Mark Yaloman. Simple solutions

Simple solutions
Mark Yaloman

Publication date: March 10, 2004

In Elena Tregubova's funny book "Tales of a Kremlin Digger" there are truly interesting episodes. In one of them, the character V.Yu. Surkov (not to be confused with the real V.Yu. Surkov, because Tregubova’s book is not a guide to the Kremlin, but a work of art) admits that he is tired of complex structures and wants a simple and understandable policy. It seems that the love of simple solutions has become the dominant feature of Kremlin policy. The mood of V.Yu. Surkov (the character) corresponds to the real mood of the real V.Yu. Surkov.

Pre-holiday news from the State Duma, Mr. Surkov’s area of ​​responsibility in the Kremlin administration, fully confirms this thesis. Sergei Glazyev is expelled from the leaders of the Rodina bloc. Three weeks ago, in a note devoted to the cloning of “motherlands” and the conflict between Glazyev and Ragozin, I predicted exactly this development of events, and in the very “near future.” But instead of legitimate satisfaction, I feel almost disappointment. The primitivism of the Kremlin's policy exceeds all expectations.

As you know, in a child’s life, a misdemeanor is always followed by punishment. For adults, things are usually different, not so clear. But not in our politics. Not fully trusting even the freshly squeezed, 100% useful Duma of the latest model, the Kremlin nannies began an exemplary flogging. In a month, the lone rebel turned from a rising political star, a popular academic economist, and the leader of a large faction into a marginalized and renegade. The tame patriot D. Ragozin, whose ultimate dream is the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs, gladly hooked up a dangerous and unpredictable partner.

I don’t feel sorry for Glazyev at all - such an experienced specialist in “throwing” could well have calculated a move in which he himself would end up in the air. What is more important is that the authorities do not intend to either seek or create complex management decisions. Analysts and political scientists have bled their tongues trying to explain the resignation of the Kasyanov government three weeks before the due date. After the appointment of M.E. Fradkov to the post of Prime Minister, 90% of the explanations lost all meaning, but the same people, without any embarrassment, came up with new versions. The most popular explanation - people will see M.E. Fradkov and run to the polling stations - does not stand up to criticism at all. The people didn’t really know Kasyanov, and even those who had once heard his name had long forgotten about Fradkov. It is all the more incomprehensible how a middle-aged, worn-out official from Brussels can so excite voters.

Meanwhile, there is no and cannot be a reasonable explanation for the resignation of the government three weeks before its natural death - there can only be circumstances unknown to us. For example, Kasyanov was preparing a coup d'etat, digging a tunnel in Khodorkovsky's cell, or simply bothering his owner worse than a bitter radish. The correct explanation - if we really want to find it - must be simple.

The desire to solve a complex problem by simple means is not at all new - it is characteristic of many rulers. This is, for example, the current President of the United States. The Kremlin administration, essentially the shadow government of Russia, also does not want (or can no longer) strain itself intellectually. Perhaps all the resources were spent during the difficult Yeltsin era, when ministers and cabinets changed several times a year, and an official who wanted to sit had to react sensitively to all external stimuli. Be that as it may, what is important to us is not the reason, but the result.

And he is very sad. The intellectual laziness of the authorities threatens the country with serious troubles. Moscow officials have not been looking for complex solutions for a long time, and the latest man-made disasters in the capital are largely related to brain obesity that has affected the capital’s bosses. People who are accustomed to solving all problems “for money” sooner or later face a problem that can only be solved with the help of talent and hard work, and, even if they are not devoid of the above-mentioned qualities, they cannot switch. The Kremlin officials, who have lowered the State Duma to the level of a trade union meeting of the “waste labor” artel, are driving themselves into a trap. At a critical moment, they are unlikely to be able to reach the required level of complexity and make an adequate decision.

Against the backdrop of a terrible shortage of brains, one could expect a surge from the cornered political elite of the Yeltsin era, as they say. But here too the situation is disappointing. Chubais, who apparently will not recover from his embarrassment with the “liberal empire,” fell silent. Neither the righteous Yavlinsky nor the furious Zyuganov is heard. The attention of the media is enjoyed by Malyshkin and Kharitonov, who in 50% of cases cannot understand the question asked by the journalist, which is why they get angry and rude. In this bleak field, any fresh thought, as in late Soviet times, seems almost like a revelation. A little more, and Limonov’s egg-throwers and cake-throwers will become the main characters of the political season. Which is not surprising - the ordinary chamomile in the tundra is much brighter than in our middle zone.