Ex-communist Europe
Protest in Russia
The bourgeois revolutionaries
Dec 26th 2011, 13:17 by The Economist online
IN RUDYARD KIPLING'S "The Jungle Book" Mowgli is led astray by the Bandar-log, a tribe of monkeys who, explains Mowgli's chum Baloo, ignore all the rules and “throw nuts and filth on our heads.” Only Kaa the Rock Snake, an old and fickle hunter, is able to entrance these undisciplined apes and make them do his bidding.
Such was the unfortunate image that Vladimir Putin chose to conjure earlier this month when he spoke of his attitude to tens of thousands of Russians who had come out to issue a protest against December 4th's rigged parliamentary election. The demonstrators, claimed the prime minister, were paid by foreign powers: “What can one say, in this case? One can say, in the end, ‘Come to me, banderlogi.’”
Yet if Mr Putin ever had Kaa-like powers of hypnosis, they are failing fast. His suggestion that the protesters were nothing but simian wreckers surely drove only more Russians to join a new rally on Moscow’s Sakharov Avenue on December 24th, as did his assertion that their white ribbons looked like contraceptives.
Up to 80,000 citizens showed up for Saturday's demonstration, about double the turnout for the previous protest, on December 10th. That in turn was the biggest the city had seen for 20 years.
The crowds streamed into the broad avenue in the north of the city, named after the Soviet-era dissident Andrei Sakharov, to face a stage emblazoned with the words, “Russia will be free!”
Among them was Sergei Shashko, 53, a farmer from Kaluga region, in western Russia. “This is a bourgeois revolution against a feudal state,” he said. “Today people have a little more money and they want something different. They’re no longer happy to go to a bureaucrat for help and be kicked or ignored instead.”
On the stage, the diverse leaders of Russia’s political opposition gave fiery speeches. Alexei Navalny, the blogger-lawyer and heart-throb of the protest movement, fresh from serving a 15-day prison sentence following a previous demonstration, cried: “I see enough people here to take the Kremlin and the White House [Russian government] right now. But we are a peaceful force. We won’t do that—yet.”
There was a clear consensus in the crowd. Protestors spoke of endemic corruption and predictable politics. Some expressed their wishes to emigrate. Many demostrators held witty signs or inflated condoms, referring to Mr Putin’s barbs. A giant python on a placard squeezed the life out of Russia. There was a group of banderlogi: young men in chimpanzee masks.
Roman Dobrokhotov, a 28-year-old anti-Kremlin activist, released a huge portrait of Mr Putin on a steel frame, attached to helium balloons. “Crawl away, worm!” read the slogan on one. To cheers, the portrait was sucked into the sky, disappearing from view.
The tipping point for many Russians, said Mr Dobrokhotov, was Mr Putin’s announcement in September that he would return to the presidency next March, replacing his one-term stooge, Dmitry Medvedev.
“The protesters are no longer just classical democrats, the intelligentsia, and pensioners,” he said. “Now they are also students, and people in their thirties and forties with good cars and nice clothes. They feel a lack of freedom. They know they can choose a new phone, choose the food they want. But they can’t choose their political leaders.”
Eastern approaches deals with the economic, political, security and cultural aspects of the eastern half of the European continent. It incorporates the long-running "Europe.view" weekly column. The blog is named after the wartime memoirs of the British soldier Sir Fitzroy Maclean.
Advertisement
- Analects | China
- Americas view | The Americas
- Babbage | Science and technology
- Bagehot's notebook | British politics
- Banyan | Asia
- Baobab | Africa
- Blighty | Britain
- Buttonwood's notebook | Financial markets
- Charlemagne's notebook | European politics
- Clausewitz | Defence, security and diplomacy
- Democracy in America | American politics
- Eastern approaches | Ex-communist Europe
- Elysée | France’s presidential election
- Free exchange | Economics
- Game theory | Sports
- Graphic detail | Charts, maps and infographics
- Gulliver | Business travel
- Johnson | Language
- Leviathan | Public policy
- Lexington's notebook | American politics
- Newsbook | News analysis
- Prospero | Books, arts and culture
- Schumpeter | Business and management
Most commented
- The euro crisis: The Greek run
- Foreigners in China: Barbarians at the gate, again
- Brazil’s economy: A bull diminished
- Russia and NATO: Rethink the reset
- Gay marriage: North Carolina begs the question too
- Nationalism online: Backfired
- Turkey’s cultural ambitions: Of marbles and men
- Greece and the euro: Exodus, chapter 1
- Renouncing citizenship: Did Eduardo Saverin do anything wrong?
