Democracy would be calamitous for Russia: this is the message we are hearing today from chief Kremlin ideologue Vladislav Surkov, via Reuters. Certainly, we can concur, there's nothing like democracy to wreck a highly tuned and iron wrought power vertical, of which Surkov is seen as a founding father. In a rare interview in Itogi magazine, published yesterday, the Kremlin's media-shy "Grey Cardinal" stepped out of the shadows to rebuff calls for democratic reforms, precipitated by the election results falsification outcry. Such measures, he argues, would impede economic development and provoke nation-imperiling instability. The good news is that apparently Russia doesn't need a Pinochet. Small blessings.
"Even now when power is rather consolidated and ordered, many projects are very slow and difficult," Surkov was quoted as saying by the Itogi weekly magazine.
"If we add any sort of political instability to that then our development would simply be paralyzed. There would be a lot of demagoguery, a lot of empty talk, a lot of lobbying and ripping Russia to pieces, but no development."
[...]Read the full article here.
"Though Mao Zedong said that a lot of chaos results in a lot of order, he probably meant that tough or even totalitarian regimes are born from ruins. We do not need that. We do not need a Pinochet."
"We must understand that authority that is unconsolidated and unbalanced (and) weak democratic institutions are unable to ensure an economic revival," Surkov said
Forgive me - my Russian isn't perfect. Can you show me in the Itogi article where Surkov says "democratic reforms" would "impede economic development and provoke nation-imperiling instability?"
Poemless, you're impeding progress here. You know very well that asking for accurate citations only iinterferes with the Russia-demonization project.
Get with the program!
Oh, right. Prosti...
Bob told me he wanted healthy debate in the comments. Just trying to help. ;)
Of course healthy debate is welcome in the comments, that's what it's for. I didn't write this article, but isn't your beef with Reuters?
And do correct me if I am wrong, but the principal argument of sovereign democracy is that Russians aren't mature enough as a society to handle the responsibility of full democratic rights? If you both are writing on the righteousness of Surkov's ideology, we're all ears... But I think the guy should stick to his mystery novels.
Then again, at least he wrote in Itogi that Russia doesn't need a Pinochet.
Lastly, RKKA is on his own program to convince anyone that criticism of a country's leadership is somehow criticism of the country. Reminds me of those rabid Bushies who would call me unpatriotic for being on left of center. It just doesn't hold water.
"Lastly, RKKA is on his own program to convince anyone that criticism of a country's leadership is somehow criticism of the country. Reminds me of those rabid Bushies who would call me unpatriotic for being on left of center. It just doesn't hold water."
I'm all for constructive criticism that makes sense, especially when coupled with suggestions that take account of the difficulties involved and have a chance of actually working.
Very little of which I find here.
Vapid ramblings about the "need for reform" and interviews with Satters/Gobles, etc. just don't do much for me.
Well now you're just being mean ... you read us every day! You left more comments than any other reader!
Either you are a masochist or maybe our vapid ramblings might just possibly not be boring?