Russian Democracy

[woad&fangs]

What is this democracy you speak of?

Angry Putin:24%
Corrupt Putin:52%
Assassin Putin:5%
Quarrelsome Putin:19%

[ICantSpellDawg]

Russian democracy is clearly dead

[Papewaio]

Not dead, its still quite reactive... radioactive that is.

[Charge]

[rvg]

Russian democracy has been dead for a few years now. Putin, while being hugely popular with his people (even now) is an autocrat and a tyrant even though he is very smart about asserting his autocratic rule. Sadly, he's the best that Russia currently has to offer: better have it under tyranny than under anarchy.

[Blodrast]

I'd be curious to understand a somewhat different thing, too (apologies to Seamus for being somewhat offtopic, but I think the two issues are related). Why is it that there are so many Russians who agree that Putin is a strongman, but at the same time wholeheartedly support him ? In other words, why do people feel that Russia _needs_ an iron-fisted leader?

Is it some nostalgia about regaining the superpower status that the USSR had ? (I find this difficult to believe, I can't imagine regular folk getting a kick out of being "#1"... it will hardly make a practical difference to them anyway)

Is it fear of anarchy ? (If so, is this really justified ? Why would Russia be more prone to anarchy than any other country ?)

Is it fear of other, existing or upcoming, powers, such as the US, China, India ?

I'd like to understand how people think.

Once again, Seamus, hope you don't mind too much for derailing the topic, but, as I said, it's not completely unrelated.

[rvg]

I'd be curious to understand a somewhat different thing, too (apologies to Seamus for being somewhat offtopic, but I think the two issues are related). Why is it that there are so many Russians who agree that Putin is a strongman, but at the same time wholeheartedly support him ? In other words, why do people feel that Russia _needs_ an iron-fisted leader?

Is it some nostalgia about regaining the superpower status that the USSR had ? (I find this difficult to believe, I can't imagine regular folk getting a kick out of being "#1"... it will hardly make a practical difference to them anyway)

Is it fear of anarchy ? (If so, is this really justified ? Why would Russia be more prone to anarchy than any other country ?)

Yes. Russia throughout its history has been either under tyranny or under anarchy. It has never been truly free, although the USSR in its last couple of years and RUssia in the 90s had some semblance of freedom and democracy mixed together with plenty of anarchy and tremendous economic hardships.

Is it fear of other, existing or upcoming, powers, such as the US, China, India ?

Not those as much as the West. Once again, Russia throughout its long history has always perceived the West as its enemy. It is somewhat justified, as most threats to Russia over the past 1000 years came from the west (except the mongols of course). So, they see the Democracy (as *we* understand it) as a western trojan horse, as a plot to undermine Russia from within. Thus, they do not trust democracy and prefer the much more familiar tyranny.

Finally, Russian economy is booming. People start caring less about freedom when they are too busy stuffing their pockets with the cash windfall from the oil trade.

That is my take on it.

[JR-]

I'd be curious to understand a somewhat different thing, too (apologies to Seamus for being somewhat offtopic, but I think the two issues are related). Why is it that there are so many Russians who agree that Putin is a strongman, but at the same time wholeheartedly support him ? In other words, why do people feel that Russia _needs_ an iron-fisted leader?

It is almost canon that russia likes a strongman at the helm.

Putin is just carrying on that tradition, and the majority seem to approve.