- Economics and culture: Maybe teen motherhood isn't so bad
Over the past five days
Most recommended
- The euro crisis: The Greek run
- Renouncing citizenship: Did Eduardo Saverin do anything wrong?
- Greek politics: Slouching towards the drachma
- Brazil’s economy: A bull diminished
- The euro crisis: Going, going, gone?
- Foreigners in China: Barbarians at the gate, again
- Rival versions of capitalism: The endangered public company
- Jacob Zuma: Portrait of a president
- Bo Xilai v Chen Guangcheng: Who is the mightier?
- Facebook goes public: Not top of the pops
Over the past seven days
Advertisement
Readers' comments
The Economist welcomes your views. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers. Review our comments policy.
Sort:
Hmm, haven't seen our El Kapitan for a while now. I begin to worry for his well being.
kuzmich
I suggest that, once you read this very carefully, you will stop blaming me for what smart forward thinking Russians are planning !
"Siberia to Separate from Russia.."
"...The movement promotes the idea to identify the nationality of those living in Siberia as the Siberians. A special group appeared on Facebook in the summer of the outgoing year. The members of the group believe that Siberia should become a part of the United States of America. The initiator of the strange movement, Vladimir Kiselyov, a 37-year-old resident of the city of Mezhdurechensk, believes that Siberia must get rid of the Moscow yoke. According to him, Siberia will not be able to become an independent state. The only way for the territory to prosper in the future is to become a part of the US.
"...The referendum will be held with the help of the US administration. The US has successful experience in obtaining independence. After the referendum, Siberia will become a part of the territory of the United States, just like California and Alaska are, even though they were Russian colonies in the 19th century," Kiselyov said.
".... It appears that America approaches the goal responsibly and begins to train managers to administer the new territories.
(Kuzmich - this could be your life-time career opportunity !)
"...The Irkutsk State University has recently held a seminar with the participation of fifth-year students of the US-Siberian Department for Management and "Regionalistic Alternative to Siberia" Public Movement. The future graduates of the US-Siberian Department of the University analyzed the pluses and minuses of the future of the Siberian state, as well as the risks for its creation and existence. First priority was paid to the economic grounds of the state of Siberia," the final report at the seminar said."
http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/28-12-2011/120104-siberia_russi...
Didomyk,
Separation of Siberia is a tricky plan of Putin to dissolve the United State. Kiselev is a Siberian version of Anna Chapman. The whole idea of this plan is to give away Siberia to the USA There’s enough permafrost land there for practically entire population of the United States. Stalin even never thought or dreamed of exiling Americans in Archipelago Gulag. After the plan is completed, America will be taken over without a shot.
Happy Siberian New year!
kuzmich
Congratulations on your promotion to the Governor of the Siberian Realm !
I do feel sorry for you since I am sure that the Beijing bosses will be strongly opposed to your idea of mass resettlement of the Yankees to populate Siberian Gulags. The Beijing planners have been counting on accomodating their surplus of some 20 - 25 million
people over the next ten years north of the Amur river.
In any case, Happy Siberian New Year to you, enjoy it while you still can !
My warning to you: The Year of the Dragon is coming soon !
The new map of the 21st century Eurasian realm for your advanced information Enjoy !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Kn6_WMxbU&feature=related
Didomyk, I was looking for a future map of Ukraine and could not find any. Gold medal award of World’s Geographical society is awaiting you in nomination of 21st century Geographical Discoveries.
kuzmich wrote: "I heard a few things about Adam and Eve. I know you pull the blanket on yourself demanding they were Ukrainians. No problem! Have them."
I can't believe it ! Are you willing to give up that kind of historical treasure for free ? Are you sure the really patriotic Russians will not rise in protests all over the country ?
Giving up Russia's claim to Adam and Eve is worse than giving up traditional Russian claims to the millenia of the Viking history, including their rule in Normandy, Ireland and, of course, their historic role as the founders of the Kyiv Rus !
