Elites must “break the spell”

On July 5, 2005, political scientist Leonid Razdikhovsky published an article "The National Project" in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, in which he substantiates the need to "awaken the elites."

The fact that in 2007-2008 a revolution will take place in Russia, the publicist does not question ( “Two Russias opposing each other. Uncertainty of the elite. Lack of a nationwide project. I don’t want to croak, but the analogies with 1917 and 1991 are obvious,” he writes). In his opinion, it is necessary to discuss measures to ensure a peaceful change of power.

"The country desperately needs a nationwide project that gives a goal, a sense of purpose ," writes L. Radzikhovsky. The authorities should oppose the "opposition project" with their own "project", which ensures victory, "which would not lull, but awaken the society?"

At the moment, there are no "major positive events in the country that can kill negative information or dispel the dull" information flow "" - and this, along with the "YUKOS case" and "orange rains" in the CIS "led to despondency in society. "Now the country spinning in a "pessimistic circle" ... . If this circle cannot be "disenchanted" by 2008 and jump into the orbit of the "circle of optimism", then, indeed, economic problems may overlap with the political choice, and this "bad resonance" can cause very dangerous fluctuations in the entire social system .

Only the elite is capable of breaking this circle, L. Radzikhovsky believes. But this is precisely what the elite does not do: “Lacking the moral, intellectual and strong-willed forces to solve the problem, the current elite seems to have chosen the strategy of “relax and have fun.” Not obvious, but obvious to everyone, a completely different idea, a completely different project has become "natural rentiers"" .

Under such conditions, the danger of a revolution is great, but not everything is so bad: "The historical, genetic memory of the broad masses is strong - that's why it is impossible to shake them today to the madness of the" third Russian revolution. that there is no other country for them on this ball, they can only be an elite here. But in order to fulfill the role of an elite, it is necessary to seriously create a nationwide project for Russia " .

Sources

• Radzikhovsky L. National project // Russian project. 2005. July 5.