The Russian Soul

Hmmm. I do not know Jamie Glazov and probably should not comment on his personal perceptions, but as someone like Tyler Cowen who is married to someone who used to live in Mother Russia, I think there is a slightly different spin that can/should be put on these observations.

In particular, I would like to contest that this tendency for people to tell people to put their hats on in the cold is a matter of people asserting power over others because they feel powerless. It is more a matter of a deeply entrenched communalist attitude in Russia arising from the nature of its agricultural past. Anglo-American culture is simply far more individualistic and always has been than Russian.

The traditional agriculture of Russia was of the obshchina and mir, communalized farming systems, in contrast with the individual farms one found from a relatively early period in most of northwestern Europe and certainly in the island of Britain. This was also associated with a repressive feudalism that lasted far into the nineteenth century. It is a poorly kept secret that the collective farms of Stalin (kolkhoz) were in many places resurrections of the communalized feudal estates that had existed prior to the liberation of the serfs under Tsar Aleksandr II in 1861.

Now, part of that communalism was indeed a familistic treatment of those living near one, traditionally carried out by the older women, the grandmothers, or “babushki.” I do not think this is some reaction to powerlessness by them at all, but something much deeper, mama telling you what you should do for your own good and the good of the community in Mother Russia (Rodina). After all, if you get a cold, you can spread it to others.

I would note that for all our traditions of individualism, even now in smaller towns in the US, people will often feel that they can tell their neighbors what they should do in areas of conduct where arguably they should not be doing so. This is even carried out by levels of government, encouraged by people who claim to support individual liberties (hack, cough… ).

Sounds like Russians are closer to the “Envy Trap” than Americans are.

In light of Dan Klein’s comment allow me to note that there are probably at least three distinct phenomena at work here.

1) The envy trap. This is known to be a worse problem in Russia than in many other countries, and I have little doubt that Glazov has observed it. I remember reading some time ago of the Russian farmer who built a barn and started making money from raising pigs. One night his neighbors burned down his barn. Clearly this sort of thing does not assist economic growth.
However, I doubt that in the particular example of the hat that this was playing much of a role. Were the people envious of Glazov that he could go around in cold weather without a hat?

2) The frustrated powerlessness theme. This is what Glazov emphasized, and although I downplayed it, I cannot say it was not present in the motives of those giving Glazov a hard time about his hat. Certainly this is and has been a problem in Russia historically, dating way back.
I would note, however, that this is a widespread problem visible even in the US also. Almost any organization of any size develops inefficiency-inducing “mid-level losers” who are disrespected by their colleagues and assert themselves by throwing roadblocks to the best of their ability in the paths of those who are trying to accomplish something worthwhile. Arguably there may be fewer of these in Wal Mart or other profit-making enterprises than in organizations with greater job security such as government civil service or tenured academia.

3) Communalism. I already noted this in my previous comment. I suspect it is more important for the initial comments by the babushka while some of the other motives may be more important for the additional people who “pile on,” although that could be a matter of mob psychology. Again, while such comnunalism can be officiously annoying, it may also have some positive aspects.