In society

The colors of change

December 28, 2009 Harry Kasparov

Peace and personality. Public and private interest. The search for the balance between these categories, it seems to me, is one of the main problems of our time. At national levels, this global task is differently formulated and solved. Its a peculiar interpretation is the question posed before the Russian opposition: what is the subject - social or political - should prevail in our activities? Discussions about this are sometimes very acute. This is a difficult question, and its solution may be the key to the success of the opposition.

Some believe that a serious political program is needed, a clear plan of action in the struggle for power in the country. Others adhere to the opposite point of view, saying that you should not get involved in ambitious projects and you need to solve the pressing social problems of people. Say, we need to put forward understandable slogans, speak with people in a simple language about their problems, and then people will reach for the opposition. By the way, this point of view is characteristic of politicians of both liberal parties and leftist organizations. For example, one of the leaders of the “Left Front” Sergei Udaltsov adheres to the practices of “small affairs”, and Yabloko chairman Sergei Mitrokhin. Moreover, the protest is almost always associated with one of the social problems. The defenders of the Khimki forest, fighters against point development, a group of deceived investors, motorists - they all say: “You will help us solve our problems, and then we will see if you can trust you.”

However, as experience shows, the successes on this front are very ghostly. Even if someone manages to defend their yard and a playground from destruction, as a new focus of point construction arises nearby. If someone managed to get their money out of the fragments of a financial pyramid, then there are new gullible citizens on the network of another scams. As soon as the motorists managed to fight off a new increase in duties on a foreign car, as the authorities immediately came up with a new encumbrance - an increase in transport tax. And so on the whole spectrum of problems. Moreover, the opposition who chose this tactics of working with the population were also not able to achieve anything. Sergei Mitrokhin, the glory of a fierce fighter for the social rights of Muscovites did not help in the elections to the Moscow City Duma.

Obviously, the practice of “small deeds” requires rethinking. In my opinion, the reasons for the failures associated with her are not that politicians did not show sufficient activity, perseverance or persuasiveness. The point is most likely completely different. People themselves, despite the fact that they were deceived, took money from them, worsened their living conditions-they are still trying to find a solution to all their problems within the existing coordinate system. People, as a rule, do not imagine the entire political picture. Most are trying to explain the existing city, say, problems of local specifics: corruption, dishonesty of the city hall officials, commercial appetites of the mayor’s wife, etc. An ordinary citizen does not delve into the device of the entire system.

Moreover, a natural human desire to preserve the status quo often rejects any negative that can destroy it. This conservatism is a necessary condition for survival, because radical changes take away strength. If humanity had to constantly live in conditions of change, then, I am afraid, it would not have survived. In this regard, Russian society is not too different from others. Our people have just experienced a stormy era, what were the nineties for him. There was a change in the formation, which made people in extremely difficult conditions adapt to a new reality. All this makes you drive the thoughts that the past reforms were unsuccessful. Subconsciously, I want to believe that there is an instance on the vertical of power somewhere, an appeal to which, you can find justice.

By the way, using this feature of human consciousness, and Vladimir Putin builds his sincere conversations with the people. With all the obvious playfulness, the directings of this event, the mismatch with real life, the very fact of the interaction of the chief chief with the people supports the myth, which is not the entire system is bad. After all, if you recognize the opposite point of view, you will have to do something. Thus, the opposition should first of all find such arguments that would convincingly demonstrate that all social problems of citizens are associated with the vicious system of power in Russia.

The main vice is the fusion of power and property. Any social topic upon closer examination will be purely political. In particular, the apartment issue could be resolved already within the framework of today's construction volumes. Currently, housing is the subject of speculation and a means of profit. The deficit of housing is caused by artificial maintenance of demand, because today any large construction company belongs to members of the ruling elite: mayors, governors, large federal officials, their relatives, friends, partners. Power in any situation will first of all protect the interests of this particular owner. Using all empty apartments for their intended purpose, you can solve the housing issue of most Russian citizens. I emphasize that we are not at all about the principle of “take and divide”. The necessary measures are fully fit into classical market mechanisms: you just need to stop maintaining the company affiliated with the authorities at the expense of federal and regional budgets and demand to pay for loans issued. All these "developers" will be forced to either sharply reduce apartments in order to increase sales, or simply give the state a significant part of the housing to pay debts. So you can walk on any problem, whether it is burned by Soviet deposits or deceived equity holders - everywhere we will find a clash of interests built into the vertical of the power of large oligarchic capital and citizens.

