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Is Russia evolving to dictatorship ?

SisterSmile

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The Duma has approved the proposals put to them by President Dmitry Medvedev which propose extending the Russian presidential term from four to six years.

The changes still need to be voted on by the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, and by regional legislatures, but given the swift approval in the lower house it's not likely to meet much opposition.

This change in the constitution will allow Putin to return to office for a new term of presidency in 2012 - rumors have it that he has been the grand architect behind this plan to achieve exactly that.

I believe this is a very dangerous evolution that threatens the future of Russia. The death of journalist Anna Politskovaya and the way opponents of the regime are silenced seems to indicate that Russia is in danger of becoming a dictatorship...
 
SisterSmile said:
The Duma has approved the proposals put to them by President Dmitry Medvedev which propose extending the Russian presidential term from four to six years. [ . . . ]
This change in the constitution will allow Putin to return to office for a new term of presidency in 2012 - rumors have it that he has been the grand architect behind this plan to achieve exactly that.
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A lot of people think that Vladimir Putin is currently in year five of his latest four year term.

I believe this is a very dangerous evolution that threatens the future of Russia. The death of journalist Anna Politskovaya and the way opponents of the regime are silenced seems to indicate that Russia is in danger of becoming a dictatorship...
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Indeed, but it's not been very far away from one has it?
 
"evolving"? I think many of us* think it's already effectively a political dictatorship, with the economic power concentrated into the hands of very few people.

*All the people that agree with me
 
There was a documentary on BBC World a few weeks ago entitled "Should we be scared of Russia?". That was very good journalism. Highly recommended. Three parts, here is part one:

 
Darat said:
"evolving"? I think many of us* think it's already effectively a political dictatorship, with the economic power concentrated into the hands of very few people.

*All the people that agree with me
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I 100% agree.
Russia has become the classic example of "New Boss, Same As The Old Boss".
 
Putin will contine in power untill he seriously screws up. To be expected. He took the mess that was Yeltsin's Russia and turned it into something rather better.
 
geni said:
Putin will contine in power untill he seriously screws up. To be expected. He took the mess that was Yeltsin's Russia and turned it into something rather better.
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Doesn't that radically depend on what your definition of "better" is, and how many oil companies you happen to own?
 
geni said:
Putin will contine in power untill he seriously screws up. To be expected. He took the mess that was Yeltsin's Russia and turned it into something rather better.
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The old "MUssolini was a ruthless dictator, but he made the Trains run on time" argument.
 
volatile said:
Doesn't that radically depend on what your definition of "better" is, and how many oil companies you happen to own?
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Eh so it isn't as good to own an oil company as it was. So what? Not as if they paid the market rate for them in the first place.
 
Francesca R said:
Not the mess in Chechnya.
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Putin pretty much won in Chechnya. Yeltsin lost then the Chechen didn't stay put.

As to the other mess--with just a wee drop of help from the oil price.
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Oil and gas. Stuff Yeltsin pretty much gave away. Putin did not.
 
It has never really veered far from strong central control. I guess the only difference is that Putin is genuinely fairly popular. Quite what would happen if he was unpopular is anyone's guess.

On a personal level the Russian people have a lot more freedom of choice and can leave if they want. There are a significant minority that still miss the Communists though - there isn't anything like the safety nets that used to exist for the poor.
 
No russia has always been a dictorship.
Did you hear the quote from putin about drowning checnians in the toilet?
Guess he has personal experince from his last job in the KGB.

At least they don´t act the champion of democracy and human rights.
 
dudalb said:
The old "MUssolini was a ruthless dictator, but he made the Trains run on time" argument.
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Putin would probably view himself as pragmatic. Putin may be a dictator but fewer people are starveing in the street the economy is in a better shape and pay is no longer several years behind.
 
geni said:
Eh so it isn't as good to own an oil company as it was. So what? Not as if they paid the market rate for them in the first place.
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I meant quite the opposite - Russia now is "better" for those who happen to be members of the favoured oligarchical class. For the average Russian, probably not so much.
 
volatile said:
I meant quite the opposite - Russia now is "better" for those who happen to be members of the favoured oligarchical class.
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I wasn't aware being imprisonned counted as better. The obligarchs have been selling up to gazprom at knock down prices. Well the smart ones anyway. Obligarchs had it much better under Yeltsin.

As for the general population Russia is moveing up in the Human Development Index.
 
geni said:
Putin will contine in power untill he seriously screws up. To be expected. He took the mess that was Yeltsin's Russia and turned it into something rather better.
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Unless you are a journalist critical of him. Then you tend to fall out of windows and have other accidents.
 
Nogbad said:
It has never really veered far from strong central control. I guess the only difference is that Putin is genuinely fairly popular. Quite what would happen if he was unpopular is anyone's guess.
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It would be hard for him not to be popular, any critical press is silenced after all. So all anyone hears is good things.
 
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