Russian People Research Articles

The frequency of the use of the word "Tibet" in the Russian-language discourse of the 18th and 20th centuries.

The analysis of the reasons for the appearance of the "three peaks" of the use of the word "Tibet" from the 18th century to the present day in the national corpus of the Russian language is made in the article. Author, by considering the compatibility with the word "Tibet" in text materials, draws conclusions about the dynamic perception of the image of Tibet by native speakers of the Russian language. The article examined the image of Tibet based on materials from the NKRR. The author highlights such characteristics of the image of Tibet as the complexity of the location, the difficulty of the path, the connection with the religious and mystical worldview, mystery, etc. The analysis of the process of designing the image of Tibet reflects the development of relations between China and Russia. We used the main body of the NCR to analyze the uses of the word "Tibet" from the 18th century to the present day. The number of word usage shows three so–called "peaks" occurring in 1740-2000. The research is based on frequency and description. The frequency method helps to determine the number of word usage in different years and identify three "peaks" of the use of the word "Tibet". The descriptive method allows us to trace the peculiarities of the use of the word "Tibet" at the moment. It was revealed that the first peak of the use of the word Tibet was at the end of the 19th century. At the end of the 19th century, Tibet was an unknown region for Russians. The design of the image of Tibet is helped by textual information coming from scientific and trade expeditions. Most of the words combined with the word Tibet set the vector of movement to a new country for Russians. The second peak of word usage occurred in 1926. At this time, Russian people's knowledge of Tibet became deeper in the aspects of religion and tourism, and the description of Tibet became more detailed. During the third peak of word usage (2009), with the continuous development and popularization of Tibetan culture in Russia, more and more attention is paid to describing the image of Tibet, and there are more and more works dedicated to Tibet, advertisements for Tibetan clinics, travel blog texts about Tibet. Thus, the study of the image of Tibet is relevant for modern linguistics. The materials of the article can be used to develop educational materials, and will also be useful in studying the dynamic aspect of the worldview.

Investigation of the factor structure of GAD-7 in Moscow residents exposed to SARS-CoV2

IntroductionRates of anxiety in the general population increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several studies have shown that people exposed to SARS-CoV2 are at increased risk for both exacerbation and de novo development of anxiety disorders. Therefore, screening for anxiety disorders in this at-risk population is essential. In pre-pandemic studies, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) was one of the most commonly used self-report instruments. Its validity has been demonstrated in several studies. However, there is no agreement among researchers about its underlying internal structure. Both one-factor and two-factor solutions have been reported. This discrepancy may be due to linguistic, cultural, and clinical differences between the populations studied. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted to investigate the factor structure of the GAD-7 in the Russian-speaking community sample and the psychometric properties of this questionnaire in SARS-CoV2 exposed individuals.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to determine the factorial structure and internal consistency of the Russian version of the GAD-7 in a large sample of Moscow residents exposed to SARS-CoV2.MethodsFourteen thousand 725 (male - 11479 (78.0%), age - 18-79 years (M - 47.09, SD - 12.70) Moscow residents exposed to SARS-CoV2 completed an online survey including the GAD-7 and an ad hoc questionnaire focusing on socio-demographic characteristics. McDonald’s Omega was used to assess internal consistency. Exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) with weighted least squares means and variance adjusted estimator and geomin rotation was used to assess the factor structure of the Russian version of the GAD-7.ResultsThe McDonald’s Omega of the Russian version of the GAD-7 was 0.85, indicating a good internal consistency of the questionnaire. ESEM provided evidence for a one-factor solution that fits the data well (CFI - 0.996; TLI - 0.995; RMSEA (95% CI) - 0.041 (0.037 - 0.045)).ConclusionsIn Russian people exposed to SARS-CoV2, the GAD-7 showed good internal consistency. Our results are consistent with those of previous studies that reported a single-factor solution for the questionnaire.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

LEARNING FOREIGN WORDS OF LATIN ORIGIN IN RUSSIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES AT HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

The purpose of this article is to analyze the methodology for studying words borrowed from Latin in Russian lessons. The process of forming the vocabulary of the Russian language is long and complex. The question of the origin and development of the dictionary, the ways of its development is closely related to the history of the Russian people. The composition of the dictionary, like the modern Russian language as a whole, in the form available at the moment, is the result of a long development, the product of a number of periods.

