For centuries in the past Russia had decisively influenced crucial events in the history of Eurasia, and in the recent hundred years its activity has expanded to nearly worldwide. Suffice is to recall its support of the national liberation movements in former colonies and involvement in various armed conflicts in Asia, Africa and Latin America. After the end of the Second World War a new opposition had formed, this time between the former allies, primarily between the Soviet Union and the United States. The opposition fueled the arms race and brought the world to a dangerous point where the threat of a global nuclear catastrophe was very high. Russia is among the main contributors to the world treasury of literature, fine arts and music; also, Russia boasts outstanding achievements in research science and technology, geographical studies and sports.

In the early 20th century Russia went through radical changes in its system of government. The country rid itself of the ages-long totalitarian system, and made an attempt at actualizing the idea which had been ripening in the world for quite a while by then, the idea of creating a society of general welfare or socialism. In a certain sense it was kind of an alternative to the liberal democracies. Then, after the experiment's failure, in the 1980s Russia launched perestroika, or restructuring of its system of government and system of economy using the countries with free market as a model. All previous attempts at reforming the Soviet system had failed, including Vladimir Lenin's New Economic Policy and the programs pursued by Nikita Khrushchev, Alexey Kosygin and Yuri Andropov.

That marked the beginning of a new era which started with the country's disintegration, change of its geopolitical orientation and loss of its former ideology. The construction of a new, diametrically opposite, capitalist system, had begun. The main reasons behind the radical turn were the Soviet economy's inefficiency and the country's failure to stand the Cold War. Several years that followed saw modifications of practically all state fundamentals; the reforms were so fast and radical that one can only be surprised (and happy) that the country managed to avoid collapse or anarchy. This was yet another crucial point in the world's contemporary history because had the things gone wrong in this part of the world (say, a civil war broke out) with all its nuclear arsenals, that could have been the end of the history of human civilization. The peaceful "divorce" with the former Soviet republics (as long as it could not have been avoided) cannot but be recognized as a lucky outcome. Suffice it to recall France's divorce with Algeria, disintegration of Yugoslavia and many other historical examples. What we have witnessed was a a bloodless bourgeois revolution, a fundamental redivision of property. It is clear to us today that the redivision of the huge country's property was performed unfairly – most of the country's wealth, truly fabulous riches, wound up in the hands of a select few, most of who received their slices of the pie thanks to luck, audacity and imagination. The beginning of a new, free-market, era was accompanied by legal chaos and paralysis of the regulatory structures, which allowed many to make a quick dollar; the legality of this capital is now often being questioned.

A large part of the intelligentsia, including professors, researchers, doctors, teachers and representatives of other once-respected and well-paid professions, was pushed to the verge of poverty, many of them facing a very real struggle for survival. Millions of highly educated people became shuttle traders filling the domestic market with goods that were in short supply in the Soviet era. There is also a rather optimistic appraisal of the Russia's recent past, according to which the country has emerged out of the 20th century having won victories over two totalitarian systems: the Nazis and the Soviets.

The first cohort of Russian businesspeople included many of the former Soviet elite, the so-called "red directors" and Communist Party and Komsomol functionaries. Practically no restrictions (or lustration) were imposed on former Soviet-era functionaries occupying posts in the state power structures of the new Russia. Some limitations were imposed on the activities of the Communist Party, but these were later lifted.

Although Russia has managed to make a step forward, it is still lagging behind the West in technology, quality of life, basic freedoms, efficiency of legal system and a number of other aspects. It is not clear at the moment as to when Russia will manage to catch up with the world leaders, to stop population decline, overcome poverty and corruption, restore research science and radically curb crime.

Over the past century, Russia has passed through a series of cataclysms with a colossal death toll: World War I, the Civil War, famine in several regions in the 1930s, Stalin's repressions, and the Great Patriotic War which claimed tens of millions of lives. Now we have low life expectancy, an enormously high death rate in traffic accidents, high rate of premature deaths due to poor medical and health care, alcohol abuse and other ludicrous problems. Russia lost many of its citizens in several waves of emigration in the past 100 years, and now skilled specialists, young people and those who are looking for a quieter life continue to leave this country.

As regards Russia's national idea, here it is appropriate to recall that "gathering of lands" was one of its main components over many centuries in the past. In fact, the same concept was part of national ideas of several other countries, however, Russia was more successful with that, and managed to exist in the form of a huge multinational country for a longer time. After the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, the country proclaimed a world revolution as its goal , and the slogan "Proletarians of all countries, unite!" was in harmony with the country's aspirations in that time. During the Great Patriotic War Russia had no goals but to defeat the enemy and preserve its independence, and after the victory the goal was first to restore the country and then, in a longer run, to build communism.

Today, Russia's national idea is to change the people's mentality and attitudes and preserve the country's statehood and territorial integrity. The main goals shall be identified as increase in the people's quality of life and life expectancy. Importantly, we should plan to achieve that these goals not somewhere in the distant future, not for the future generations but for the vast majority of those living today. Having pulled through numerous calamities, ideological vacillations, wars and cataclysms, the world civilization has long since arrived at the conclusion that the most important values are dignity, well-being, freedom and quality of life for each citizen.

In contemplating the future, making plans and developing strategies, we should not limit ourselves to considering solely domestic problems and peculiarities, but should include world trends and processes into our analysis as well; after all, the outside world is tending to produce an increasingly strong influence on our lives. We should try to figure out what the world will be like in the future. It is important to take into account that transformations are taking place at an increasing rate. Although Russia is at the moment mostly concerned about her own problems, the problems endangering humanity as a whole are coming to the fore today – global crises and conflicts. These issues are becoming a matter of top priority for the leaders of all countries and for the world community as a whole.

After the Cold War, two great powers – Russia and the United States – are ahead of all others in nuclear, chemical and biological warfare technologies, and probably in the field of development of new kinds of weapons too. These two great powers can (and should!) assume a major share of responsibility and, with financial and other support from other countries, proceed with the effort of developing systems for detection, monitoring and interdiction of biological and chemical weapons. Also, Russia and the United States should champion organizational and legislative efforts aimed at elimination of these threats. Russia and the United States should express a common opinion on these issues in international organizations. Perhaps we should better show off our farsightedness and great power ambition by being more active in the most important sphere – looking for nonviolent ways of conflict resolution and positive transformation of people's consciousness throughout the world and resolving the main problem – that of ensuring sustainable development of our civilization.