Over 100 years ago, Russia became core of USSR and the pioneer of international struggle for workers' liberation, poverty lifting, enlightenment, scientific progress and propagation of socialism and communism.
Now -- in my humble and maybe biased by liberal propaganda view -- Russia is one of the most reactionary, conservative, backward-looking, clerical country. Please excuse me posting some liberal, imperialist shit here, but seems that Kremlin officially admits going far-right: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/kremlin-finally-puts-together-ideology
Speaking locally, there seems to be evidence that Polish far-right party PiS (Law and Justice) is backed by Kremlin as well as the extremely influential priest, Tadeusz Rydzyk, founder and director of the ultra-catholic, conservative Radio Maryja station has/had ties with Polish and Russian security services before the end of People's Republic of Poland and USSR (sic!). I have some generally available videos, but in Polish, sadly.
Could you tell me how far this is true? If so, what purpose had the late communist states and today's Russia in spreading far-right propaganda? WTF went wrong?
I'm going to disagree here. While there are right wing elements in Russia and there is a lot of nationalist sentiment, it's also a fact that communism is still very popular. Polls consistently show that most people see USSR in a positive light, and many people consider the Soviet system to be generally correct. KPRF has a lot of support which appears to be growing. It might not be perfect, but it's certainly not a far right party.
For example, here's a recent poll from Russia:
And here's another poll showing that most people think the Soviet economic system was more correct
Russia is also increasingly falling into China's orbit and it doesn't escape people in Russia that going back to a socialist system would result in similar benefits that people in China are currently enjoying.
Considering that, do you think it’s possible for Russia to have successful reforms into social democracy or socialism? I don’t see a revolution on the table.
I think the system is too stable with Putin at the head, and his personal conservatism trickles down into all of the country's institutions.
Maybe when he dies there will be an opening for someone or some group with another vision for the country. Nobody who gets thrown around as a potential successor to him now has anywhere near the political capital he has, and would have to perfectly navigate a transition to a post-Putin political system in order to remain on top, something which might be made impossible by conditions outside of their control.
That’s my thought.