Didomyk,
You’ve been posting on Russian Mafia in Brooklyn, NY for nearly three years. How come NY police has not nailed it down yet? You gave them so many hints. Feels like interpenetration of crime and officialdom.
In NYC, serving vodka and salo in restaurants is not a crime, unlike in Ukraine I guess.
This clip is designed to keep Joey the Kid happy, focusing on serious matters.
Joey, your Marshal has arrived, he is waiting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=1YsL4HXZN9E
Undercover agent Tim commented on senators and congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. Feels like no morality there. “Some women are predators, but mostly it is men. When I was on the Hill, I had a very sexy gal in her 20s tell me that she was going to bed a certain senator, and she did.” According to Timothy D. Naegele people in power preying on young women staffers... What happens to American prudent society as they claim to be?
Also, men in power prey on young boys - "The Mark Foley scandal, which broke in late September 2006, centers on soliciting e-mails and sexually suggestive instant messages sent by Mark Foley, a Republican Congressman from Florida, to teenaged boys who had formerly served as congressional pages." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Foley_scandal
But wait, there is more - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_congressional_page_sex_scandal
I hope Tim will jump on this issue and find possible solutions to this Congressional "sexy times" spree.
kuzmich
And what has all this 'women as predators' or 'sex in the office' have to do with deliberate mass rapes in wartime ?
Looks like you and you partner Joey have problems accepting that sexual relations are and will continue to be practiced among mature people just like they used to since the days of Adam and Eve. Have you ever heard of those two ??? They weren't even Russians and neither had filed a complaint at the UN Human Rights Commission !! :)
"And what has all this 'women as predators' or 'sex in the office' have to do with deliberate mass rapes in wartime ?" ----- And what has all this 'mass rapes in wartime' has to do with this article?
Didomyk,
Your partners and you on this forum write a lot on sponsored posts, which I believe is all nonsense. Then Tim caught red-handed once working for the Defense Intelligence Agency at The Pentagon. I wonder who sponsors his posts. Logically the Pentagon. He went off the topic with this rape thing. We are all aware of all sorts of atrocities during wartimes and nobody’s going to whitewash them. However, those have nothing to do with the current events and protests in Russia. By answering him, I entertained myself just to get away from this gloom and doom going on this forum. Of course, I heard a few things about Adam and Eve. I know you pull the blanket on yourself demanding they were Ukrainians. No problem! Have them.
Anyway, after Tim’s undercover agent identity being discovered, he disappeared from the forum.
Agent Tim has underestimated the power of internet (Google search).
@Dido - unless you have something substantial to add to the conversation, please keep your personal nasty insults to yourself, such as calling me Putin's agent working in New York. Unless you have avidence to support your crazy idea, don't post trash.
I was right when I just guessed that Timothy D. Naegele had an experience with American intelligence. According to one of the articles, “Mr. Naegele served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency at The Pentagon, where he received the Joint Service Commendation Medal.” Tim said he had a wonderful experience working for the Defense Intelligence Agency. So he must be well aware of that raping of Germans by American army for cookies. He also took part in Vietnam War. One quote from his interview on American senators and congressmen:
“Question: What did you learn about politics?
Answer: I had never taken any political science classes in school and knew nothing about the nitty-gritty of national politics. So I had a rude awakening. It was “Politics 101.” What surprised me the most were senators and congressmen preying on young women. Having grown up in the shadow of Hollywood, I should not have been naïve about that subject, but I was.
I don’t need to continue on Tim’s background since anyone can Google it. Have a look here:
http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/2951-ilene-at-psw/31177-interview-with...
It’s clear now from where Tim gets his commands.
This raping business started by undercover agent Timothy D. Naegele becomes really ridiculous. Even Didomyk embroiled in an argument of “Grand Rape”. What this has to do with current situation in Russia and the bourgeois revolutionaries? Maybe Tim will expand on his predilections.
My point exactly. What is Tim trying to say by talking about this rape event? Is he trying to put the entire blame on Russia? And how is this rape case relates to this article? Is he implying that Putin and Co will be raping female protestors soon? We don't know, but Tim can provide the answers for us. Apparently he may know something we (including Dido?) don't know.
Tim, I was browsing internet today and came across this interesting article, thought you may want to take a look at it. http://indrus.in/articles/2011/12/22/five_things_we_never_thanked_the_so...