The oligarchic system of government will always parasitize on the interests of specific people. Without this robbery, the system cannot generate profit.

The main goal of the opposition is the separation of power and property, which means not only the ban on the entry of officials into the management bodies of commercial structures, but also the complete transparency of the income of senior officials and members of their families. Cases when there are gaps between the income and expenses of officials should immediately become the subject of the proceedings of law enforcement agencies. For example, if a large municipal official wears a clock for a million dollars, then this is a signal that this organization is completely corrupt. Representatives of the prosecutor's office should immediately respond and find out how this became possible. This should be followed by conclusions. Large -scale corruption cleaning periodically took place in all states.

Today, Russia needs such a cleaning.

The Russian ruling elite, having enormous property abroad, has long ceased to be ashamed of anyone. Nevertheless, the issue of legalizing these “labor savings” will also be here and in the West. Now Western justice is calmly looking at this “tributary” of capital. In the end, these are primarily our problems. But there they will behave differently when a request from the Russian prosecutor's office comes. People in power will have to report throughout the family line, including wives, children, parents, brothers and sisters. For example, how http://www.dp.ru/a/2009/12/08/imperija_matvienko_chem son Matvienko made a billion dollars? Or how could the Family couple of Luzhkov-Baturin billions of dollars be “earned” without damaging the Moscow budget? Here is such an absolute transparency should be not only in all income, but also in all the details of the life of the country's leadership.

A person who goes to power must know that his personal life will no longer remain a secret behind seven seals.

The whole life of the policy should be transparent. The public’s property should even become such details as, for example, with the proceedings of the case of Bill Clinton. Finding in power is serious responsibilities and difficult trials. All questions of the company will have to answer. Whereas now they hung in the air. For example, on what basis did the members of the Lake Cooperative occupy high posts in state bodies? Where do Putin's daughters live and study? After all, such a question should not arise, everyone knows where, say, the daughters of the same George Bush and Barack Obama are. Everyone sees them. So while Vladimir Putin remains the main oligarch, all the talk about changing the regime is meaningless. The fish rots from the head.

Corruption as a problem and corruption as a system are different things. In Russia, it is necessary to eradicate system corruption

The thesis of our opponents that corruption, they say, is indestructible, does not withstand criticism. In many countries, and not only in the West, very effective measures to combat corruption have been taken. This problem is successfully solved in Georgia, where the situation has changed dramatically. In Georgia, the entire state of the police was dissolved and a new one was recruited. The police began to pay a higher salary. Feudal morals, when an administrative position is considered as a way of making a profit, is strictly suppressed. From my point of view, the fight against corruption should be associated primarily with the elimination of the vertical of power, the redistribution of powers between the center and the regions in favor of the latter. The liquidation of industry ministries should be accompanied by the transfer of their functions to the level of subjects and municipalities. Such an approximation of power to the Earth will allow it to be cleansed. It is easier for people to deal with the authorities in the field. When voting, they can refuse him to be trusted.

Regionalization of management is the most important way to combat corruption.

More taxes should remain where there is a report in front of its voter circle. Strong regional authorities must manage the collected taxes themselves, and not pay tribute to their overlords. The main budget funds should be accumulated in the regions, because the bulk of the problems are solved in the field. The current taxation system, aimed at the centralization of all taxes and the subsequent issuance of transfer to the subjects of transfer, is a way to parasitize the ruling bureaucracy. The longer the cycle of circulation of money, the more opportunities to steal it. Minimization of this cycle, reducing the route of tax funds will sharply reduce the possibilities of bureaucratic manipulations. According to expert estimates, the annual volume of corruption losses is approximately $ 300 billion. Only by reducing circulation will be released giant agents that will allow you to close many regional problems.