Semantics and structure of the concept of “Bogatyrstvo” in epics and modern linguistic consciousness

The subject of the study is the concept of "Bogatyrstvo" and its structural and semantic features. Bogatyrstvo is inextricably linked with the hero and with the plot of epics. In epics, it is perceived as a concept-script, that is, it is formed in the process of the entire narrative. However, the original structure of the concept is presented as a conceptual field of meanings inscribed in a more complex structural formation – the ethical concept of "Courage". The relevance of the research is dictated by the high precedent of the name of the concept and its dominant verbalizers. The semantic field of the concept is explored in etymological, historical and topical layers. The main semantic load of the etymological layer of the concept is formed in the Church Slavonic language. The historical layer is vividly represented in the dictionaries of the XIX and XX centuries, the latter captures the limitation of the "existence" of the concept by the genre of epic. The actual layer is revealed in the process of studying the consciousness of modern students. The purpose of the article is to identify the reference points (slots) that formed the basis of the concept. A special contribution of the authors and the novelty of the study is the conduct of a semantic experiment, which established that in the minds of modern native speakers, the concept Bogatyrstvo, for which analysis methods were used (analysis of dictionary definitions and contextual analysis of epics), semantic analysis (the "supporting" semantic shares of the concept of "Bogatyrstvo" were identified, their key verbalizers were highlighted) and the method of semantic experiment to identify the modern perception of the concept. The main conclusions of the study: 1) the concept of "Bogatyrstvo" has a static frame structure and a field structure, including slots "spiritual strength" and "physical strength". Spiritual strength lies in the constant readiness to stand up for the motherland as a manifestation of true courage and heroism; in the fate of the hero-defender, ordained from above; in the Christian faith. The physical strength of the hero is, as it were, the personification of the whole strength of the Russian people, given by God. 2) These slots are present in the epics in the dynamic structure of the script: the slot "physical force" unfolds to the whole epic action; the slot "spiritual force" is expressed through the entire epic narrative – this is the very motivation for action. A special contribution of the authors and the novelty of the study is the conduct of a semantic experiment, which established that in the minds of modern native speakers, the concept of "Bogatyrstvo" is presented statically and includes both slots, with the predominance of the slot "spiritual power".

«Он видел особую миссию русского народа». Почему философ Владимир Соловьев считал, что Россия объединит все человечество?

The conversation of the correspondent of “Lenta.ru” within the framework of the History of Russian Thought project, with Boris Mezhuyev, Associate Professor of the Department of History of Russian Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy of Lomonosov Moscow State University, devoted to the modern significance of V. Solovyov's philosophy of unity, his social mission, as well as about the complex aspects of his religious worldview, which have recently caused acute controversy. It is reported that V. Solovyov managed to create a philosophical system that meets the deep features of the national consciousness, that he tried to give Christianity a kind of social mission and, on the other hand, point out that the main problems of humanity will not be solved if it rejects the Gospels and leaves the church. The conversation emphasizes that Vladimir Solovyov remained the number one thinker in Russia for his contemporaries throughout almost his entire life. And he strengthened his status as a prophet by predicting the coming unification of Europe, the power of China and even the confrontation of Western countries with the Islamic world. It is argued that the philosopher saw the future of humanity in the unification of all Christians, which would end the wars that were inevitable until then. And Russia and the Russian people, with their idea of self-denial and striving for integrity, had to play a key role in this unification. The conversation also tells how Solovyov explained the contradictions of the West and the East and how he saw the future of the Russian people.