Dido, just wanted to confirm earlier report of some possibly bad news for you - Turkey is giving the South Stream a green light, go-go (dayet dobro) - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405297020463220457712622046989113... .
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/e0613af4-3170-11e1-a62a-00144feabdc0,Authorised=...
Pan Dido, better start chopping some wood, it may be a harsh winter for you this year. You can't possibly afford to pay market prices for Russian gas.
Sounds like Russia will face new demands from Belarus for an increase of tariffs for Russian oil trans-shipments to Europe in 2012. Belarus, a partner in the new Russia-led trade block, demands a 20% increase in trans-shipment fees.
Russia has already agreed to supply 21.5 million tonnes of oil to Belarus by pipeline with rail transport to be used only if oil deliveries by pipeline are reduced.
Import deliveries combined with Belarus' own production - 23.5 million tonnes in total - will approximately equal annual capacity of Belarusian oil refineries. Refined products are used for domestic needs as well as to earn export revenues.
We give great honor to Americans. A couple of them are buried in the Kremlin wall like William Haywood nicknamed Big Bill.
Regarding fees. I would be really happy if I’m paid for posting on TE. I don’t mind making a few more bucks. Didomyk and specially Sir Walter would be getting good royalties for their essays.
Didomyk,
I don’t know if it makes you happy or sad. The Turks gave Ok on building South Stream pipeline across its territory. An agreement was signed. Will Ukraine still be supplying tubes for the pipeline?
Like I've said before, Dido needs to contact Vlad ASAP and secure that lucrative deal to supply South Stream project with premium Ukrainian tubing from Kryzhopol'. Although, it's not looking good for Dido either way - he is still losing those transit revenues whether Nabucco or South Stream goes operational, in our case, South Stream of course.
you wrote: "The Turks gave Ok on building South Stream pipeline across its territory"
Well, not territory, but territorial waters. That will give Turkey some leverage over Gazprom.
Gazprom still has to get Ukraine's consent on crossing its territorial waters. Or re-route the gas line. Or...well, give up the costly idea !
Unless the Italians agree to partner in the project, Gazprom will be stuck. Of course, the Italians are interested in continuing to build and sell many more expensive yachts for pleasure cruising by the Russian billionnaires. And yachts require Italian-made furniture, Italian decoration, Italian kitchen equipment, etc. - not to forget Italian wines served by Italian waitresses.
This is known as smart strategic planning. The Gazprom crowd has a lot to learn about marketing.
Say, btw. have the Russians learned yet (after some 40-odd years) how to assemble the Italian-build and Italian-designed LADAS ?
"Unless the Italians agree to partner in the project, Gazprom will be stuck. Of course, the Italians are interested in continuing to build and sell many more expensive yachts for pleasure cruising by the Russian billionnaires. And yachts require Italian-made furniture, Italian decoration, Italian kitchen equipment, etc. - not to forget Italian wines served by Italian waitresses." ----- Dido, from your writings it sounds like Italy will accept Putin's South Stream project.
Didomyk,
I would be surprised if Gazprom won’t get Ukraine’s consent on the deal. For sure, Italians are interested in South Stream go-ahead business since Italian economy goes through hardship. Didomyk, a gift of a couple Italian yachts to suffering worn out Ukrainian oligarchs will do the job and finalize the last stumbling blocks. Feels like lately your poor upper crust being using Chinese junk boats.
You say, “yachts require Italian-made furniture, Italian decoration, Italian kitchen equipment, etc”. How true my friend. You know commerce is the engine of progress.
Regarding assembling of Italian-built and Italian-designed LADAS. I must disappoint you. They learned. On top of that they learned how to assemble BMWs, Fords, Japanese makes etc. Come to Moscow we’ll go for a spin on any of them.
The Economist washes brains to his readers juggling with the facts.
Citation from “Transcript of the live question and answer session, A Conversation with Vladimir Putin”
(http://premier.gov.ru/eng/events/news/17409/)
“If we want the kind of positive stability that is associated with development, as I have said, one has to take into account the ideas and proposals about how to develop a country consisting of people who hold diverse political views. I have acted in this manner and of course I will continue to do so.
