VVP: Russophobe
In his rather pathetic attempt to spin the Duma election results, Vladimir Putin denied that United Russia is truly the party of “crooks and thieves”:
“They say it’s a party linked with theft and corruption,” Mr. Putin said. “That’s a cliché not about a specific political force but about the authorities.”
Really. He said that.
Let’s break it down, shall we?
First, United Russia is a “political force” that is first and foremost the party of the authorities–the bureaucracy. It is the party of the apparat. Any distinction between United Russia and the “authorities” is utterly farcical.
Second, putting that aside, Putin is at the pinnacle of the “power vertical,” and he constantly extols the virtues of his hierarchical system. All lines on the organizational chart in Russia terminate with him: just ask him. The practice of the “vertical chop” (in Navy vernacular) is an inherent part of the Russian system of governance. Which means that (a) “the authorities” derive their power–including the power that they utilize to enrich themselves–from Putin, (b) these authorities are accountable to Putin, and (c) Putin claims responsibility for them. So, if you believe the Putinist model works as claimed, the “cliché” (and remember clichés get that way by being true) about the “authorities” directly implicates Putin as a crook and thief, or at least an accessory before and after the fact because he lets the thievery persist.
The only way to absolve Putin of this charge would be to claim that he cannot really control the apparatchiks. That the “power vertical” is a sham. That bureaucrats can run amok unchecked. That Putin is, in fact, just a Man Behind the Curtain who pulls levers and spins dials–which do nothing.
Under any of these interpretations, though, Putin’s statement is a damning assessment of Russian government. A confession that the authorities are indeed crooks and thieves.
So there you have it. Vladimir Putin: Russophobe.
Prof, what happened to the China post?
Comment by Surya — December 7, 2011 @ 3:06 pm
Name me one head of state of any country who isn’t a crook and a thief.
It’s a normal state of affairs. People who claw their way into positions of power are by necessity, corrupt and ruthless.
Nice normal decent people do not rise to the top of international politics. Russia is not different from anywhere else.
Comment by gardener1 — December 7, 2011 @ 3:36 pm
Swamped. That will take some more work . . . I’ll get to it ASAP. Thanks for your interest.
“United Russia’s real vote in Moscow was 23.5%, but it came out officially at 46.5%.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/07/vladimir-putin-russia-election-editorial?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed
Comment by La Russophobe — December 7, 2011 @ 5:20 pm
I know that normal common sense does not apply and on another level it pains me to answer but anyway here goes.
Until Obama throws the Koch brothers in prison and has one of his friends buy Koch Industries for pennies on the dollar there is no comparison between even Obama and Putin.
The US has rule by law and not by people as in Russia. Rule by law is always less corrupt than rule by people. Putin’ entire mode of governance is control of the corruption that rule by people allows.
The same argument applies to Merkel, Cameron, Sarkozy etc. If Putin governed in any of those countries and pulled a Yukos type swindle he would be in prison.
Putin relishes corruption since it provides a mechanism for control. He would be a fish out of water in any of the liberal democracies.
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 5:31 pm
Luzhkov’s total control of the Moscow polling stations is already missed. Things have gotten sloppy.
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 5:34 pm
@LR–like I said on Twitter–apparently you missed the 2 for 1 sale on UR votes 🙂
@Pahoben/@gardener1–There’s corruption and there is corruption. There are crooks, and there are crooks. The most crooked politician in most Western countries would be a paragon of virtue in Russia. Well, I take that back–Chicago aldermen would probably feel at home. That caveat aside, s/he would be the object of wonderment and derision from other elements of the political class in Russia. If you’re not there to steal, why are you there at all?
@pahoben–Yeah. What was Medvedev thinking?
Well put Professor. Putin doesn’t just ignore democratic principles and Western ideals he actually despises them.
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 5:51 pm
One more thing that he will answer for. 🙂
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 5:54 pm
I always remember the story about one of your aldermans comments about Blago. It was something like-Jeez he was trying to sell a Senate seat for God’s sake. It wasn’t like he was selling a rezoning for $5000.
They put the hammer down on Blago. Come to think of it Blago might do pretty good in Putin’s administration.
