Kvas Patriotism in Russia: Cultural Problems, Cultural Myths
Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia 19 University Place, 2nd Floor, New York CityIn 1827 Russian poet Pyotr Vyazemsky (1792-1878) wrote in a letter from Paris: "Many see patriotism as unqualified praise of everything that is your own. Turgot called this "servant patriotism,” du patriotisme d’antichambre. In our country we could call it "kvas patriotism." Why move false patriotism out of the antechamber and into the realm of food and drink? This invocation…