Ten Reasons Russians Should have a Positive Attitude about Muscovites -- According to a Moscow Resident

Paul Goble

            Staunton, October 15 – Muscovites have every right to like themselves and to insist that Russians beyond the ring road who often despite the residents of the capital like them as well, an anonymous writer says on the Forum-MSK  website, yet another indication that relations between the capital and the rest of the country are continuing to deteriorate.

            Valery P. (no last name given) suggests there are ten reasons why Muscovites should be proud of themselves and why the rest of the country should respect them and their way of life (forum-msk.org/material/news/15998377.html):

·         “Moscow is the capital of our Motherland, and to live in Moscow and be a Muscovite is an honored obligation which Muscovites carry out with pride.”

·         Compared to other Russians, “Muscovites as a rule are more enterprising and energetic.” If they reap more rewards, it is because they deserve them.

·         “Moscow is an enormous industrial center.”  As a result, everyone living there has a change and even a need to work all the time.

·         Muscovites by their efforts “have achieved a high standard of living” because they work so hard.

·         Moscow has the best doctors and the best housing as a result.

·         Moscow people are “serious” in their pursuit of a better life.

·         Moscow is “the most important cultural center in the country.”

·         Moscow residents are “better informed” and take “a more active life stance.” That is shown by the fact that Muscovites lead political parties and movements of all kinds.

·         “Muscovites are prepared to share their experience and knowledge with other regions” and thus travel around the country to do so. 

·         “The entire country relates with understanding to the fact that the capital of our Motherland simply is required to be by definition the very best city in the country. Many residents of Russian and Muscovites think that almost all resident of Russian dream of becoming Muscovites.”

Such attitudes however justified they may be in part will do nothing to slow the growth of anti-Moscow attitudes elsewhere, attitudes fed by the fact that the Russian capital sucks up most of the money and many of the most energetic people from the regions rather than allowing both to promote a more equitable development of the country. 

Meanwhile, a Russian publisher has released a book on Muscovite culture, this one by US-based Solomon Volkov entitled Modern Moscow: The History of Culture in Stories and Dialogues (Moscow: AST, 2019).  He says that US publishers couldn’t imagine why such a book was necessary although earlier they published his book on St. Petersburg culture.

Tatyana Rezvykh of Regnum provides a review which underscores the fact that Muscovites are quite distinct from other Russians and that it is thus entirely appropriate to speak of a distinctly Muscovite culture (regnum.ru/news/cultura/2746635.html).