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 6:26 pm
It really is unbelievable. Governership of Illinois has become like a rest stop on the way to the Big House. Springfield has become a springboard for long term federal detention.
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 6:56 pm
gardener-please excuse me for this. Sometimes negative things are said here as for you based on your comments I believe youare a good person who always looks for the best in others. If any of my comments have offended you on a personal level I apologize.
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 7:35 pm
No worries, pahoben. You know I still love you. 😉
Actually, I’m probably one of the only Russia defenders in here. VVP is not my favorite person in the world and he is as corrupt as they come, but by god he’s got the west by the nuts, and frankly I’m loving it.
They thought they could kick Russia when she was down. Putin has showed them otherwise. Hell yes.
Comment by gardener1 — December 7, 2011 @ 7:57 pm
I always make a distinction between Putin and the elites and Russia. I continue to believe the only country he has by the nuts is Russia.
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 8:09 pm
I am going to start following Medvedev on Twitter. I don’t know if his account was hacked or if that was his Tweet. I suspect it was his Tweet so this is becoming interesting. He out did Rogozin by a large margin.
Comment by pahoben — December 7, 2011 @ 8:30 pm
Considering the things Russia has done in the 20th century (in fact in any century), it should have been kicked in the nuts when it was down.
Reagan was quite right when he called it the evil empire.
And Gardener, the problem with Russia today is that the victors did not insist on lustration……
Comment by Andrew — December 7, 2011 @ 10:26 pm
Andy, the trouble with with kicking Russia in the nuts is that Ukraine and the Baltics are getting it worse than Russia, if their vital/emmigration stats are any measure.
Comment by paulip — December 8, 2011 @ 4:00 am
Here it comes-Putin now explaining that this to do about fraudulent elections is an American plot.
Comment by pahoben — December 8, 2011 @ 8:18 am
He can control individual bureaucrats but not the bureaucracy. The bureaucracy scored a decisive victory in his first term and so he adopted a new accomodating strategy that did not pose an existential threat i.e. Putin and his circle laid claim to a Captain’s share of the lucre.
Comment by pahoben — December 8, 2011 @ 9:52 am
Why in reading this thread do I feel this urge to channel Cartman?
Name me one head of state of any country who isn’t a crook and a thief.
The King of Thailand?
Comment by Tim Newman — December 8, 2011 @ 12:32 pm
…but by god he’s got the west by the nuts…
Aye, that’s what Khrushchev thought when he built the Berlin Wall. How did that work out?
They thought they could kick Russia when she was down. Putin has showed them otherwise. Hell yes.
Yes, and – at least in terms of their oil and gas development – set themselves back a decade. And what they thought was a kick was in fact the rough and tumble of the Big Boys playground. Still, I’ve always thought Russians would happily starve in the ditch if it meant they could put two fingers up to the US, even for a moment.
Comment by Tim Newman — December 8, 2011 @ 12:38 pm
The Kremlin is cranking up-anyone who questions the election results is in the employ of the US. Rogozin just sent a tweet-in the White House to show solidarity with Russian liberals the “Ovalny” office has been renamed the Navalny office.
Comment by pahoben — December 8, 2011 @ 1:49 pm
The King of Thailand?
Why would he need to be when he could just jail anyone who criticizes him for decades.
Comment by Sublime Oblivion — December 8, 2011 @ 7:23 pm
Why would he need to be when he could just jail anyone who criticizes him for decades.
He doesn’t.
Comment by Tim Newman — December 8, 2011 @ 11:30 pm
And besides, I’m not sure that being able to jail critics negates any desire to become a thief and a crook. In fact, looking at a lot of people who do jail their critics, I am farily certain that it doesn’t!
Comment by Tim Newman — December 8, 2011 @ 11:32 pm
Well not him personally, but the police, courts, etc.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-thailand-american-20111209,0,607185.story
You don’t even have to do the “crime” in Thailand!
Comment by Sublime Oblivion — December 9, 2011 @ 1:01 am
Well not him personally, but the police, courts, etc.
Yes, of which he is completely independent. If you insult Allah in Saudi Arabia, you get jailed by the religious police. But it would be a bit of a stretch to say Allah jails his critics.
Comment by Tim Newman — December 9, 2011 @ 2:30 am