And here are the Shvonders...

No sooner had the protest movement hatched than “foam” began to appear in it - people planning to use it to achieve exclusively personal goals. Such people can be distinguished by their excessive radicalism, in necessary cases combined with prudence and “bending” to their “superiors.” In short, shvonders.

Shvonders are rare in their pure form, but they do occur as a component of personality among individual figures.

On February 4, in Kirov, as throughout the country, a march took place under the slogan “Russia without Putin.” His route, in particular, ran past the regional government building. Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the economy, Alexey Kuznetsov (kuznetsov_ab), wrote on Twitter: “A multi-colored column of people with flags and shouts passed under the windows. At that time we were discussing new investment projects. The mood has deteriorated... This would explain to investors whether it’s worth invest money under such accompaniment."

The position for an official whose assessment of his work depends on the volume of investments attracted to the region is very appropriate: alas, the weakening of Putin and the December protests have already led to an accelerated “flight” of capital from the Russian economy, which cannot tolerate any political instability. So the discussion of the “new investment projects” that A. Kuznetsov was engaged in on February 4 (by the way, on Saturday, a day off!) may well turn out to be a pointless exercise. Due to the refusal of investors who witnessed the Kirov procession to invest in the economy of an unstable country.

However, some protesters found the motives of the “Minister of Economy” unacceptable. “I propose to hold a group picket near the building of the Government of the Kirov Region in response to the statement of the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the KO Alexei Kuznetsov regarding the demonstration on February 4,” one of the most “noisy” rally activists called on his comrades. “I propose to demand Kuznetsov’s resignation.”

And further:

“Mr. Kuznetsov, if you haven’t understood yet, I’ll explain: you are in the service of the very people who passed under the windows “with flags and shouts.” It is these people who support you. Moreover, you serve for them. Well, should at least serve...

If you suddenly “fell into a bad mood,” then what prevented you from going out to the participants of a public event and declaring your position??? They would come out and say right from the stage: “YOU ARE INTERFERING WITH WORK, CITIZENS! I HAVE INVESTORS HERE!” Well, or they would have opened the window and shouted! Has that same place shrunk again? PS Maybe, come on, this civil service?”

That is, regarding a mass action, one of the leaders of which is a dissatisfied gentleman, it is only permissible to “write with boiling water.” Any other emotions must be strictly suppressed and punished. While the shvonder within this gentleman has no real power - unconditional resignation from the post of deputy chairman of the government...

However, he is not so simple in his radicalism. And he subtly feels what is possible and what is not. It’s a good idea to demand that the governor fire Kuznetsov, but to express your “fi” to another deputy chairman, Dmitry Matveev (who, on the orders of the governor, forced two doctors-candidates for City Duma deputies from the opposition, who were preventing the victory of United Russia candidates, from participating in the elections) and also to the governor himself - this is not the case. Because he values ​​his “special relationship” with Nikita Belykh and will not give up on them under any circumstances...

The development of civil society, which such figures advocate, should, generally speaking, contribute to economic recovery. Ultimately. But if the Shvonders, who put personal ambitions above common sense, gain the upper hand in the protest movement...