Is Russia a Western civilization or a Eurasian civilization?

[StonyArabia]

Is Russia a Western civilization, shaped by the Occident or it has occidental elements but rather part of a new Eurasian civilization. I would like to see opinion on this matter. To me Russia is quasi-Western civilization but with strong Eurasian elements and influences.

[Sikeliot]

I don't see Russia as part of the west. The Western Europe and US versus Russia (Soviet Union) dichotomy still sticks out in my mind.

[StonyArabia]

I don't see Russia as part of the west. The Western Europe and US versus Russia (Soviet Union) dichotomy still sticks out in my mind.

Yes, and even before Russia was not seen as Western, something on the borderlines of Europe, imperial or Tsarist Russia was seen as different civilization, and mostly due to the fact that it expanded into Eurasia and assimilating or annexing the people in it's foundation, creating a unique blend of civilization mostly West+East. Then you had the Soviet Union in which Russia again becomes a region on it's own and severed from the mainstream understanding of the West.

[Crn Volk]

Perhaps not Western, but European and Eurasian.

[RussiaPrussia]

Russia is an Eurasian civilization now. Its not because it cant be western or because of orthodox Christianity or what ever people say about russian culture, it is because the west is not anymore that what it used to be. Back then the west were about equal countries which were all equally global powers. Every european state had its own nationality therefor competing witch each other.

Now we have basically the EU and America melting together. Russia obviously cant belong to it, and if it wouldnt want to. Even after the collapse of the SU it is still too powerful to go the way like any former colonial power like france, germany, uk and so on giving up its great power ambitions to join this western group.



Russians have still a too strong national identity to be western, you can see it in everyday live.

[Wadaad]

IMO the Orthodox countries of eastern Europe are a continuation of the Byzantine civilization. Therefore a direct offshoot of Western civilization and its Greco-Roman foundation, while the countries/cultures of Western Europe are a direct offshoot of the Holy Roman Empire and medieval European civilization.

[StonyArabia]

IMO the Orthodox countries of eastern Europe are a continuation of the Byzantine civilization. Therefore a direct offshoot of Western civilization and its Greco-Roman foundation, while the countries/cultures of Western Europe are a direct offshoot of the Holy Roman Empire and medieval European civilization.

True, though Russia is kinda unique since it's an empire and the federation does host several Islamic and Buddhist republics that are shaped by Caucasian, Turkic, and Siberian cultures .

[sevruk]

I do not want Russia was a part of Western civilization, Western civilization is in decline

[StonyArabia]

I do not want Russia was a part of Western civilization, Western civilization is in decline

That might be true to an extent, but do you see Russia as Eurasian or it's own civilization that's truly uniquely Russian?

[Zashchishchayushchiy]

Russian civilization - is an original civilization, which can not be considered part of Western civilization because of the presence of significant differences and can not be called Eurasian civilization, by reason of the absence of significant influence of any civilizations of Asia. In a larger sense, we can say that Western and Russian Civilizations are members of the European meta-civilization.