THE PHENOMENON OF RUSSIA IN THE WORLD POLITICS

Abstract

The paper studies the influence of Russia on the international economy with the use of hidtorical and systemic approaches. The question of how a country with a source-based econmy has become one of the main actors of the modern world politics is answered. The definition of Russia as a phenomenon in the world politics is given in the beginning of the article. Its features as a specific actor of the world politics are singled out. The article shows how the country was qualitatively changing the world politics in the course of the twentieth century. Historical contradictions of Russian modernization are mentioned. Factors that turned Russia into the leading actor of the international politics are analyzed. The authors come to the conclusion that the phenomenon of Russia is the result of its historical development, when the modernization of economics was considerably lagging behind the modernization of the army, administration, education and politics. Russia has become a special actor in the world politics in the result of the system functioning that includes the export of strategic raw materials; the activation of human capital; the policy of strengthening Russia's international importance; creation, production and use of high-tech conventional weapons. The conditions for the functioning of this system are created by the possession of nuclear weapons; huge territory and population; patriotism; the political system of Russia.