ABSTRACT
The Russian regional elite in 1991-1995 pursued mostly egotistical goals. Members of the local elite dreamed of becoming presidents; they wanted to enjoy international recognition and the highest privileges accorded to heads of state and to play a special role in the governing of the Russian Federation. The Russian population held the local elite in the same contempt as Moscow politicians, considering its members corrupted and absorbed with their own enrichment. The new ideology of the still-authoritative Russian society was based on a mixed economy, but it retained the state's active role in all sectors of society. In addition, Russian nationalism was promoted in Moscow by various conservative parties and movements. The ethnic elite differ in various respects from the local Russian elite. The ethnic elite were much more aggressive and self-perpetuating than its colleagues in the Russian regions.
