ABSTRACT
Russia has a reputation for being a singularly unhappy country, whose current military and political policies are bringing misery both at home and abroad. The question of just “who in Russia is happy?” was first posed by the nineteenth-century poet Nikolai Nekrasov; it is echoed in contemporary work by economists, policy makers, and writers – and in an anti-war film produced by Ukrainian film makers. This essay considers ways in which “happiness” has been understood in Russia, drawing on literary texts, historians’ observations, and sociological evidence.
