Pankov Andrey V.

Introduction. In modern conditions, research on the problems of the civilizational context in the formation of Russian elites is being updated, taking into account historical retrospect. This is a necessary element of elitist research, which makes it possible to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms of elite formation in the political history of Russia and, at the same time, to represent the urgent problem of reproduction and preservation of historical memory as a foundational element of political culture and the prerequisites for its formation based on traditional values. Purpose. Identification of the civilizational context in the formation of Russian elites, taking into account the analysis of historical retrospect. Methods. When conducting the research, the author applied the historical and genetic approach; comparative historical and political analysis; civilizational approach (political science aspect). Results. The article identifies and analyzes the civilizational factors of the formation of Russian elites in Soviet Russia, in the mobilization conditions of the Second World War in the context of the problems of historical memory as a foundational element of political culture, as well as the problems of circulation, rotation, transformation and change of political elites. There are 4 generations of Soviet elites: the Leninist, Stalinist, Khrushchev-Brezhnev and Gorbachev elites. The specifics of the unique civilizational context and the common archetypal features of the Russian elites are shown, and the quality of the elites is assessed from the point of view of the civilizational-elitist approach. Conclusions. By the end of the Soviet era, a type of bureaucrat had crystallized-an official, a party and nomenklatura functionary, a representative of the political and administrative elite who aspires to privileges and career advancement. At the same time, in the confrontation between communist and capitalist ideology, the countries of the socialist and capitalist camps, in the process of radical renormalization of values, individual representatives of the elite and political leaders showed genuine patriotism, self-sacrifice and strategic talent for leading the country, turning it into a superpower. This is typical of the period of the militaristic-mobilization state of the socio-political system, in the situation of the Great Patriotic War, since in the face of an external threat, the people and the political elite rallied on the basis of patriotic ideology, traditional political culture, and the national interests of Russia.

The article substantiates that the civilizational-elitist approach develops a civilizational approach in the direction of analyzing the mechanisms and necessary prerequisites for the evolution, flourishing and decline of civilizations on a cultural and value basis and actualizes the problem of the quality of elites. He demands a multivariate and pluralistic understanding of world history, adequate to the modern stage of the development of the humanities, which allows us to move away from the Western understanding of civilization and its imperative universality. In modern social and political sciences, this makes it possible to use the concepts of the "civilizational matrix", "cultural and civilizational code", "socio-cultural landscape", "state-civilization" to denote the cultural and civilizational originality and uniqueness of a country and a national state that has its own value and foundations the sustainable successful socio-economic and political development of a particular region.