In society

The results of the year. It won't be better

January 2, 2018 Nikolai Svanidze

According to the Levadovsk survey, the relative majority of Russians believe that the main Russian event of the year took place in Syria. From which we can conclude that the propaganda state machine works regularly and all the conversations that it loses efficiency does not have real grounds. Our economy continues to further lag behind the global in quantitative and especially in qualitative indicators, all the significant parameters of the standard of living are reduced, the gap between a bunch of lucky ones close to the throne and a huge majority of Russians is growing - but this does not yet lead to visible shifts in public moods.

Irritation takes place, but in no case does it come out of the shores and has a historically familiar left-handed focus. They do not like the rich, they hate America. This state of society allows the country's leadership to rely on the fact that the presidential election will be held according to the most favorable scenario. Those. It is quite vividly in form, which will be provided with the participation of two fresh and bright candidates, Ksenia Sobchak on the right flank and Pavel Grudinin on the left, and quite predictably according to the result. Ksenia Sobchak in any case objectively has no chance of changing the election. Pavel Grudinin could have appeared these chances, if he was declared early. And so he does not have time to promote and attract even the nuclear Zyuganov electorate. Nevertheless, in the future, Pavel Grudinin seems to be a very real political player, in all matters to his independence and preparedness, if the political game is generally allowed as such.

Of the interesting events of the past year, one can note the centenary of the events of 1917 and the continuation of the doping scandal. The anniversary passed quietly, on tiptoe, as if someone had difficulty fell asleep and wake him terriblely. The authorities did not decide for myself, with which a sign to evaluate October 1917, whether to consider it a great revolution or an anti-state coup. In relation to both historical interpretations in the Kremlin, there are its significant Pro and Contra, as a result, it was considered a good date to practically not notice at all.

As for the doping conflict with the IOC, he unexpectedly refused to result in a propaganda hysteria, stopping according to the highest signal. The only reason: a certain political compromise was achieved. The IOC, although he made a well -known tough decision to prevent the Russian team as a team, with a flag and anthem, led the main and most formidable point of accusations - in the patronage and organization of doping falsifications at the state level.

Understanding that it was this point, and not at all the disqualification of the sanitary and bobsleist, will cause an uncontrolled emotional reaction in the Kremlin, the IOC actually demonstrated to Putin the gesture of goodwill. The elegant gesture was evaluated, the thrown ball was caught, the already prepared club of popular indignation did not rise. Our pure athletes go to Korea, the topic has come to naught within a week.

The processes associated with the transformation of our political system were more substantial. This transformation is expressed in increasingly diverse forms of pressure on society, from legislative to informal physical. And it is connected with political, economic, technological and cultural isolation from the Western world and, as a result, the further strengthening of the positions of power groups in power.

The forecast for the next year is not possible, since the strategy in the actions of the authorities is not visible, its actions are reactive and have an extremely high emotional and psychological component. However, the ratio of forces and possibilities of influencing decisions at the highest level does not suggest any significant probability of moving away from an extremely conservative course-both external and internal. Rather, we should expect its tightening after the elections.


Photo: 1. Russia. Sochi. June 11, 2017. Actor Maxim Vitorgan, TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak and producer Alexander Rodnyansky (from left to right) on the Ruarts cocktail in the XXVIII Open Russian Film Festival "Kinotavr". Vyacheslav Prokofiev/TASS
2. Russia. Moscow. September 9, 2016. Director of the Lenin state farm Pavel Grudinin at a press conference on solving the problems of employment and profitability of the country's population through the implementation of the export strategy of Russian agriculture. Stoyan Vasyev/TASS