Russia’s Dream of Americanization

Russia's Unrequited Love for the West Through the Prism of its American obsession.

How many times western countries would hit Russia below the belt, yet, there is always, "Aх, Франция, нет в мире лучше края," (line from Griboedov’s Woe from Wit, “oh, France, there is no better country in the world”); "Oh, Germany and its culture," "Oh, Italy, heaven on earth," Oh, English Laws and English ladies," which Dostoevsky never tired of admiring.

Here are several examples of Russia's naive, puppy love for the USA (on the basis of Hans Rogger essay, "Amerikanism and the Economic Development of Russia.")

One US observer writes in 1930: "Ours is the only important Government which refuses to grant Russia political recognition, and yet is our country that Russia emulates and admires." Another comments in 1928: "The word for industrialization is Americanization, and the passion to Ford-ize the Soviet Union is even stronger than the passion to communize it."

The third commentator, who lived long time in both Russia and US, writers that "nowhere was America so earnestly and generally idolized.. America implied competence, responsibility, punctuality, accuracy, and diligence. America meant to work steadily and efficiently, with economy of materials and of energy, but also with daring inventiveness and readiness to depart from routine and bureaucratism. America signified youth and invincibility, the triumph of the machine and the possibility of freeing humanity from the burdens of poverty and toil."

Theodore Dreiser observed after visiting Russia in 1927: "they all want Russia to be like America — its cities like Chicago and Detroit, its leaders and geniuses like Ford and Rockefeller, Edison and Gary. God! I pray not!"

In 1918, Lenin postulated: "Soviet power + the order of the Prussian railroads + American technique and the organization of trusts + American public education + += socialism." While Bukharin insisted, "We need Marxism plus Americanism." Not to be outdone, Stalin admired American efficiency and business like attitude (деловитость). While Trotsky who observed US and criticized its imperialism, nevertheless announced that "Americanized Bolshevism will triumph and smash imperialist Americanism."

Of course, already Zamiatin in his We, mocks this fixation on Fordism, Taylorism, and other "scientific" ways of exploiting the workers, as he allows his enthusiasts declare that Frederick Winslow Taylor was the greatest thinker of the XX century.

All this is profoundly sad and ironic. Russians — late Soviet propaganda notwithstanding —seem to be able recognize the best in the western countries, they focus on the best that these countries have to offer and genuinely admire them.

Western gaze, however — with the rare exceptions of great writers like Rilke or Valery — focuses mostly on dirt and negativity. Marx and Engels —two most cherished XX century figures in Russia— had nothing but contempt for Russia, and articulated opinions that make one very seriously doubt their intelligence or even erudition.

Of course, the pig that recognizes only dirt and the artist that notices beauty — have their own rewards. Still, the asymmetry of these two gazes are unpleasant and disturbing.