The Return of Communism!?

Where's Michelle's post gone?

Oh come now.  Social Security hasn't disappeared.  I've never seen any "prostitues" or "begging children on the streets."  However, healthcare certainly is darned expensive.

Olya here it is...

I agree  with Tobick and Vera.
When the pendulun swings back, it is never as far back. Ideally, we learn from all systems and continue to come up with better ones. I don't think Russia is far from having a tyrannt with its current president. Please don't take that personally anyone, i can accept criticizm of ours and probably won't disagree.
The Russian people, history has shown, have a lot of spirit and do rise up to correct wrongs. Does anyone foresee a civil uprising?

Michelle
Sadly I see them all the time, Malnourished children staring with glazed eyes  - Women (and men) willing to do anything for a "fix".
The time I spend working with young offenders in the justice system (adult prison education/ juvenile detention) makes it all tragically clear to me that 'Uhmuricah' is not the "best country in the world" not while the poor starve and only the rich can get health insurance.

Under pressure, people will "remember" a past free of stress where everything was wonderful- hence it's not surprizing that today many (not all) Russians are nostalgic for Communism with its decent food, shelter, education and heath care system.

red rskkiya
an expat brit

Thank you for this post rskkiya. Unfortunately, I see it all the time too.

I see no immediate danger of civil uprising, at least not for a few years, though as Putin no longer commands the support of the middle ranking members of the army and security forces, if there were one, it might have fairly far reaching consequences.

I think we're likely to see problems nearer to the 2008 handover deadline, when ordinary people will have seen Putin for what he is.   Most importantly by this stage his policies will have started seriously impact on people's lives in a negative way.  It is then that they will start to demonstrate en masse.  Until that time things will remain by and large on an even keel - don't forget that Russians will not react unless they are directly affected by a problem.

Putin has been described by a couple of people as a tyrant.  He is not a tyrant, but a product of a specific background and upbringing that has inhibited his political outlook.  He genuinely does not want to be remembered as dictator but as a man who made Russia great again.  This wish to restore the prestige of Russia is key to understanding Putin.  To achieve this he is prepared sacrifice many things - the first being democracy.  

The problem with him is that he was a man promoted above his ability by a President (Yeltsin) desperate to deflect attention away from his corrupt and nepotistic regime. Putin's disastrous policies in Chechnya and the like, come not so much from a desire for power, but a lack of ability to deal with the multitude of problems currently facing Russia, coupled with a strong streak of stubborness.

I am no fan, but the overriding problem remains that there is no viable opposition in Russia, so if Putin were to go there would be noone to replace him...this the real danger facing Russia in the next few years.  The spectre of an ultranationalist leader is a very real threat and one that is likely to be trotted out as an excuse for Mr P to keep a hold of power for another four years.

there have already been demonstrations against him. he has  had two bad terroism attacks and has faild to protect the inocent  both times. he combines stalinism,  tsarist opression and backwardness in one

Fredericka
    I agree with Tobik --although no angel-- Putin is better than any ultranationalist/crypto nazi type. Regarding terrorism there are terrorist attacks in America and in Great Britain (my old home) so that really proves nothing relevent in this particular case.
    Nevertheless there is a facinating Russian/American documentary called Disbelief  that was on the Sundance Channel recently - it posed some intriguing points about Putin, the Chechnyan "terror groups" and the current political situation in Russia.
    While first hand experience is best - this is good for those of us working on getting our tourist tickets for the future.

rskkiya

Oh how wonderful it is to live in the glorious West, in the best of all possible worlds, where there are no demonstrations against leaders, no terroist attacks and the innocent are always protected.

Sorry Rskkiya, looks like I was just behind you on that post.

Regards from another British expat,

Tobik

I think we're likely to see problems nearer to the 2008 handover deadline, when ordinary people will have seen Putin for what he is.  

Could you explain the 2008 handover deadline? Thanks

Michelle
Sadly I see them all the time, Malnourished children staring with glazed eyes  - Women (and men) willing to do anything for a "fix".
The time I spend working with young offenders in the justice system (adult prison education/ juvenile detention) makes it all tragically clear to me that 'Uhmuricah' is not the "best country in the world" not while the poor starve and only the rich can get health insurance.

Under pressure, people will "remember" a past free of stress where everything was wonderful- hence it's not surprizing that today many (not all) Russians are nostalgic for Communism with its decent food, shelter, education and heath care system.

red rskkiya
an expat brit

rskkiya---What on earth do you expect to see if I gather correctly that you're a worker in the juvenile justice system?  Diligent church-goers?  With all due respect, DUH!!!!  OF COURSE you're going to see the worst kind of people there are!  You don't think there's those kinds of people in, say, Australia? France? Greece? Britain?  That's just like saying, "Oh well I work in a mental asylum and all I see is how terrible America is because everybody's nuts." Do you live in the ghetto or something?  And if you don't think it's a great or even good country, why did you move here from Britain in the first place?

There are MANY "diligent church-goers" in the juvenile and otherwise justice systems.

Not a good example!

I believe rskkiya's point goes back to your post when you claimed that you had never seen prostitues or begging children in the streets in the U.S.

One person's experience cannot be the authority. Those who have lived longer and have more experience (and opportunities to see various sides of life in the U.S. and other countries) are in a better position to make this type of judgment.

As someone who has both years and experience, I and many others here can assure you that both prostitutes and begging children DO most certainly exist in the U.S.

Okay, so basically, your one opinion has authority over my opinion just because you're older?  Hmmmm.  I've been in over 20 states in this country. Many citites. I think I've seen quite a lot.  Sure I've seen poor people before.  But what country doesn't have them?  "Starving children with their eyes glazed over...." *chuckles* No.  A bit melodramatic.  Sounds like your friend was describing Rwanda or some other third world country whom I do feel sorry for.

Okay, so basically, your one opinion has authority over my opinion just because you're older?  Hmmmm.  I've been in over 20 states in this country. Many citites. I think I've seen quite a lot.  Sure I've seen poor people before.  But what country doesn't have them?  "Starving children with their eyes glazed over...." *chuckles* No.  A bit melodramatic.  Sounds like your friend was describing Rwanda or some other third world country whom I do feel sorry for.

YOU were the one who made the statement: "I've never seen prostitutes and begging children..."
Are you backpedaling now? Yes, you are.
And such tragedies in America and every other nation are NOTHING to chuckle about.

You really are melodramatic, Michelle. America, contrary to the beliefs of its inhabitants and supporters, is not Heaven on Earth.