If you have questions about Russia - come here! (Poll added!)

[sethnintendo]

mai said:

sethnintendo said:

Who do Russians consider helping them found their nation? I hope most believe the Vikings were the main driving force into establishing Russia as a powerhouse and clearing the river trade routes of barbarians...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rus%27_people

"The Chuds, the Slavs, the Krivichs and the Veps then said to the Rus, "Our land is great and rich, but there is no order in it. Come reign as princes, rule over us". Three brothers, with their kinfolk, were selected. They brought with them all the Rus and migrated."

For starters, nation is relatively new form of ethnosocial myth that exists 2-3 centuries at most, so in that particular context that would be an anachronism. If you mean participated in ethnogenesis then no, various Slavic and Finno-Urgic tribes you mentioned have indeed participated in ethnogenesis on early stages of what would become Russians and gazillion of other cultures eventually, but not Vikings as "viking" is denotation of a profession, not an ethnicity. "Establishing Russia as a powerhouse" is no again as it is yet another anachronsim, no Russia back then. Clearing the river routes of "barbarians" (I'd prefer term nomads or Turkic nomads) is partially yes as the mission of taking full control of river routes that ran through North to South never was accomplished until very late into XV centuries, but of course first conflict with nomadic tribes have started on early stages of Rus' statehood, and first victories as well such as demise of Khazar Khaganate in X century.

So to word in most best form possible what you're trying to say (you're obviously referrring to Norman theory) -- Rus' represented the major armed force on the North-to-South river routes in the region and therefore  often acted as army for hire for local tribes and cities, eventually some of them institunalized themselves in a form of early statehood (or rather statehoods, as there were many of them) -- basically the biggest gang on the block, if you got the idea, not smth unseen in the world history.

//And just a thought to share -- a good-forumlated question is half of your answer.

Thanks for the response.  I will not act like I know a lot about Russia's past (especially compared to you).  I just remembered that the Rus were kind of shunned or their past wasn't really acknowledged much among modern day Russians.  I thought I read somewhere that the Rus contributions were semi forgotten/not really important to most Russians these days. 

Forgive my lumping all Scandinavia (and Denmark) people into Vikings.  I had a few too many drinks last night and when I get drunk I usually generalize all Scandinavians as Vikings in that era even though to be a Viking one must go i viking.  Sure the Rus didn't do much besides clear trade routes and perhaps install a little more order but I believe it paved the way for the great nation of Russia.  They deserve some credit but obviously not all credit.