ЭВОЛЮЦИЯ КУЛЬТУРЫ В РОССИИ: ОТ ИСТОРИИ К СОВРЕМЕННОСТИ ЧЕРЕЗ ПРИЗМУ ВСЕОБЩЕГО ДУХА

The article presents an analysis of the development of Russian culture from ancient times to the present day, with a focus on philosophical and cultural concepts, so, based on Hegel's theory of the universal spirit, the author studies how the cultural development of Russia was inspired by the desire for full self-realization through cultural forms. The work examines issues of cultural evolution, for example, what the Soviet philosopher M.S. Kagan reveals that culture is a composite system that has many subsystems and elements, and the theories of sociocultural evolution and dual inheritance view culture as a mechanism of natural selection and social learning. Further, the article analyzes in detail the influence of Byzantine culture on the formation of the Russian cultural and spiritual landscape, highlighting the role of Christianity, icon painting and architectural styles; The period of Europeanization and the search for national identity in the 18th-19th centuries is discussed, including the reforms of Peter I and the influence of great Russian writers and composers on world culture. Changes in the cultural life of the USSR, especially under the influence of ideology and control in the post-war years, and the subsequent development of science and education are also analyzed; it is determined that in the post-Soviet period the main emphasis is on the process of globalization and the search for a new cultural identity, while the author talks about the role of youth in preserving national culture and overcoming cultural isolation.

Справедливость как основа возрождения России

The higher the level of development of the legal culture of a society, the stronger the need of citizens for legal regulation that ensures a more equitable distribution of material, social, cultural and other benefits. To do this, it is necessary that the most vital issues for the majority of Russian citizens be resolved by holding referendums in accordance with part 3 of Article 3 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Justice in Russia is the beginning that unites the majority of Russians and should become the main purpose not only of justice, but also of the activities of the legislative and executive authorities. All efforts should be directed at building a fairly organized, legal, high-tech state based on our ancestral values and a society of spiritually, intellectually and physically developed people.

Citizens and experts on trust in the institutions and policies of the Russian state

The article is devoted to the sociological analysis of the level of trust of the Russian society to the authorities in the conditions of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. The events of February 2022 became a turning point not only in the global, but also in the internal Russian socio-political situation, marking the beginning of cardinal transformations in the mood and public position of Russian citizens. Under such conditions, the institution of trust becomes one of the most important priorities in ensuring the sustainability of the Russian statehood. The analysis is based on the comparison of data from expert surveys conducted with the author's participation in 2022-2023 with the results of the all-Russian sociological monitoring "How are you, Russia?" (both studies were conducted by ISPR FCTAS RAS). The assessment of both expert and mass sociological surveys allows us to conclude that the majority of society understands the crucial nature of the special military operation for the future of the country and supports it. Over the two years since the beginning of the special operation, citizens' trust in the president and the institutions of power has grown, the course for the denazification of Ukraine, according to experts, is supported by key actors of civil society (although the categorical attitude to the special operation, whether positive or negative, is gradually being replaced by a neutral one, which may be due to the routinisation of the subject). Based on the analysis of the dynamics of expert assessments and sociological monitoring data, the author concludes that a new social reality has emerged in the country, the distinctive feature of which is the formation of a stable nucleus of social actors that maintain a high level of public trust in the state, but it has not become prevalent and unchanged at the moment.

The nation’s Attitude towards the Main Social Contradictions in Russian Society: Current State, Dynamics, Factors

