One for all the wine

I do not want to plead guilty. Never. Then you need to repent, ask for forgiveness, smooth the harm caused and experience reproaches of conscience. Therefore, it is profitable, a little bit of deceiving, to declare yourself right always and in everything in advance. And as a confirmation of their own correctness, refer to a common opinion and reliable information from television agencies.

I'm not talking about Crimea. This is me about Russia. And those who welcome the occupation of Crimea, and those who condemn aggression against Ukraine, and those who squeamishly escape politics in general, in the vast majority do not consider themselves responsible for what is happening. From a purely legal point of view, everything is correct. We did not decide on military intervention, and we did not fulfill it; We did not choose the president, and we did not appoint the Minister of Defense. They are not consulted with us, and when we submit tips ourselves, we are judged for violating the rules of street promotions and blocking our sites on the Internet. The government spits on public opinion, and we sneezed the government. They are on our own, we are on our own. We live in parallel worlds and rarely intersect. So why on earth should we be responsible for their decisions?

The problem, however, is that legal liability is not equal to political. None of us, living in Russia, cannot really be punished in criminal order for the atrocities of our power in the Crimea. But this does not save us, as citizens of Russia, from responsibility to Ukraine. If Ukrainians curse Russians as aggressors, then this curse will fall on all of us - both those who are glad of the annexation of Crimea, and those who are horrified by this. For one simple reason - we are all citizens of Russia and are of moral responsibility for the actions of our state. It is still moral responsibility, and it is possible that we will also suffer a military.

We carefully evade this responsibility. We have convincing arguments and decent excuses. But they are suitable only for domestic consumption. From other countries we will be asked: "Why are you silent? Why do you tolerate such power over yourself? And you yourself are not the same as your government?" And we will have nothing to answer, even if we were not silent and not at all like our government. Because in fact we - the Russian people - tolerate this power. And this is our general responsibility to other peoples and states.

The idea that nothing depends on us and we do not answer for anything is very common and very tenacious. There is a scene in the “War and the World” where Andrei Bolkonsky pronounces his comrade, in the presence of which another officer was amused by General Mc - the commander of the victim of the Allied army: “Yes, you understand that we or officers who serve our king and the Fatherland and rejoice at the general success and sorrow about the general failure, or we are not about the Lord’s business.”

Lakes are completely dependent on their master, but are not responsible for his actions. So our power today is quite satisfied with the fact that we remain in lanyard aside and do not answer for anything. We refer to our helplessness and our own insignificance, and the authorities intensively cultivate these sentiments in society, because nothing unleashes her hands as the depressed silence of a demoralized society.

The irony of such relations is that the slaves, although they are not responsible for the bar’s decisions, are fully experienced by the grave consequences of rash acts. In our case, these are the consequences primarily economic, financial, cultural and legal. Putin’s power entrusts our country into confrontation not only with neighbors, but with the whole world. Russia plunges into the atmosphere of isolationism, which in the 21st century is equivalent to economic collapse and degradation. The Kremlin is ready to slap the door and leave all European institutions, which will inevitably lead to the revival of legal barbarism and restoration of the regime of political repression in our country.

Western sanctions against Russia have for the most part decorative in nature. In order to change the criminal system of power that has established in Russia, the sanctions should touch not three dozen high -ranking officials, but all Russian citizens. Because officials can choose another plowman and only society can truly change the system.

Citizens of our country should feel the severity of the decisions made by the authorities, they should feel responsible for the fate of the country. When everyone personally encounters the difficulties caused by Russian intervention in the Crimea, then he may understand that one should not blindly trust the authorities and allow her to make decisions on his behalf. Therefore, the West would be more correct to apply sanctions not against Putin's friends and one thieves bank, but in relation to the entire population of Russia and its entire banking system. This would be a tough solution, but, firstly, fair. Secondly, it would have nullified the abyss that now shares society and power. This would be the best medicine for irresponsibility. The authorities would have been forced to report to society, and society - to look after the authorities and prevent the inaccuations dictated by someone’s revenge and petty pride. Such, for example, the annexation of Crimea and the military threat to Ukraine.