Political Fear as a Phenomenon in Contemporary Politics

The article identifies characteristics of political fear applied as a tool, which Western authorities use in policy-making process towards Russia. Based on fundamental studies of Russian scientists and the most famous works of Western scholars, the author analyzes the modern features of political fear manifestations. The article examines political fear as not only the citizens’ sense of power, the uncertainty of its decisions, but also as the feelings of the ruling elite towards society. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that political fear is ambivalent: it can dictate public policy, lead new groups to power, create and abolish laws, perform the role of mobilization, and be a source of political viability. Most intensively political fear was used as a politic tool by American establishment immediately after the World War II, reaching its peak in the second decade of the 21st century. Panic fear of falling behind and being a victim of «sudden Soviet (now – Russian) strike» has become a feature of American public opinion. At the same time, there are no real reasons for political fear towards Russian state. It is concluded that the optimistic forecasts that appeared after the victory of D. Trump, to change the world order in the sense of gradual disappearance of the western trend of Russophobia, seem to be illusory and uncertain. In the West, main political elites are not going to change their Anti-Russian views.