Thread: Russia disappoints the world

Originally Posted by Adux

Yes, thats exactly what I meant. Sorry my mind works faster than my hands...missed that..lol

There is nothing to deny about what is happening in Russia, It is concerted effort against the Oligarch's and their mouth pieces which includes the media, example : Kommersat. As far as I am aware, the people are not affected by this and actually support his action.


Adu.

I think the "support" you talk about comes in mainly from the older generations, who are struggling with the "new" Russia, they find a certain comfort in the old ways of doing things, better the devil you know, Putin is a master of spin amongst other things.

Originally Posted by T_igger_cs_30

I think the "support" you talk about comes in mainly from the older generations, who are struggling with the "new" Russia, they find a certain comfort in the old ways of doing things, better the devil you know, Putin is a master of spin amongst other things.

Old masters respect Putin, for stopping a spiralling country and bringing it back on track, that on the postives. Helped to no end by the rising oil value.

By any other standards, Putin is no commie. Oligarchs is a special case for Putin, it is personal. Brois Beservozky wanted a person he could control, so he and his friends could plunder the economy. He thought Putin was the right guy, chose him to his own peril. Without Nationlizing the oil and gas, his country didnt have any money to revive cash-depreived debt ridden Russia economy, I dont think he had any choice.
I am sure you are as suprised as I am, when out of nowhere a group of people became billionaire's in a crumbling economy.

The west actively supports Boris Beservozky, and Putin is no Yelstien

So the blow to Russian federalism in 2004 that Putin dealt by, announcing he would appoint governors, with the rationale that it would make them more accountable and effective. This is ok you think?

There have been no regional elections for executive office since and no future ntentions that I can see.

Originally Posted by T_igger_cs_30

So the blow to Russian federalism in 2004 that Putin dealt by, announcing he would appoint governors, with the rationale that it would make them more accountable and effective. This is ok you think?

There have been no regional elections for executive office since and no future ntentions that I can see.

No i dont agree with it. A giant step backwards, and blow to his scorecard of postives. Though I have to say my understanding of the inner working of his this particular decision is not that much. By which I could make a stand.

Originally Posted by Adux

No i dont agree with it. A giant step backwards, and blow to his scorecard of postives. Though I have to say my understanding of the inner working of his this particular decision is not that much. By which I could make a stand.

So if we add that parties not aligned with the Kremlin,the Independant Liberal parties,Yabloko and the SPS, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, all these parties are much weaker than in the 1990's.
The Republican Party, the Popular Democratic Union and some others have not even been allowed to register for elections.
Isnt this a sign that Putin is dragging Russia back to where it was Politicly, but without the might they had ?

Originally Posted by T_igger_cs_30

So if we add that parties not aligned with the Kremlin,the Independant Liberal parties,Yabloko and the SPS, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, all these parties are much weaker than in the 1990's.
The Republican Party, the Popular Democratic Union and some others have not even been allowed to register for elections.
Isnt this a sign that Putin is dragging Russia back to where it was Politicly, but without the might they had ?

True, but other than the communist party, Yelstien-Putin's own party was wholly financed by the Oligarchs. He got his party from clutches of Oligarchs, and his methodology of getting the oligarchs out of his competitors party has actually to cost him a dent on his credibility, as well as stopped the maturing of opposition. Which is vital to a true democracy, in this case I agree.

I am not here to defend Putin or his people, But I do see a concerted effort by the Oligarchs and West, and democracy is not the reason there.

FDI will be driven from any market which lacks the institutional protection which investment capital demands.

A new Russian engagement



Anita Joshua



There is a new Russia, self-confident and self-assured, and it wants the world to see for itself rather than through Western eyes the new brand called Russia.






Tired of being viewed through the “biased prism” of the Western media, Russia has decided to join the battle for the mind. Slowly but systematically, the “teenaged” Russian Federation is putting in place mechanisms to package itself as a nation that has dealt with the attendant problems of adolescence and is now poised to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with older open societies.

“Our government is planning to set up a special structure to present a positive image of Russia and attract investment because both are related. This mechanism will be placed within the Department of Commerce and Foreign Trade,” Alexander Gorbenko, director-general of Rossiiskaya Gazeta, told a group of visiting Indian journalists.

Functioning out of the monolithic structure that once housed Pravda — the Soviet time state-owned newspaper — Rossiiskaya Gazeta, as the name suggests is the official newspaper of the Russian Federation. “Our democratic system is very young; we haven’t learnt how to package our image the way the Americans do.”

Referring to the strain in Russia’s relations with many a Western power, Mr. Gorbenko — a close confidant of President Vladimir Putin — insists it is not the beginning of yet another Cold War as is being made out in some quarters but the result of a one-sided information flow. “The Russian view seldom gets reflected in international media. Our President will not allow another Iron Curtain to come up. Neither will business interests allow a new wall to come up. The stakes are far too high. Far too many profitable linkages have been established and it will be difficult for anyone — even someone like Putin — to break them.”

