Understanding Neo-Sovietism

• Neo-Sovietism is a political-ideological movement pushing for the revival of Soviet-style systems.
• It combines nostalgia for Soviet power with modern nationalist ideas.
• It includes different views, from traditional Marxist-Leninist to nationalist-imperialist.
• It is different from simple Soviet nostalgia because it seeks active political change.
• It aims to regain perceived geopolitical losses since the Soviet Union's fall.

Historical Context

• It started in the post-Soviet era after the USSR dissolved in 1991.
• It gained traction during the economic struggles of the 1990s.
• It grew stronger as people became disappointed with Western-style democracy and capitalism.
• It sped up during Putin's rise to power in Russia.
• It went from a small movement to a significant political force in some post-Soviet countries.

Ideological Components

• It supports strong central state control and executive power.
• It is skeptical of liberal democracy and Western ways of governing.
• It brings back Soviet political symbols and leaders.
• It values stability and order more than democratic processes.
• It uses some Soviet political institutions and practices.

Economic Elements

• It favors state control over key economic areas.
• It views the privatization of the 1990s as the "theft" of national resources.
• It supports a mixed economy with strong state regulation.
• It wants to rebuild economic connections within the post-Soviet region.
• It advocates for social welfare similar to the Soviet system.

Geopolitical Vision

• It aims to restore Russia as a major global power and regional leader.
• It promotes the idea of "privileged interests" in neighboring countries.
• It opposes NATO and EU's expansion eastward.
• It sees integration efforts like the Eurasian Economic Union as a continuation of the Soviet Union.
• It views multipolarity as a way to correct Western dominance after the Cold War.

Cultural Aspects

• It revives Soviet symbols, monuments, and celebrations.
• It presents Stalin as an effective leader and war hero.
• It reinterprets Soviet history, highlighting achievements over repressions.
• It promotes "traditional values" against Western liberalism.
• It combines Soviet internationalism with Russian nationalism.

Neo-Sovietism in Russia

• Early post-Soviet Communist Party advocated for restoring the Soviet Union.
• Putin described the Soviet collapse as the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe".
• There has been a gradual revival of Soviet symbols and leaders.
• Soviet history has been integrated into the state narrative.
• The Soviet legacy has been strategically used to legitimize the current regime.

Institutional Manifestations

• Revival of centralized governance similar to the Soviet era.
• Return to Soviet administrative divisions and practices.
• Reintroduction of youth organizations inspired by the Soviet Union.
• Restoration of Soviet military symbols and traditions.
• Reestablishment of state control over key industries.

Media and Propaganda

• State control over major media mirroring Soviet practices.
• Revival of Soviet-era propaganda methods.
• Glorification of Soviet achievements in popular culture.
• Minimizing Soviet repression and economic failures.
• Promotion of a revised history highlighting Soviet greatness.

Foreign Policy Applications

• "Near Abroad" doctrine echoing the Soviet sphere of influence.
• Integration projects to rebuild economic and political ties.
• Military actions justified using Soviet-style reasoning.
• Using energy resources for geopolitical influence.
• Supporting friendly regimes with Soviet-style governance.

Regional Manifestations

• Lukashenko's governance in Belarus mirrors Soviet style
• Preservation of Soviet economic institutions
• Preservation of Soviet symbols and commemorations
• Integration projects with Russia replicating Soviet ties
• State-controlled economy with collective farms

Central Asia

• Preservation of Soviet administrative structures
• Continued rule by former Soviet nomenklatura
• Soviet approach to ethnic and religious management
• Selective Soviet historiography in education
• Authoritarian governance with Soviet characteristics

South Caucasus

• Neo-Soviet elements in Armenian politics and economy
• Azerbaijan's Soviet-style personality politics
• Frozen conflicts are products of Soviet ethnic policies
• Economic dependence patterns continuing Soviet relationships
• Soviet administrative practices in governance

Ukraine and Moldova

• Regional divisions over Soviet legacy
• Soviet-nostalgic political movements
• Contested memory politics regarding the Soviet period
• Economic ties perpetuating Soviet dependencies
• Separatist regions preserving Soviet symbols and practices

Comparative Analysis

• It abandons Marxist economic determinism
• It combines nationalism with internationalism.
• It takes a practical rather than an ideological approach to the economy.
• It accommodates religion, unlike Soviet atheism.
• It selectively applies Soviet models rather than comprehensively.

Neo-Sovietism vs. Other Post-Imperial Nostalgias

• British imperial nostalgia in Brexit context
• Turkish neo-Ottomanism under Erdogan
• Chinese revival of imperial concepts under Xi
• American exceptionalism and unipolar moment nostalgia
• Shared patterns of selective historical memory

Theoretical Frameworks

• Soviet collapse caused collective psychological trauma
• Neo-Sovietism compensates for loss of status
• Memory politics processes imperial downfall
• Seek continuity amid disrupted historical narratives
• Identity crisis following the dissolution of the empire

Authoritarian Consolidation

• Neo-Soviet practices centralize power
• Soviet models provide templates for control
• Historical legitimacy is derived from Soviet achievements
• Familiar institutions are utilized for governance
• The Soviet security apparatus is used as a governance model

Geopolitical Revisionism

• It challenges the post-1991 order
• It legitimizes territorial claims through Soviet precedents.
• It justifies spheres of influence based on Soviet boundaries.
• It uses Soviet-era alliances as contemporary templates.
• It rejects the post-Cold War settlement as unfair.

Economic Dimensions

• Strategic sectors are under state control
• Oligarchic capitalism with state oversight
• Social welfare elements are preserved from the Soviet system
• The Military-industrial complex continues Soviet patterns
• State planning is integrated with market mechanisms

Integration Projects

• The Eurasian Economic Union is a Soviet economic space successor
• CSTO is a Warsaw Pact alternative
• Attempts to restore the ruble zone
• Energy interdependence perpetuates Soviet infrastructural ties
• Labor migration patterns following Soviet precedents

Cultural Manifestations

• Victory Day celebrations are a central ritual
• Soviet war memorials are sacred spaces
• Soviet leaders are rehabilitated in public monuments
• Soviet symbolism is used in public spaces and official contexts
• The educational curriculum emphasizes Soviet achievements

Popular Culture

• Film and television show Soviet nostalgia
• Soviet songs and cultural products are revived
• Soviet aesthetics are used in contemporary design
• Soviet literature and art are rehabilitated
• Soviet-themed consumer products and branding

Contemporary Significance

• Soviet nostalgia mobilizes voters
• Soviet precedents legitimize authoritarianism
• Policy justification is based on Soviet models
• The opposition is framed as anti-Soviet/Western agents
• Intergenerational divides over the Soviet legacy

International Relations

• Neo-Soviet rhetoric shapes foreign policy expectations
• Regional tensions arise over Soviet historical interpretations
• The West responds to perceived Soviet revanchism
• China engages with neo-Soviet projects
• Non-aligned nations navigate neo-Soviet aspirations

Future Trajectories

• Demographic decline of Soviet Generations
• Evolution toward post-Soviet authoritarian models
• Potential integration with nationalist-conservative movements
• Technological modernization versus Soviet institutional preservation
• Adapting to climate change and energy transition challenges
• Neo-Sovietism blends nostalgia, practical governance, and geopolitical revisionism.
• It shapes political discourse, institutional development, and international relations in and beyond the post-Soviet region.