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Caveat Emptor
10-07-2018, 02:33 PM
Recently I've found out that USSR was the most multicultural state on earth back when it existed. Now Russia still has lots of different ethnic groups, approximately 186 according to Wikipedia.

How did the Russians manage to keep such a gigantic, diverse state together?

indo-uralopean
10-07-2018, 02:38 PM
By blood, genocide and assimilation. 95% of Russia is not Russian lands.

Jehan
10-07-2018, 02:39 PM
Ethnic russians compose the huge majority of the population. They have the numbers with them. And they acheived to assimilate other close populations like ukrainians, bielorussians, some finish like population.

The other ethnic group aren't enough big and they aren't the majority on their territory to acheive to take their independance.

Chechenian were close to get it, but they gett a "better deal" to stay inside the federation.

Caveat Emptor
10-07-2018, 02:56 PM
By blood, genocide and assimilation. 95% of Russia is not Russian lands.

The Russia proper, I believe, is the Novgorod land and Muscovy in Eastern Europe. The rest is really the "Empire" and it's fascinating that such an immense AND full of natural resources land is kept together by the Russians, when there are so many different ethnic groups native to the regions. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it's just really interesting.

It's nice to see an Indo-Uralic perspective on this. Do you feel a strong connection to with the entirety of Russia?


Ethnic russians compose the huge majority of the population. They have the numbers with them. And they acheived to assimilate other close populations like ukrainians, bielorussians, some finish like population.

The other ethnic group aren't enough big and they aren't the majority on their territory to acheive to take their independance.

Chechenian were close to get it, but they gett a "better deal" to stay inside the federation.

Truth be told, if I was a leader of Russia I would simply led them go and make a friendly deal with independent Chechnya. Why? Well, Russia certainly doesn't need more land or natural resources, but rather more security and economic development of what they already have. What do you think?

Jehan
10-07-2018, 05:19 PM
Truth be told, if I was a leader of Russia I would simply led them go and make a friendly deal with independent Chechnya. Why? Well, Russia certainly doesn't need more land or natural resources, but rather more security and economic development of what they already have. What do you think?


I would do the same.
But the risk might be a domino effect and all ethnic asking for independance.
I'am not sur at 100% But It seems to me that many oil and gaz field own by russia are in some non ethnic russian territory.

pulstar
10-07-2018, 05:24 PM
How did the Russians manage to keep such a gigantic, diverse state together?

By not dictating the way of life for those other (culturally non-Slavic) ethnicities, unlike all the Western empires.

Westbrook
10-07-2018, 05:26 PM
Strong central government and distant towns being dependent on support from it

Caveat Emptor
10-07-2018, 05:26 PM
By not dictating the way of life for those other (culturally non-Slavic) ethnicities, unlike all the Western empires.

Interesting. So you would say that the key to success way social and regional autonomy?

pulstar
10-07-2018, 05:32 PM
Interesting. So you would say that the key to success way social and regional autonomy?

Yes. In a way to keep the peace and satisfaction is like keeping the equllibrium in oscillating (dynamic) system, a spring lets say. If you try to compress it, it will resist. The same with forceful changes in a way of living. Russians simply know that and don't try to influence those ethnicities.

Jehan
10-07-2018, 07:52 PM
By not dictating the way of life for those other (culturally non-Slavic) ethnicities, unlike all the Western empires.


Why do you think that?

Seems that the situation have been differents during the history and for the different ethnicitys.

Georgia
10-07-2018, 07:54 PM
Of 140M people living in Russia,110m are ethnic Russians,so the country is not as diverse as you believe.

pulstar
10-07-2018, 08:11 PM
Why do you think that?

Seems that the situation have been differents during the history and for the different ethnicitys.

Because life in Russia is slower. There is no forced industrialization and urbanization, thus there is less stress (excluding the large cities). It seem like they scatterly urbanized only certain key points in Siberia and Far East so they could have control over the territory but in a way not to disturb the local population.

StonyArabia
10-31-2018, 10:14 AM
Ethnic Russians are the majority and some groups were slavized and Russified

Marolinepint
10-31-2018, 10:37 AM
Ethnic Russians make up 81% of the population. This is comparable to countries like Germany (Germans are 80% of the population) and higher than France (70%).

Proto-Shaman
10-31-2018, 10:44 AM
By blood, genocide and assimilation. 95% of Russia is not Russian lands.

+1

Ülev
10-31-2018, 10:55 AM
Of 140M people living in Russia,110m are ethnic Russians,so the country is not as diverse as you believe.

you didn't read Krivich&Co carefully isn't it? there is only a small percentage with Balto-Nordids - the truest Russians

Austrvegr
10-31-2018, 11:41 AM
+1

100% of "Turkey" is not Turkish lands.

Slavic Italian
10-31-2018, 11:45 AM
NKVD/KGB/FSB

Proto-Shaman
10-31-2018, 11:46 AM
100% of "Turkey" is not Turkish lands.
Lol, Russians are Turkeys?