Russia’s ideological crisis – chance to strengthen Kazakh national identity?

Amid the current global geopolitical and ideological crisis – with our neighbour Russia being one of its epicentres – the Kazakhs must wonder which way we, as a nation, are heading.  

In a recent interview with Exclusive.kz, Francis Fukuyama suggested that liberal autocracy was the most suitable model for Kazakhstan. He said it was “a very attractive model that, on the one hand ensures stability, on the other, gives many opportunities to citizens”.  

It may sound ‘offensive’ to domestic liberals, but it is a rational view given our society’s immature mindset. We like to delegate all responsibility for our lives to the authorities.  

A still bigger impediment for our development as a nation, is the lingering sense of being secondary to the ‘bigger’ nation next door. 

We still see ourselves as a colony, even if a former one. For almost 100 years we were made to believe that we were splinters of an archaic nomadic way of life, without our own statehood, written language, and culture in general.  

The problem is that the Russians themselves have always lived with a sense of being secondary to Europe. Russia imported its rulers from Europe, its elite preferred to speak German, or French, and now English is a new mark of belonging to the top.  

Even today, when the Kremlin has outlawed everything Western, Russia’s liberals still see themselves as part of European civilisation and for them Russia’s new closeness with Asian countries is a great humiliation. 

The Kazakhs, however, do not feel secondary to the West. We have not lost our nomadic spirit that allows us to feel at home both in Delhi and Paris. 

There was a brief period, after the Soviet collapse, when Russia still looked like a role model in terms of economic development and the numbers of articulate intellectuals it had — their thoughts sounded deep, even if contradictory.  

Now it is sad to realise that the famed ‘enigmatic Russian soul’ is mainly about inferiority complexes, and inability to come to terms with their failures as a nation.  

The newest Russian national ideology justifies despotism and demands sacrifices from the citizens, which they habitually make, even if unwillingly. It seems, instead of choosing to move forward, the Russian political elite chooses suppression.  

It is important that we do not repeat Russia’s mistakes as we try to restore our national identity. 

While using the past as a source for rebuilding ourselves we must not lose the sight of our future selves – what we want to become (which is something that we are yet to figure out). 

Kazakhstan’s main internal issue is a lack of a strong national identity and the questionable legitimacy of the ruling elite. 

The official, generously funded, search for a national idea has been futile so far, which is a good thing — our national awareness is awakening spontaneously, without the influence of official political spin-doctors. 

What is becoming evident is that, unlike the Russians with their eternal conflict between the Slavophiles and Westernisers, the Kazakhs have never been split into irreconcilable camps around existential issues. We have always lived at peace with ourselves.  

Perhaps, we became the most russified Soviet republic because of our ability to adapt, our inclination towards compromise, and self-sacrifice in the name of the nation. This may be the reason why we have preserved ourselves as a nation. 

However strange it may seem, the processes taking place in Russia could be opening a window of opportunity for us.  

Russia seems to be doomed to collapse under the weight of its own lies, irrespective of the outcome of the war in Ukraine. Putin has driven the country to the brink. 

By Karlygash Yezhenova  

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