Last week we started to learn about Russian history. The main point I came away with was that my ignorance is vast. To be fair, most countries focus their history teaching on their own countries. So, unless a person studies history over a long period of time and focuses on varied sources of information, their world view will be unbalanced. Mine certainly is.
The area of the Russian Federation occupies 1/7 of the world's land mass. This is larger than the US and Canada combined. Russia has many rich natural resources, but with 80% of the land not good for agriculture, and a short (5 month) growing season, most of the country is a giant nonproductive space. When the teacher was telling us this, I was thinking about all the oxygen the plants and trees in that vast area are constantly producing, and about the wildlife that must be present. I think those things have a value that goes beyond monetary.
Another point I think is interesting is that although Russia has European and Asian lands, the people think of themselves as Europeans. Why? Because that is where most of the people live, and where the most prosperous cities are. Maybe part of the reason is also that all citizens must use the Russian language to get a job and to function in society. The local languages are alive, but are not the language of social power.
To the west and south, Russia has lots of neighbors. Except for the Siberian rivers, the country has no strong physical boundaries. These conditions have contributed to many wars and conflicts throughout it's history. War has been a defining and horrifying factor in the lives of the people. This is so very different from the American experience, with the exception of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I cannot imagine the suffering and strength of the people of Russia.