The special military operation on the territory of Ukraine has become the main catalyst for certain significant changes now occurring in the public mind. Tensions between Russia and Western powers have reached their highest point in the country’s modern history. Given the circumstances, what contradictions do the Russian people consider to be the most pressing and fundamental? Have their overall views changed compared to previous years? What factors primarily influence how the contradictions within Russian society are perceived? In order to answer these questions, the article presents an analysis of changes in the attitude of Russian people towards contradictions of various nature, based on data from nationwide surveys conducted by IS FCTAS RAS in 2005, 2015 and 2023. Groups of contradictions were analyzed that differ in terms of the dynamics of popular attitudes towards them for the time period in question. It is shown that in 2005–2015 Russian people were most upset on account of economic contradictions. However by 2023 ideological contradictions came to the forefront, which in no small part contributed to the emergence of a new contradiction that can be considered the most crucial one of that particular year, referring to the divide between supporters and opponents of Russia’s policy towards Ukraine. Residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg more often than not would take a very particular stance in regards to contradictions within Russian society from 2005 to 2015, as well as young people under the age of 25 and citizens who considered their financial situation to be subpar. In the summer of 2023, financial status of citizens in their subjective understanding still had a serious impact on how the severity of the key contradictions in Russian society was perceived. However, we can now add worldview factors to the list of important determinants influencing attitudes towards them, such as: specific political views, attitudes towards the main power structures, primarily towards the President and the State Duma.

Права человека — проблема актуального юридического и политического дискурса

The article covers the discussion held at the 20th International Scientific and Theoretical Conference “State and Law: Evolution, Modern State, Development Prospects (on the 25th Anniversary of the Saint Petersburg University of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia)” (2023), held at the Saint Petersburg University of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia. 433 researchers — scientists and practitioners, citizens of Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan — took part in the discussion of topical issues of modern legal science. Among the problems under discussion were questions about the development of the idea of human rights, models of human rights, features of protecting the rights and freedoms of an individual in the context of digitalization of public relations.

Threats to the Food Security of the Russian State in the Modern Settings

Introduction. National security of any state is ensured through development of the various spheres of its life — spiritual, political, military, economic and others. However, the fundamental factor ensuring existence of any society is availability of accessible quality and quantity of food to the citizens. Therefore, the goal of the state socio-economic policy of Russiais to ensure people’s food security. The article analyses the state policy and practices of Russia in countering the threats to the food security of the country in the modern difficult geopolitical settings. The relevance of studying the food security system of the Russian state is induced by one of the priorities of the state socio-economic policy implying the development of the food security threat preventing and countering measures as the fundamental condition of existence of the society. The aim of the study is to analyse the criteria of the state governance efficiency on ensuring the food security of the country, to study the state of the art in this field as well as to identify the existing threats and propose the countering measures. Materials and Methods. The research was conducted using the methods of structural-functional and statistical analysis, content analysis of the normative legal acts in the field of food security, at both national and international levels, the comparative-historical method, comparativism and other methods. Results. The state of the art of the food security system of Russia, which is an integral part of the national security of the state, has been analysed. The regulatory documents and statistical data on the state of the art of the food security of Russia have been investigated. The measures for ensuring the Russian Federation food security have been proposed through expansion of the domestic production of the environmentally friendly and safe for the human health products and other kind of products that is a necessary condition for preserving the population and the nature of our country and the decent standard of living of the Russian citizens. Discussion and Conclusion. The degree of ensuring the state food security has significantly improved, but has not reached the normative threshold values for the whole range of goods. Provision of the high-quality affordable food to the Russian citizens remains a riskogenics factor. The economic sanctions imposed by the Western countries against Russia are a newform of the hybrid warfare. The conclusions drawn upon the research aim to supplement and expand the scientific knowledge on the conditions of ensuring the food security of the Russian state that is the most important concern of the government, because food is the basic condition for existence of all the living beings on the planet. The independence of the state and its national sovereignty depend on ensuring the food security.

Пенсионная система в будущем

In this article, the author considers the image of the future of world civilization promoted by the global Western elite, including the World Economic Forum and the Club of Rome, which predetermines the future of pension systems from the point of view of this elite. As an alternative to these plans and a way to counter them, it is proposed to form a new pension paradigm, which will allow the army of pensioners to be included in the general efforts of the Russian people to transition in our country to a noospheric worldview and harmonize life on the basis of nature-like technologies and environmentally friendly development management. Nine principles are proposed on which this paradigm can be built.

