Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Definitely Not "Professional" Protestors - An Authentic Impression


Media Photo

The nature of the protests in Moscow at this point, and in the foreign capitols is impressive as many Russians are seen to be apolitical, and however reluctantly, followers of the leaders of the current regime.  The reasons for this are that Russia itself does appear to still be dealing with breaking from its leftist orientation during the 1900's, and the current regime does promise better economic and business development for the country as a way of dealing with this.  These are just two simple reasons (promises) that allow for the populace to usher in the Putin regime in 2012.  That even small protests have taken place, and in cities abroad, indicates the overall scepticism of Russians about 'Team Putin,' as well as the renewed emphasis in government apparently on the military and security services.  The reaction of the crowds in Moscow and abroad are classic with respect to the apparent resented and reviled alchemy of the state to exercise dominion over its populace at home and abroad and its political promises among other things.

That there is question as to the legitimacy of results of recent elections gives rise to ordinary curiosity about related details and the methods of the various parties who benefited from the outcome of the elections.  Usually, even in political regimes that are quite large, there is some acquiescence as to official looking into the election problems, and then some certification of results either way.  The protests do not appear thus to have enough of an impact to warrant this, even to test the proposition of improprieties, and this is probably the result of the spontaneity of the gatherings and some lack of organisation and influence over the regime that ignores them apart from security issues.  It is unfortunate the crowds are pointing out the unfulfilled promises of the post - Soviet era, and it is as well unfortunate there appears to be no direction in Russia today along the lines of more liberal reforms:  The regime continues to favour a public emphasis on heavily profitable commercial activities, business influences as beholden to the state, and public policy, even confiscatory and intrusive as it can be, probably just as arbitrary as it was before the Yeltsin era.  All these points bring up more politics and some of these are points of contention that will never be resolved, and because, and again anew, the regime has found fertile and profitable ground in fixed ideas and a preoccupation with constitutional decisiveness and a strict rule of law, centrism, the regional power and even arbitrary edicts of Moscow and its workings over all of the country.

One is far from the dictature of the proletariat here, it does seem, and there is nonetheless a 'United Russia' party line that dispenses with the efforts at forming a government of consensus or some coalition of parties and interests without regard to efforts to further centralise rule and pre - determine regional politics as secondary to those in Moscow.  This is a kind of tradition in politics and administration in Russia and is important insofar as constitutional and other powers and rights of the people are concerned - especially insofar as it is allowed through public debate and resolution through the coming elections.

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