STATE AUTHORITY AND DON COSSACKS: FEATURES OF RELATIONSHIPS IN A HISTORICAL RETROSPECT
The drama of the XX century, as well as the subsequent metamorphoses of the XXI century, on the one hand, led to a difficult problem of self-identification of modern residents of the Don, cast a shadow on the issues of the origin and development of the Don Cossacks, on the other, contributed to the spread of both ideological works and numerous flagrant historical manipulations to suit the current political circumstances. This article examines the ethnic and social factors of the formation of the Cossacks in different historical periods. The article deals with the causes and the consequences of the qualitative ethnic and socio-professional transformation and evolution of the Don Cossacks. The authors of the study consider the historical aspects, ways and mechanisms of interaction between the Cossacks and the state analyzing in detail the role of the Russian state in the socio-political system, moral and psychological character and economic model. Besides, the article emphasized the particulars of the functioning of political institutions and the entire Cossack public life from the perspective of relations between the Don Cossacks and the Russian ethnic group in general. This article provides with the detailed historiography review, and the authors'conclusions are followed by their own unique theoretical findings.