№ 4 - 2000
Shcherbinina N.G.
Colour Classification of Russia’s Political Leaders, or A White, a Red, and a Black Leader

The article deals with particular features of a political leadership unconsciously modelled as the archetype of power. The ruler of Russia (whether archaic chief or modern president ) figures in three symbolic (signifying) variants conventionally designated by the colours of the ritual-mythological spectrum (white-red-black) recognized as universal: in the archaic paradigm of Russia’s political culture, it is one version of basic approach to the perception of a leader (a hero). Such specific version of the relation «the leader - the followers» (or «the governor - those governed») is impossible to model by use of Western «teaching» methods; however, under the conditions of our country’s political culture, the respective structure of the notions about power does permit to more or less efficiently cope with problems of political governance and management.