National Bolshevik Front
Encyclopedia
National Bolshevik Front has been used as a name for three separate strands of National Bolshevism
. The name initially applied to the Russia
n National Bolshevik Party of Eduard Limonov
when it was founded in 1993. The group soon changed its name as it emerged as a political party
.
Although abandoned by the Russian group as a name, the term is still used to refer to a loose federation of National Bolshevik organisations that spreads across much of Europe
and even has branches in Venezuela
and Bolivia
. Of these the most important is that in Russia, with the others being largely insignificant (although the Parti Communautaire National-Européen
has been associated with the group).
and closely cooperates with the Union of Eurasian Youth, a group of young supporters of Dugin's Neo-Eurasianism.
The NBF's founders split from the National Bolshevik Party as they disagreed with what they perceived to be Limonov's policies of forging political alliances with pro western liberals and 'oligarchs
' in order to overthrow Vladimir Putin
's government. The NBF considered this policy to be a betrayal of the original National Bolshevist fight against western
style democracy and capitalism
; in the NBF's view the NBP is no longer a National Bolshevist party, but rather the radical-looking wing of a wider revolutionary front supported by the enemies of Russian sovereignty.
The new NBF perceives exiled oligarchs, like Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky
, and liberal-democratic
pro-western and pro-market political forces (such as the Union of Right Forces
, Yabloko
, Democratic Union
and Kasparov
's supporters) as Russia's internal enemies, the external ones being perceived as NATO, American
imperialism
and the New world order.
NBF ideology is deeply rooted in the Russian and German National Bolshevist traditions (Ernst Niekisch
, Nikolay Ustryalov, the Smenavekhites and the Mladorossi
movement) and they reject political and economic liberalism as well as claiming to reject ethnocentric
and chauvinist
nationalism
.
Although it is not officially supported by NBF doctrine, xenophobia, racism, and antisemitism are much more mainstreamed by the aggressive NBF when compared to the more “progressive″ Limonovist NBP.
National Bolshevism
National Bolshevism is a political movement that claims to combine elements of nationalism and Bolshevism. It is often anti-capitalist in tone, and sympathetic towards certain nationalist forms of communism and socialism...
. The name initially applied to the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n National Bolshevik Party of Eduard Limonov
Eduard Limonov
Eduard Limonov is Russian writer and political dissident, and is the founder and leader of radical National Bolshevik Party. An opponent of Vladimir Putin, Limonov is one of leaders of Other Russia political bloc.-Early life:...
when it was founded in 1993. The group soon changed its name as it emerged as a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
.
Although abandoned by the Russian group as a name, the term is still used to refer to a loose federation of National Bolshevik organisations that spreads across much of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and even has branches in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. Of these the most important is that in Russia, with the others being largely insignificant (although the Parti Communautaire National-Européen
Parti Communautaire National-Européen
The Parti communautaire national-européen is a Belgium-based political organisation led by Luc Michel, a former member of the Neo-Nazi FANE party. A largely National Bolshevik movement, it also has activists in France....
has been associated with the group).
Anti-Limonov tendency
In August 2006 the name was taken by Alexei Golubovich for a new anti-Limonovist splinter group from the National Bolshevik Party that he led. This new group has links with former NBP member Aleksandr DuginAleksandr Dugin
Aleksandr Gelyevich Dugin is a politologist and one of the most popular ideologists of Russian expansionism, nationalism, and fascism, with close ties to the Kremlin and Russian military. He was the leading organizer of National Bolshevik Party, National Bolshevik Front, and Eurasia Party...
and closely cooperates with the Union of Eurasian Youth, a group of young supporters of Dugin's Neo-Eurasianism.
The NBF's founders split from the National Bolshevik Party as they disagreed with what they perceived to be Limonov's policies of forging political alliances with pro western liberals and 'oligarchs
Business oligarch
Business oligarch is a near-synonym of the term "business magnate", borrowed by the English speaking and western media from post-Soviet parlance to describe the huge, fast-acquired wealth of some businessmen of the former Soviet republics during the privatization in Russia and other post-Soviet...
' in order to overthrow Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
's government. The NBF considered this policy to be a betrayal of the original National Bolshevist fight against western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
style democracy and capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
; in the NBF's view the NBP is no longer a National Bolshevist party, but rather the radical-looking wing of a wider revolutionary front supported by the enemies of Russian sovereignty.
The new NBF perceives exiled oligarchs, like Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky
Vladimir Gusinsky
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Gusinsky is a Russian media baron, is known as the founder of Media-Most holding that included Most Bank, the NTV channel, the newspaper Segodnya and magazines.-Life and career:Gusinsky was born in Moscow....
, and liberal-democratic
Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
pro-western and pro-market political forces (such as the Union of Right Forces
Union of Right Forces
The Union of Right Forces, or SPS , was a Russian democratic opposition party associated with free market reforms, privatization, and the legacy of the 'Young Reformers' of the 1990s: Anatoly Chubais, Boris Nemtsov, and Yegor Gaidar. Nikita Belykh was the last party's leader...
, Yabloko
Yabloko
The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" (Russian: Росси́йская объединённая демократи́ческая па́ртия «Я́блоко» Rossiyskaya obyedinyonnaya demokraticheskaya partiya "Yabloko"; is a Russian social...
, Democratic Union
Democratic Union (Russia)
Democratic Union is a Russian liberal party led by a controversial Russian female politician Valeria Novodvorskaya. The orientation has been radically liberal and pro-reform...
and Kasparov
Garry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
's supporters) as Russia's internal enemies, the external ones being perceived as NATO, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
and the New world order.
NBF ideology is deeply rooted in the Russian and German National Bolshevist traditions (Ernst Niekisch
Ernst Niekisch
Ernst Niekisch was a German politician. Initially associated with mainstream left-wing politics he later became a Prominent exponent of National Bolshevism.-Bavaria:...
, Nikolay Ustryalov, the Smenavekhites and the Mladorossi
Mladorossi
The Union of Mladorossi was a political group of Russian émigré monarchists who advocated a hybrid of Russian monarchy and the Soviet system, best evidenced by their motto "Tsar and the Soviets"....
movement) and they reject political and economic liberalism as well as claiming to reject ethnocentric
Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is the tendency to believe that one's ethnic or cultural group is centrally important, and that all other groups are measured in relation to one's own. The ethnocentric individual will judge other groups relative to his or her own particular ethnic group or culture, especially with...
and chauvinist
Chauvinism
Chauvinism, in its original and primary meaning, is an exaggerated, bellicose patriotism and a belief in national superiority and glory. It is an eponym of a possibly fictional French soldier Nicolas Chauvin who was credited with many superhuman feats in the Napoleonic wars.By extension it has come...
nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
.
Although it is not officially supported by NBF doctrine, xenophobia, racism, and antisemitism are much more mainstreamed by the aggressive NBF when compared to the more “progressive″ Limonovist NBP.