Historical ideas and the political practice of Siberian separatism

The article formulates the problem of criteria for the identity of nationalism in one territory on the materials of the history of Siberia. It has significance for the theory of nation understanding. The correlation of ideas and practices of Siberian separatism is studied within the framework of the stated problem. In the interests of solving the stated problem with reference to the history of Siberian nationalism the article poses the question: is it possible to talk about the progressive development of the regional idea that has a three-hundred-year history or were there several unrelated splashes of nationalist discourse and "Siberian separatism" determined by the current social and political situation in Russia? The author justifies that the basis for recognizing the identity of nationalism in one territory is the presence of an already existing or emerging cultural identity in the existing territorial boundaries. Relying on this, intellectuals develop ideas about national self-determination, and the elite conduct a political struggle under such slogans. At the same time, it is important for an identity that this struggle has a continuous history, activists have to continuously struggle in one form or another. The analysis of the three-century history of Siberian separatism shows that it did not exist continuously, but there was a Siberian discourse that propagated the idea of an independent political development for Siberia which challenged the idea of Russia's unity. This discourse was based on the emotions and feelings of the Siberians who envied the better social conditions of life in Russia and reasonably considered this situation unfair. The activation of the movement for the sovereignty of Siberia was always closely connected with the aggravation of the social and political situation in Russia that transformed the ideas of Siberian nationalism into a political practice. The actualization of nationalist discourses in Siberia is associated with the crises of Russian statehood. Siberian nationalism became more active during the periods of crises of the Russian statehood. The periodical outbursts of separatism in Siberia are based on the idea of Siberian independence, and in each case they have their own causes. If the Russian authorities pay attention to the economic needs of Siberia today, Siberian separatism will be unpromising. Otherwise, the unfair economic policy demonstrated by the federal government in Moscow and the spreading of Siberian cultural identity with skilful propaganda in the mass media (aimed primarily at the emotional and then ideological influence on the audience) can make Siberian nationalism stronger than in the past.

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