The relationship between Russia and the West remains a subject of intense debate. American political scientist Samuel Huntington, in his seminal work "The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order," argued that mutual perceptions of enmity between Russia and the West hinder the possibility of harmonious coexistence. As a proposed solution, Huntington suggested the integration of Russia into Western civilization. But can this integration ever truly happen?
This question was recently explored in a Daryo interview with political scientists Farhod Karimov and Mukhtar Nazirov.
Farhod Karimov emphasized that historically, Russian and Western civilizations have been closer than commonly perceived. He pointed out that familial ties between Russian emperors and European kings in the Middle Ages exemplified this closeness. However, despite these ties, European civilization was more advanced at the time.
"European civilization has aged due to a loss of values in the 20th century," Karimov noted. "In contrast, Russian civilization is still in its youth. Huntington believed that to rejuvenate itself, European civilization should integrate the youthful Russian civilization, which is inherently closer, rather than entirely foreign civilizations."
This historical interconnectedness suggests that the current hostilities may be more about temporary political dynamics than deep-seated civilizational divides. Karimov believes that eventually, both civilizations will realize their shared roots and work towards a unified future.
Mukhtar Nazirov provided a different angle, focusing on the dynamic nature of Western civilization and its integration with Eastern European countries, many of which share the Orthodox Christian heritage with Russia.
"Eastern European countries, which include Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Estonia, are slowly integrating into Western civilization," Nazirov explained. "This integration is eroding the religious and cultural differences that once marked them as distinct from the West."
Despite this, Nazirov pointed out that Europeans do not see Russians as fully European, and in Asia, Russians are not seen as Asian either. This has led Russians to view themselves as a unique Eurasian entity. Nazirov argued that the current geopolitical strategy of the West, which seeks to maintain military and economic superiority, does not accommodate the vastness of Russian territory.
Nazirov also highlighted that Western policymakers historically entertained the idea of Russia joining NATO. This proposition sparked debate on whether Russia would integrate into NATO or vice versa.
"Russian geopoliticians see Russia as an independent power center that aims to rally smaller nations around it," he stated. "Given this perspective, Russia is unlikely to seek closer ties with Western civilization in the near future."
He further suggested that the West's strategic maneuvers, such as isolating China from the Soviet Union, could be replicated with Russia. However, the crux of the issue remains the vast size of Russia.
"Many Russian political scientists argue that the West's reluctance to fully embrace Russia stems from the latter's territorial enormity. The West needs a smaller Russia. If Russia were smaller, it might have already integrated into Europe," Nazirov concluded.
While historical and cultural ties suggest the potential for integration, contemporary geopolitical realities and the sheer size of Russia present obstacles.
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