Russia in Transition

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Russia is wary of full, American-style democracy, argues Konstantin Kosachyov, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament. "To my mind, democracy is not a goal in itself, it is an instrument. It is the best instrument, but it should be used very cautiously. It's like the jackhammers that miners use. It increases productivity, but if you give this instrument to a child, it will destroy the child."

Kosachyov explains that Russians have bad memories of the wide-open democracy of the 1990s, and most Russians I spoke with confirmed that view. It was a crazy time, when people's savings were wiped out, gangsters battled in the streets, and the country was governed by what Russians saw as an alcoholic president and his thieving cronies. "Democracy came to us without us being ready to use it in a constructive way, and it destroyed us," says Kosachyov. "That's why Putin acts in a cautious way. He does not want to repeat the experience of the 1990s."

-- David Ignatius for The Washington Post

Here is a somewhat more optimistic account of Russian politics. Though, the idea that Putin's semi-police state is a happy holding course until Russian democracy matures seems hopeful indeed - power corrupts. But I suppose it is a positive thing that democracy is still an aspiration. It is a good sign that Putin is apparently willing to give up the reins of power when his term is up.

( Ignatius column )

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Russia in Transition

♠
Russia is wary of full, American-style democracy, argues Konstantin Kosachyov, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament. "To my mind, democracy is not a goal in itself, it is an instrument. It is the best instrument, but it should be used very cautiously. It's like the jackhammers that miners use. It increases productivity, but if you give this instrument to a child, it will destroy the child."

Kosachyov explains that Russians have bad memories of the wide-open democracy of the 1990s, and most Russians I spoke with confirmed that view. It was a crazy time, when people's savings were wiped out, gangsters battled in the streets, and the country was governed by what Russians saw as an alcoholic president and his thieving cronies. "Democracy came to us without us being ready to use it in a constructive way, and it destroyed us," says Kosachyov. "That's why Putin acts in a cautious way. He does not want to repeat the experience of the 1990s."

-- David Ignatius for The Washington Post

Here is a somewhat more optimistic account of Russian politics. Though, the idea that Putin's semi-police state is a happy holding course until Russian democracy matures seems hopeful indeed - power corrupts. But I suppose it is a positive thing that democracy is still an aspiration. It is a good sign that Putin is apparently willing to give up the reins of power when his term is up.

( Ignatius column )

xXx

Munich, Then and Now

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Clifford May gives us a nice accounting of tensions at the Munich Conference on Security Policy and tying it to Munich's darker history, when Western democracy did not stand well against the anti-Democratic forces of the day. I gather this was the conference where Russia trumpeted its anti-American note, but it was also where Iran proudly spread its wings - with the Americans left bristling amid the other smug Western representatives.

( May column )

Munich, Then and Now

♠
Clifford May gives us a nice accounting of tensions at the Munich Conference on Security Policy and tying it to Munich's darker history, when Western democracy did not stand well against the anti-Democratic forces of the day. I gather this was the conference where Russia trumpeted its anti-American note, but it was also where Iran proudly spread its wings - with the Americans left bristling amid the other smug Western representatives.

( May column )