As for those who, as you put it, reject me in principle, in general one should treat all our citizens with respect. There are of course people who hold a Russian passport but act in the interests of a foreign state and are paid foreign money, and we will try to reach these people as well, though this is often futile or impossible.
What can one say in this respect? At the end of the day, all you can say is, “Come to me, Bandar-logs. I’ve loved Rudyard Kipling since childhood.”
After The Economist’s adapting we have:
“Bandar-logs… Such was the unfortunate image that Vladimir Putin chose to conjure earlier this month when he spoke of his attitude to tens of thousands of Russians who had come out to issue a protest against December 4th's rigged parliamentary election.”
Is there difference?
well well well..already tired to read such articles..u think u know russia? no u r mistaken..and New year is coming..so lets just dont think about bad...listen to good music like Alessiee Holding on...strong song on youtube. life is beautiful
ALESSIEE HOLDING ON
Didomyk and your friend Joe...
I wish you merry (Ukrainian) Christmas and realization of all the wishes for the New Year. Is it in January 4th?
"Didomyk and your friend Joe...
I wish you merry (Ukrainian) Christmas and realization of all the wishes for the New Year. Is it in January 4th?" ----- I celebrate it on Dec 25th. Dido, however, celebrates it, along with all Russia, on January 7th. Why that is (Dido celebrating Christmas on the same day as Russia) is beyond me, knowing that Dido strongly dislikes anything Russian.
Happy New Year to you too ! Hope your OLD Russia will be re-born in 2012 to become a NEW Russia !
P.S.
After the Russian presidential elections in 2012 the Junior Putinoid Joe is most likely to become a victim of Putin's reforms designed to eliminate 'dead wood' underperformers in foreign assignments. The Brooklyn Russian Maffia has been sending urgent complaints to the Kremlin to get that junior Putinoid Joe replaced with a more mature and experienced agent. The likely new assignment destination for the Putinoid Joe will be the Jewish Autonomous Oblast of the Russian Federation on the Chinese border.
According to the London-based Center for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), Russia will become the 4th largest economy in the World by 2020, ahead of France, Brazil, the U.K. and Germany...
Maybe that opinion has been 'financed' by some Russian 'investments' in designated UK real estate ? :))
Well, opinions are just that, - 'opinions', aren't they ?
I have read the articles first in "Bloomberg" and in the Spanish media ("El Pais" and ABC newspapers)...
In my opinion it will depend on several factors: rouble stability, demographics, trade, oil and gas price...But it is possible, after all, Russia is already 6th at PPP, and Brazil is 6th nominal GDP.
what we are witnessing in Russia is a people in transition. Up until now Russians went along with a government that did not interfere in their freedom to travel, buy things, etc. But, the people were not to interfere with government. Almost like if government and people were separate. The country has transition from being run by oligarchs after the collapse of the Soviet Union, to limited freedom to demanding more say in their government...
According to the former Putin’s aide Illarionov, Putin paves the way for a coup. He believes it will happen in between now and March 4. His assumptions are based on the recent changes in Russia’s power-holding structures where some key positions have been given to former KGBs. Like for instance Sergey Ivanov vice premier and ex defense minister was appointed the head of the Kremlin administration. Illarionov believes that Putin consolidates power against “unforeseeable consequences” in the light of the latest events in Russia.
I hope his prophecy won’t come true. Illarionov said that he would be happy if he were wrong.
Listen and read Illarionv’s interview (in Russian) here:
http://www.ridus.ru/news/16471/
i would like to know where people votes more: in the U.S. or in Russia? What is the % of American citizens who go to vote during the Elections (Congress, Senate, President)? What are the possibilities for parties other than the Republican or the Democrat in the U.S. not to win but at least to form a coalition with the Republican or the Democrat parties? At least in the U.K. it is possible as Clegg is in Government with Cameron. But where are the other parties in the U.S.? What Americans do if they don´t like neither the Republican or Democrat party? They just don´t vote?
Ok, everybody says here down with Putin regime. Nobody says who could be a decent substitute. Whom do we have on the menu? Not a big choice at the moment if you look at the current leaders of so called “opposition parties”.
>> Nobody says who could be a decent substitute. Whom do we have on the menu? Not a big choice at the moment if you look at the current leaders of so called “opposition parties”.
I guess people on the meeting made up they minds, majority supports Yabloko