Cost of Expulsion, Dissent and Human Rights in Russia

Abstract With Russia outside the Council of Europe, the possibilities for successful litigation against the state by Russian citizens have become limited. In more ways than one, Russians made the Strasbourg court their own. Russia was among the states with the most applications against it. At the same time, victims of Russia’s abuses, dissenters, and human rights defenders were among the ECtHR’s main beneficiaries. Despite Russia’s mixed record of compliance, the Court provided a singular avenue for accountability, and served as a catalyst for domestic mobilization. Expulsion appears to have accelerated authoritarian decline. Although it is hard to know how much stronger respect for human rights would have been had Russia remained, in the absence of European Court, human rights in Russia face massive challenges. The cost of expulsion raises questions about how human rights institutions should balance institutional legitimacy and condemnation of states with responsibility to the people living within them.

ETHNOCULTURAL COMPLEXITY OF THE POPULATION OF CHUVASHIA ACCORDING TO THE 2020 CENSUS

The relevance of the study is determined by new approaches in the official accounting of the nationality of Russian citizens. A decreasing number of representatives of the main ethnic groups both in Russia and in its individual regions increases the attention paid to the problems of ethnocultural development and interethnic relations. The publication of the 2020 census materials caused a mixed reaction to its organization and individual results. The purpose of the article is to analyze the census materials on the national composition of the population, an attempt to count citizens who have declared their difficult ethno–cultural choice. The reasons for the noticeable difference between the materials of sociological surveys and population census data are considered. Materials and methods. The article analyzes the published data of the 2020 population census, in particular, the data contained in the fifth volume of the national census 2020 results “National composition and language proficiency” for Russia in general and for the Chuvash Republic in particular. In addition, the “Methodological explanations” to the census materials were studied, as well as a number of regulatory documents. According to the table “Population’s answers to the question “Your nationality”, information was calculated on the number of people who chose a difficult answer to the question of nationality. Study results. The census materials showed that the number of individual ethnic groups of Chuvashia, representing the old-age population (except the Russians), decreased during the inter-census period. This process was determined not by the natural and mechanical movement of the population, but by the change of ethnic identity. The increase in the number and proportion of persons who did not indicate their ethnicity occurred both due to refusal to answer the question and due to a negative answer about specific nationality. In addition, in Chuvashia, the proportion of citizens whose information was obtained from administrative documents (gender and age) has increased significantly. The number of citizens who declared a complex ethnic identity was about 0.2% of those who named their ethnicity. This indicator lags far behind the data obtained in the course of sociological surveys. Conclusions. It follows from the above materials that the residents of Chuvashia were more loyal to the issue of their nationality compared to the citizens of Russia. The choice of a complex variant of ethnicity was not massive, but it also differed from a similar process in Russia as a whole. For example, in the republic, more often than in the country, the Russians, the Tatars, the Mordvins and the Ukrainians chose a difficult variant of nationality. The opposite picture was typical for the Chuvash; the Tatars living in Russia and Chuvashia had the same indicators of ethnocultural complexity. For the majority of the population, the definition of their ethnic identity did not cause any particular difficulties, but at the same time, both difficulties and a desire to distance themselves from such self-determination were noted in this process.

Authoritarian Sovereignization: Russia’s Way out of the Council of Europe

Abstract Russia’s war against Ukraine and departure from the Council of Europe (CoE) in 2022 raises numerous questions about the effect of norm-diffusion in wider Europe. While inclusion in the CoE has provided litigation opportunities for Russian citizens, the process of “sovereignization” pursued by the regime has brought Russia into a downward spinning spiral of authoritarian illiberalism. This study discusses expectations derived from the hybrid regime model (containment of the domestic opposition as a driver towards full-blown authoritarianism) and from spiral theories of human rights compliance; it argues that the Putin regime has sought to seal Russia off from normative pressures from international organizations in pursuit of sovereign norms and values, and construed a separate legal space aimed at maintaining authoritarian rule indefinitely.

