socioeconomic inequality
Harmonizing interethnic relations within one country is difficult if different nations, even those living very far from each other, have unequal and incomparable income, access to good education, medicine, and infrastructure. The authorities should build a model of the country's economic development in which national regions in need of economic support would receive it, but not to the detriment of those where things are going better.
Practical tools here are balanced tax and budgetary policies, prudent investment in industry, infrastructure, and education.
Creating an atmosphere of mutual tolerance
It happens that several different nationalities have such a dissimilar mentality and culture that they lose their ability not so much for constructive dialogue as for the implementation of communications as such. They may not understand each other, even if the communication is in one language that is understandable to each of them. It is, perhaps, not about the meaning of phrases, but about actions, principles, norms of behavior. But this understanding can help establish a third nation through the institution created by him, designed to solve such problems, providing each of the “misunderstanding” a compromise model of behavior, creating an atmosphere in which the shortcomings of another nation are accepted, not denied. There should be, in modern terms, tolerance in interethnic relations.
Practical tools for implementing this component of national policy can be the improvement of educational programs, working with the media, and holding events of federal proportions on the profile of cultural exchange.
Russian scenario
To what extent do interethnic relations and national politics in Russia meet the above criteria? On the one hand, the state was able to rebuild the necessary institutions that reflect each of these mechanisms. Each national republic has its own parliament, representatives in the Federation Council. Any ethnic group living in Russia has absolutely equal political rights. Everything is more complicated with the economic part, but it is rather connected with an objectively large territory and, as a result, the inability to equalize the social status of citizens in all regions. Moreover, the difference in living standards between individual regions of Russia is practically not tied to the national factor. It is determined primarily by resource availability, as well as climate and infrastructure. In the media, at least those that are considered to be state-owned, a quite tolerant editorial policy is adhered to, as well as in the main educational programs. On the other hand, Russia within its current borders and in its current political formation is a very young state. And therefore, the unequivocal conclusions regarding the fact that interethnic relations and national policy are built perfectly with us are too early to do. Although, of course, there are basic prerequisites for this, and we named them.
Let us now consider how interethnic relations are developing in Russia at the level of individual social institutions. Let's start with education.
School of Nations
With all possible comments on the Soviet education system, one of its undeniable advantages is the availability of training in those disciplines that are most significant from the point of view of the development of society - history, literature, social studies. In this case, the national card was never played. 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 particular nation. All the good that the socialist homeland achieved was achieved thanks to the efforts of the entire Soviet people.
Soviet model
Many of today's experts believe that it is largely due to this installation, which was already in the school, that today's adult citizens of the Russian Federation, by default, consider other nations mainly in a friendly manner, believing that now we are an integral part of the united Russian people. Some experts believe that we should be thankful in many respects for the fact that there is now a relative harmonization of interethnic relations to the Soviet-era school. It is important not to lose the valuable experience that has been developed by teachers of the USSR for decades.
Of course, there are some examples of when interethnic relations in school are accompanied by difficulties. However, they probably do not constitute a system. Today's children, like their Soviet predecessors, are for the friendship of peoples.
State concept
Interethnic relations in modern Russia are built by the state based on the official concept. Consider its features.
One of the first significant legal acts in this direction is the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, signed in the summer of 1996. This document has already lost its force, however, this legal act contains a rather interesting system of views, as well as priorities and various kinds of principles that should be adhered to by authorities at the federal and regional levels regarding national relations. The goal of creating a legal act was to ensure 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 developed over 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 the Russians are a nation that is characterized by a unique combination of unity and diversity of ethnic groups.
90s trends
The 1996 Decree noted a number of trends that, according to the authorities, could characterize interfaith and interethnic relations in Russia. We list them.
First, while the transitional stage is underway (at the time of writing the law, not many years have passed since the collapse of the USSR), the development of the Russian nation is affected by the desire of many peoples for independence.
Secondly, the ethnic groups that are forming our nation feel the need for the government to pursue a course of effective reforms, taking into account the fact that the socio-economic resources of the regions may be different.
Thirdly, interethnic relations in modern Russia are characterized by the fact that the peoples living in our country strive to preserve and further develop their cultural identity.
Work directions today
What does the law offer in terms of practical policies today? What measures are envisaged for them to harmonize interethnic relations in Russia? The 1996 Decree was replaced by a new presidential decree published in 2012. Many of the key concepts that we noted above are confirmed by this legal act. So, what does the government propose to do, building interethnic relations in Russia? Here are a few 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 inter-regional cultural communications, the dissemination of knowledge of others among ethnic groups, are expected.
Secondly, the state sets the task of intensifying work in the ethnographic direction, in the field of cultural and educational interethnic events, tourist trips, and sports competitions.
Thirdly, the improvement of educational work with children and youth with an emphasis on patriotism and increasing civic consciousness is considered an important area.
The friendship of nations is the foundation of Russia's development
These and many other mechanisms of interaction between the authorities and society should, as the Russian legislator believes, create a powerful foundation on the basis of which the development of society will be built not only of the present, but also of future generations. The idea is certainly wonderful. Its implementation depends not only on the policies of the authorities, but also on the actions of the citizens themselves.