To achieve the main goal - the separation of the authorities from property - the opposition must carry out all reform plans.

Today, the state machine cannot work in the interests of society, but people, faced with injustice, are fighting for their rights, trying to avoid moving into a political plane. The deterioration of living conditions makes them tighten the belts in the hope that tomorrow it will become better. The moment when people cease to believe the authorities is very difficult for them. This is a matter of intellectual honesty. A person cannot recognize the power of a false and aimed at the robbery of the population - and at the same time do nothing. A sense of justice will somehow demand to react to this, to take active actions. Most people are trying to abstract from politics, forcing themselves to believe the baseless promises of power.

How long will the hovering in this “gray zone” last is unknown, but I do not think that for a very long time.

The preservation of the current algorithm for the deterioration of life conditions at some point will make the current status quuo less attractive to people than chaos. The process is going on, it can be helped, but it cannot be sharply accelerated, because it is associated with the deep state of mass consciousness. The capable generation, which has survived the nineties, is generally trying to avoid excesses. Subconsciously, any prospect of chaos is rejected. But when there is a feeling of complete hopelessness, the processes in society can go very quickly.

It is unlikely that the authorities will retreat voluntarily, because for most the ruling elite the loss of power will mean loss of property, and maybe even worse. For some, the issue of power has already become an existential issue of freedom and personal security. The most odious part of the elite made a decision for itself, Putin was frank in a conversation with the people. When asked if he wants to resign and give way to another, Putin cut off shortly: “Do not wait!” Another of his key phrase - “Thank God that we have no elections!” It is noteworthy that the question of Khodorkovsky caused Putin hysteria. All this captures his current mood: you can’t leave, because they will get it. You have to hold on at all costs.

Another thing is that the efforts of one Putin, to keep the situation, are few. It is also necessary that he is supported by the ruling layer. Many authorities are not ready to put their future, fraught with severe persecutions. On the conscience of Putin Nord-Ost, Beslan, Yukos and much more, but this does not concern the bulk of bureaucracy. Repressions against society are generally the lot of a small group. Going to a crime, some OMON commander must understand that he will not be anything for him. The police chiefs, having felt that the situation is shaky, can lead themselves differently. However, temporary tightening of the regime is very likely.

Until the country was overwhelmed by the mass performances of the population, we have not seen the total amount of means of violence that power can go to. Obviously, the use of force in relation to a significant part of society will become an agony of power. Trying to avoid this, those who are associated with the authorities are looking for ways to influence the situation, to move the ruling elite to make it to herself http://www.kasparov.ru/material.php?id=4b2652FD646 surgery. Such people who could find a place in a different coordinate system and for which the train of crimes does not stretch, you can only sympathize. Correctly assessing the situation, they make the wrong bet. In this system of changes, no change can happen - no matter what she tried to produce, Kalashnikov’s machine will still be obtained.

The longer the power will be in the hands of people who are ready to go to bloodshed, the more likely the situation of timelessness. The gesture the power, the more painfully it will collapse. The chance of a smooth transition is very small, and in order to avoid the worst script, it is necessary to unite, but not around the power groups.

The sooner different layers of society refuse the authorities to trust, the better for our country.

The regime is sharpened to counteract all orange scenarios. An important conclusion follows from this that the opposition should not fetish the official cycle of pseudo -devices of power. The conclusion that causes the rejection of many oppositionists, hoping that during the elections it is opened, if not a window of opportunities, then at least a tiny window. I think this is an illusion. The power will, according to the most stringent scenario, put pressure on any attempts by the opposition to use elected procedures. Elections are a trick. A stubborn refusal to admit this obvious fact makes the opposition a hostage to the game of power. The opposition should itself look for the possibilities of changing the situation in the country.

Of course, “orange” as a form of mild transfer of power, when power goes to an agreement with the opposition, helped to avoid bloodshed in Ukraine, Georgia and many other countries. The Russian government, abandoning the orange version of the change of power, is doomed to the fact that its end will be painted in other colors.

Photo by RIA Novosti