The Russian National Unity: Analysis of the Political Style of a Radical-Nationalist Organization

The Russian National Unity: Analysis of the Political Style of a Radical-Nationalist Organization


Sokolov M.M.,

PhD in Sociology, Professor of sociology department, European University at St. Petersburg, msokolov@eu.spb.ru


elibrary_id: 234420 | ORCID: 0000-0002-4102-7117 |


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2006.01.05

For citation:

Sokolov M.M. The Russian National Unity: Analysis of the Political Style of a Radical-Nationalist Organization . – Polis. Political Studies. 2006. No. 1. P. 67-77. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2006.01.05



Abstract

The article offers an original interpretation of style distinctions between three segments of Russian radical-nationalist movement of the 1990s, embodied respectively by the Russian National Unity (RNU), the National-Bolshevist Party, and the skinheads. Regarding political style as a series of demonstrative conversions, of a certain specific kind of resources into political influence and vice versa, the author articulates a hypothesis according to which the style of right-radical organizations was determined by the nature of those kinds of capital that their adherents had possessed. On analyzing from this angle the RNU’s political style, he comes to the conclusion that it harboured rational strategy aimed at converting the ability for violence into political capital and at applying the latter as resource for doing violence. The author accounts for the flowering of this style in the 1990s by relating it to the crisis of the Russian state which found itself unable to realize its monopoly of violence and to successfully integrate specialists in doing it.


Content No. 1, 2006

See also:


Kazantzev A.A.,
Three Scenarios of a “Coloured” Revolution in Russia (Modelling the Net Dynamics of the Russian Polity). – Polis. Political Studies. 2006. No1

Pivovarov Yu.S.,
Russian Power and Public Policy (A Historian’s Notes about the Reasons of Unsuccess of the Democratic Transit). – Polis. Political Studies. 2006. No1

Glebova I.I.,
Political Culture of Modern Russia: Images of the New Russian Power and the Social Splits. – Polis. Political Studies. 2006. No1

Rzheshevsky G.A.,
Democracy: Myth, Reality, or Boosted Brand?. – Polis. Political Studies. 2008. No5


DOSSIER: SOCIAL PROTECTION. – Polis. Political Studies. 1991. No6


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