Growing economy


Part of the antagonism towards Russia is because of its growing economy. It is a country with huge resources and a solid base in science and technology that has survived the political upheaval following the collapse of the Soviet Union. So, it is logical for the developed world to be wary of Russia, explains Vladimir V. Grigoriev, Executive Counsellor at the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communication.

Also, since civil society and an opposition have been slow to emerge in Russia, and given the strength of its Army’s institutionalised perseverance, there is the lurking fear in many a Western mind that Russia could well lapse into its old ways. Add to this the fact that traditionally, Russians have known only a single font of power and “the liberal culture does not come as easily to us like the rest of Europe,” chips in Mr. Gorbenko.

“We are being villainised, but you forget that it wasn’t Russia which used the atom bomb first. Forget the past, even now Russian troops are not present in any part of the world… So, a lot of the accusations are baseless,” insist the media managers of the Russian Federation.

New tie-ups


It is to break this image of Russia that Rossiiskaya Gazeta has entered into tie-ups with leading dailies across the globe such as The Daily Telegraph in Britain and The Washington Post in the United States. On a monthly basis, these publications bring out an eight-page supplement put together by Rossiiskaya Gazeta. For much of the world, the insight into Russia is provided by Western media houses. This, according to Russian media watchers, is why Russia has not been able to break through the biases. Part of the much-talked-about chill in India-Russia links is also attributed to this; a fact acknowledged by officials of the Indian mission in Moscow.

According to Mr. Grigoryev, “partly the problem lies in the fact that the West had hoped to make Russia dance to its tune after the collapse of the Soviet Union. We even did for a while during the humiliating 1990s. Putin changed that and made the Russian State more assertive in international fora. You had 60 years to reform, we have had less than 20. Till now, we were busy putting our house in order; putting in place institutional mechanisms.”

So preoccupied was the Russian state in restructuring that even the window offered by literature into Soviet life closed with the disappearance of Progress Publishers and its off-shoot Raduga for want of funds.








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The Hindu : Opinion / News Analysis : A new Russian engagement

I would suggest the new documentary from BBC narrated by Sir Ian Holmes, The Russian Godfathers, Its very a western oriented piece, yet if you take a step back and analyze if this was done in your country what would be the consequences of your actions. It shows the tacit support of Western government in undermining Putin.

The next few years are going to be very interesting,as Putin and his team are striving to maintain power and not really hand it over later this year, it does seem they are more successful in these efforts than to increase the econmic growth (albeit it is quite good at the present time)
Using China as a model, as he has, Putin has set the bar (developmentally) lower than it was a 10 years ago, instead of using the US or say Germany as the model.

Originally Posted by T_igger_cs_30

The next few years are going to be very interesting,as Putin and his team are striving to maintain power and not really hand it over later this year, it does seem they are more successful in these efforts than to increase the econmic growth (albeit it is quite good at the present time)
Using China as a model, as he has, Putin has set the bar (developmentally) lower than it was a 10 years ago, instead of using the US or say Germany as the model.

Economic growth is not possible without Political stability, Russians are very serious about building insitutions for economic control and monitoring.

What is the China model?How is their development bar lower to anyone?

Originally Posted by Adux

Economic growth is not possible without Political stability, Russians are very serious about building insitutions for economic control and monitoring.

What is the China model?How is their development bar lower to anyone?

Using China as a model makes no sense,its economy (agrarian-based) has a per capita GDP below $2,000, approx a third of Russia's itself and a 15th of Germany's.

Originally Posted by T_igger_cs_30

Using China as a model makes no sense,its economy (agrarian-based) has a per capita GDP below $2,000, approx a third of Russia's itself and a 15th of Germany's.

You are forgetting the 1 billion people over there. Russia can more efficient in making agriculture based economy. Anyways
As far as I am aware of Russia, Russia is taking a page out of the Indian economic rise, and developing knowledge based economy, become the R&D hub of the world. They are better placed to become one because of their exceptional educational and technological base.
Russians just signed $10 billion dollar Nuclear deal with the Indians.

I see the Russians doing a multi-pronged approach to economic rebuilding, and to base them anywhere USA or the rest of W.Europe at this point of time wouldnt be fair. I dont think there is any country in the said parts which went through what Russia went through in the 1990's

According to Mr. Grigoryev, “partly the problem lies in the fact that the West had hoped to make Russia dance to its tune after the collapse of the Soviet Union. We even did for a while during the humiliating 1990s. Putin changed that and made the Russian State more assertive in international fora. You had 60 years to reform, we have had less than 20. Till now, we were busy putting our house in order; putting in place institutional mechanisms.”

“Our democratic system is very young; we haven’t learnt how to package our image the way the Americans do.”

I'd think the way we Americans "package" this is by keeping our system open--open for others to speak with their voice & their vote, for good or ill.

It's difficult for us Americans to trust dictators, because of this. Yes, elections have been held in Russia in the recent past. But Saddam used to hold elections as well, with very similar results, imo.

I'll not fault Russia for trying to better itself. But, if in doing so, they fall back on the "old ways," I fail to see how they will actually achieve that betterment for their people.