Russian police arrest anti-corruption leader, hundreds in nationwide rallies
washingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com
Money in Russia is primarily oil money and this source is not drying up any time soon. More importantly, the people fighting for changes are rarely the ones who can later be in power, but are rather used by others to get in power. Even if they get in power, it's very unlikely they are good at managing economy and the country as a whole, since they didn't understand the dynamics of political power in the first place.
For those interested I highly recommend reading "The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics". It's eye opening for anyone who thinks protesting or voting can change anything.
1. Not a good speaker. 2. Very populist. 3. Doesn't understand economics. 4. His whole campaign is based on criticism of the incumbents and he has very little to show for how he would actually manage the country or solve problems. 5. He is against returning Crimea to Ukraine (which is understandable, given the general sentiment in Russia, he'd lose a lot of votes)
People overthrew him regardless.
I have close friends and relatives in both countries, and I think in Russia that’s nearly impossible. Not because of oil and gas revenues, because people. They aren’t dramatically different, the cultures are close, but there’s some statistically significant difference.
Russians are more inclined to believe they cannot change anything, just like the opinion you expressed in your comment.
Ukrainians are more inclined to stand against violence. When riot police brutally attacked peacefully assembled teenagers in Ukraine in 2013-nov-30, it sparked the main phase of the country-wide protests. Today riot police brutally attacked peacefully assembled teenagers in Moscow, and the only reaction I see so far is on Facebook.
In Ukraine, the leader was weak, the opposition well financed, the quality of life was less satisfying than in Russia and there was a clear window of opportunity. And even then it all ended up with a different group of corrupt oligarchs taking control. In essence, nothing changed in Ukraine, at least for the better. You can't blame war for everything.
> Russians are more inclined to believe they cannot change anything, just like the opinion you expressed in your comment.
First of all, this would clearly be considered racist by some, but luckily I don't care. I'm sure there are people in Ukraine who are also level-headed and realistic enough to consider how real politics works. Again, I highly recommend the book to get a realistic perspective.
Finally, just to make it clear, I do not support any kind of war and have nothing against Ukraine wanting to break ties with Russia.
Rallies need permission from city authorities to happen. Permission was applied for the Kremlin square and denied. Alternative venues suggested by authorities and refused by organisers, which maintained original plan thus engaging in illegal activity and defying authorities.
Organiser and several protesters arrested.
Is there a country where protest marches and rallies do not need permission from, at least, city authorities to happen?
I thought it was relevant, given the changing culture of protest across the world and their tie-ins to encryption.
This, and HN's attempts to "de-politicize" this forum, remind me of a conversation a Russian-born Valley-based venture capitalist. I asked why Silicon Valley seems less politically organized, and thus influential, at the grassroots level than New York City.
"New York is closer to D.C.," she observed. But that doesn't explain why the average person from Silicon Valley has less influence than, say, from Los Angeles.
We're Alan Turings, she said. Turing wanted to be left alone to make things. Unfortunately, his government didn't see similarly. First, with World War II and later by prosecuting him for his sexual orientation. Being able to be left alone to make things is a luxury, a delicate balance almost unprecedented across human history. We will lose the privilege if we refuse to even discuss it.