The excesses of the modern award system of Russia

Looking at the modern award system in Russia, one has a double feeling. One wants to cry and laugh at the same time. Why is it always like this with us? Trying to reform something, we simultaneously cannot give up the past, while constantly looking back at the West. As a result, we come out with some ugliness, which we long and painfully try to apply to modern realities.

Having started to create a new award system in the 90s, our democrats did not think too hard. It is not easy to invent something new, so they took the simplest way. Part of the awards left from the Soviet Union, part of the awards taken from Tsarist Russia. At the same time, without even thinking about how they will be combined.

Let’s talk about orders. With medals more or less everything is clear. The highest order of the Russian Federation is the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle. He has a sign of the order, the order chain (hung around the neck), the star of the order and the order ribbon (hung over the shoulder). This award was established by Peter I, and quite harmoniously looked at the caftans of the XVIII century, especially embroidered with gold. But on modern suits with a tie such “splendor”, to put it mildly, looks ridiculous.

The following orders: St. George and “For Merit to the Fatherland”, have four degrees. The first degrees are distinguished by the presence of the order ribbons, which, as already noted, is completely out of step with modern fashion. The signs of the second and third degrees are neck crosses. I would like to ask where these crosses should be hung today, over a tie, instead of a tie, maybe - under a tie?

The royal orders had a pronounced class character. They were awarded strictly in accordance with the table of ranks. Of course, a commoner could also break into the people and get a high award. Only by that time he ceased to be a commoner. Why do Mr. Democrats revive archaic undemocratic awards? Maybe they can’t rest their dreams of rich estates with serfs? So they drag old-regime orders into the XXI century.

Next come the heirs of the Soviet period. The new authorities of Russia left in the awarding system the military orders of Suvorov, Ushakov, Kutuzov, Nakhimov, Nevsky. True, in the Soviet Union they were awarded only during the Great Patriotic War. But for a wide Russian soul is not a pity space in the list of awards. Let them sign, but the list is solid and long. For almost twenty years, these awards are only listed as having a place. They had no statute or description. And only in 2010, finally, they were given content and form. The result was what was mentioned at the beginning of the article. First, they molded it together, and now they are trying to straighten it out.

The Junior Orders “of Honor” and “of Friendship” are twins of the Soviet Orders “Badge of Honor” and “Friendship of Peoples”. But they are twins only in name and purpose. Their artistic execution is so wretched that one cannot look at them without tears.

Undoubtedly, Stalin had a better understanding of awards. Under him was created a very slender and understandable award system of the USSR. Of course, not immediately. Communists also had to go through the path of trial and error. But the highest awards of the country were awarded Commissars and collective farmers and workers, generals and privates. Orders and medals for military service were above “labor”, because the country’s soldiers risked the most precious thing, their own lives.

And what about today’s Democrats? They only take care of themselves. Only high-ranking officials and holders of honorary titles can receive the most expensive orders. The military, in general, is given a handout in the form of the Order of Courage. One can not count on more. There are awards (St. George, Suvorov, Ushakov, Kutuzov, Nakhimov), but they will be given only if someone attacks Russia. So we have to make do with little.

Such is our democracy - the power of the people….

Misha Potap