Fictions in the ideological discourse of modern Russia

Abstract

The article aims to identify constructed fictions (illusions) and determine their social nature based. Methodologically, the research is based on the works of K. Marx, M. K. Mamardashvili, A. M. Pyatigorsky, S. Žižek, Yu. A. Razinov devoted to the study of certain issues of ideological production. In essence, fictions represent materialized social relations that do not exist in reality, but at the same time are objectively conditioned and have real consequences. The analysis has identified two fictions (illusions) in modern Russian ideological discourse, which perform the functions of legitimizing and stabilizing the social space as well as acting as a means of elite (counter-elite) self-identification and class-formation. This is the Soviet era and the masses (the people, population). The inconsistency, exaggeration, and stereotyping of ideas about the recent past served as the basis for classifying the Soviet period as the first of the mentioned fictions. The idea of the heterogeneous Russian society as a homogeneous community with identical features represents the second fiction. Furthermore, the article describes the mechanism of the return (retroactive action) of fictions into social reality through the actions of those in power. Stigmatization of the socio-psychological traits of the majority of the population generates stigmatization of the motives underlying their behavior. The perception of the Russian population as a homogeneous mass leads to neglecting unique social conditions of individual groups, including rather large ones, within political action. In addition, the structure of the ideological discourse formed by elite and counter-elite groups imposes restrictions on the possibilities of applying the experience of Soviet public administration. This is especially true in the field of spiritual production.