Book recommendation - I just finished it too. I chose it because a Romanian linguist kept talking about Marc Galeotti's other book, The Vory, which he says describes very well how the mafia and especially the mafia language have encompassed an entire society in the last three decades.

This book about a short history of Russia is very well written and concise enough for those who feel the need for a quick course. It has a lot of references to books that delve into different eras or historical personalities.

In short, Russia has always been caught up in this conflict between the West and barbarism, it wanted modernization but not the loss of control it represents, it longed for European scientific and technological progress, but it never wanted to appear on its knees. Even Catherine the Great was an autocrat, although she had a lot of liberal ideas and led probably the most important cultural change made by a single leader.

In the end, the author talks a lot about Putin. In a way, we realize that what is happening now is not surprising. But Marc Galeotti also ends on an optimistic note, a hope that Russia will emerge from this pendulum swing, from its history in the form of a palimpsest, a note that is already erased and contradicted by reality. Here, in free translation:

"But when exactly does the man wake up from the nightmare to move on? [Russia] is a country that is far more than the sum of its historic victories. A new generation of activists and entrepreneurs, scientists and artists, thinkers and dreamers are trying from all intents and purposes to find new paths for Russia, they do not stop at choosing one to go on again.

When the Russians are asked what they would like for their future, issues related to the country's power in the world and security are not among the priorities. Instead, they want not only a decent life, but things like freedom of expression, organization and protest, an end to corruption and to feel as little as they have a role in the way their society is organized, all the freedoms and things. which we take for granted in the west.

After centuries of being caught between despotism and the desire to be accepted by the rest of Europe but also the determined desire to be alone, perhaps Russia has a chance to be simply itself. After all, the European paradox is that [...] there is not a single Europe, but that of Sweden and Germany, but also that of Italy, Greece, the Balkans and Hungary, or the Europe of the UK. There is room for Russia, too, if Russia wants to come to terms with itself. Putin and those around him will want to convince themselves and the rest of the Russians that this is not possible, but the myth that Russia is not becoming more and more European is the ultimate myth. " ( )