Analysis and Calculation of Two-Phase Flow in Industrial Pipelines Using Regime Classification

The analysis shows that using regime classification for individual phases, it is possible to obtain a more reliable design scheme for two phase flows. In contrast to the flow structure, the concept of mode is more accessible for calculating an industrial pipeline. In this case, transient processes can be determined and calculated. The analysis shows that in field conditions it is very difficult to determine transition boundaries for flow structures. However, taking into account the structural approach, it is very difficult to determine the boundaries of the flow, and based on the laws of hydrodynamics of a homogeneous liquid and gas, it is possible to determine the transition of one regime to another using the Reynolds number. This technique is based on the theory of the great Russian scientist Academician A.P. Krylov. Let us note that this theory has not yet lost its specialty in the fishing industry. Based on numerous data, a method for calculating the gas-liquid mixture in horizontal pipes is proposed. Based on the laws of homogeneous liquid and gas, an equation for the distribution of speed, flow and pressure loss in a pipeline is obtained. The analysis shows that, based on the laws of homogeneous liquid and gas, it is possible to propose a method for calculating the hydrodynamic parameters of a two-phase flow, such as liquid and gas in a round pipe. This technique is based on the theory of Academician A.P. Krylov, which characterizes the reliability of this technique.

The Personality of a Modern Bribetaker

A persistent negative situation in the sphere of corruption in Russia, as well as the enforcement of a new National Anti-corruption Plan for 2021-2024 approved by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of August 16, 2021 № 478, the search for new forms and methods of preventing this criminal social phenomenon and of counteracting it gain a special urgency. Experience shows that criminal law measures are not sufficient for counteracting corruption. Due to this, the role of criminology seems especially vital. A comprehensive study of the criminal’s personality will help to improve the effectiveness of preventive work for the category of people under consideration. The goal of the work is to research specific socio-demographic, moral-psychological, role and criminal law characteristics of the personality of a bribetaker in Russia today. The research is based on the analysis of Russian and foreign publications in journals of law and sociology. The empirical part consists in studying the decisions of the courts of general jurisdiction of different subjects of the Russian Federation (from 2018 to 2023) and official statistical information on criminal prosecution under Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Besides, the author carried out a content analysis of electronic mass media on high-profile cases of bribery involving officials at different levels. It was found that, at the present time, a bribetaker in Russia is male (with a growing share of female bribetakers), aged 30-49, a Russian citizen with a higher education, married with underage children, employed by law enforcement or state and municipal bodies. He is described favorably as a responsible, sociable and competent person both at work and in personal life. Key individual psychological features include emotional stability, ability to control and manipulate people, ability to build necessary connections, denial of moral and criminal norms, avarice, tolerance to corruption, thirst for power and a desire to prove himself through illegal actions.

Travel essay “In the Far North” by Teki Odulok - the first travelogue of the early twentieth century

Teki Odulok's travel essay is the first work devoted to a journey through the northernmost regions of the Russian Federation undertaken by a compatriot, a representative of the smallest Russian people - the Yukaghir, in the 20s of the twentieth century. The article presents the results of the study of the content of the travelogue, its chronotopes, descriptions of nature at different geographical latitudes, culture and life of the unique endemic peoples inhabiting the territory: the Yukaghirs (Oduls), Russian-Ustintsy, Chukchi, Evens, Evenks (Lamuts). It is proven that the work is a narrative, objectively related to the history and geographical location of the region, political and cultural events in the Soviet Union at the beginning of the twentieth century. The novelty is justified by the fact that the essay has the characteristics of a travelogue in the modern sense, and therefore the readers, regardless of their nationality and place of residence, perceive it with interest. The influence of the professional view of a scientist-economist on the style of literary narration is shown, which provides an enriched description of travel along a specific route and an evidential connection with the modern economic state of the regions described. Complete discourses combining documentary narration, presentation of real facts about harsh conditions of survival and description of life and customs of representatives of small number of peoples - endemics - are highlighted. Methods of comparison and literary retroscopy were used, which allowed to confirm the author's assumptions about the development of the region in literary and documentary form. The article may be of interest not only to philologists and specialists in the field of national cultures, but also to interested readers.

