Russia: New Imperialist Power?

Abstract

This paper argues the importance of using modern methodology of Marxist analysis for the study of imperialism and the so-called "empires". This methodology allows to show the mechanisms of economic, political, ideological, and so on manipulating the "periphery" from the "center" capital and the states. On this methodological basis it is proved that capitals and state machines of semi-periphery countries in general and Russia in particular are mostly objects of imperialist subjugation and manipulation and only in some rare cases these countries and their capitals are able to be subjects of the imperialist policy. The analysis of the contradictions in the relations of the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the West is given. It is provided the system of political, economic and geo-political arguments proving that Russia as a rule does not act as a subject of the imperialist policy, and only in some cases (generally relying on the Soviet legacy) Russia is able to withstand the "rules of the game", given by the imperialist powers. It is argued that these some cases when Russia withstands the "rules of the game" is the main reason for the imperialist powers' diatribes against "Russian imperialism".