From theory to empirics and back: A misunderstanding around the Veblenian dichotomy

Objective: to trace the emergence and consolidation of a wrong meaning when moving from an inaccurately interpreted theoretical concept to empirical evidence. The authors suggest the case of Thorstein Veblen’s evolutionary theory and identify how researchers interpret and apply its selected elements.Methods: discourse analysis. The authors rely on Veblen’s original writings, research papers by Russian authors who refer to the so-called Veblenian dichotomy, and own research findings. The latter show the application of Veblen’s concept to study (1) the features of Russian 19th century economic culture, and (2) contemporary techniques of manipulating personal financial decision-making.Results: the authors found that Veblen had distinguished between contrasting analytical categories when describing different human dispositions, or instinctive proclivities, underlying habitual ways of thinking and doing and economic conduct. Some dispositions lead to productive behavior, while others lead to unproductive one. This concept is essential for institutional analysis. Our research discovers its inaccurate interpretations in the research literature. Starting from a distorted understanding of the theoretical concept, empirical studies contribute to the entrenchment and spread of a misconception, thus feeding a particular ideological agenda. The authors separated Veblen’s original concepts, including ethical ones, from subsequent interpretations and elaborations, to monitor the changing treatment of traditional values in research literature as productive or ceremonial ones. Research findings indicate that the articles by Russian institutionalists contain a systematic bias with regard to the treatment of traditional norms and values as merely ceremonial ones, implying backwardness and archaic patterns, which impede technological progress and “modernization”.Scientific novelty: the application of Veblenian analytical tools in an applied institutional study is reconsidered. Authors’ own analytical technique is suggested to assess the norms underlying economic behavior in terms of their productivity. This technique is applied to the Russian empirical material, both historical and contemporary. To our knowledge, the proposed research technique has not been used in the previous literature.Practical significance: the research findings and their interpretation indicate that Veblen’s ethics and his analytical approach remain relevant. This article contributes to the “restoration” of core values and economic culture of the Russian people. Veblen’s evolutionary theory is suggested as an alternative to the widespread trite methods of cross-country and cross-cultural socio-economic comparisons which presume the supremacy of “Western” values.

Leo Trotsky – the Path to Revolution

Relevance. The article highlights the biography of one of the leaders of the Bolshevik Party, Leon Trotsky. He was an example of a passionate personality. Thanks to his organizational and oratorical qualities, the Bolsheviks organized an uprising in October 1917 and seized power in the country. Bringing in new historical facts provides an opportunity to rethink key moments of the past. In this regard, the article is relevant and in demand.The purpose of the article is to highlight the path of the leader of the Bolshevik Party, Leon Trotsky, into the revolution and his active participation in the revolutionary process.The objectives of the research are: a historical analysis of the revolutionary leader's life path, an assessment of the events of 1917 and the Civil War.Methodology. The article is based on the principles of consistency, objectivity and historicism, which have been supplemented by chronological and historical-comparative methods.The results of the scientific research prove the importance of studying the role of passionate personalities in history. It is shown that at the beginning of the XX century Russia was "infected" by the revolution. Revolutionary ideas attracted significant masses of young people from different strata of the population. One of such prominent representatives of the revolutionary youth was Leon Trotsky. His organizational and oratorical talent was reflected in the revolutionary events of 1917. Despite the huge number of opponents and difficult historical realities, Leon Trotsky and other leaders of the revolution were able to rally millions of Russian citizens to fight against external and internal enemies and win a difficult and bloody Civil War.Conclusions. Trotsky became one of the leaders of the Bolshevik party, which was popular among the broad masses. Through all his activities, he proved how great the role of a passionate personality in history can be.