My blog will be about the power shift in the Russian government that is taking place now.
1. Vladmir Putin has once again seized power in Russia like Hitler did in the 1930's by forcing Paul Von Hindenburg from office, the same is taking place in Russia. Putin's Party United Russia has a majority of seats in the Duma. He is scaring rivals he sees as threats to his so called "future for Russia plan" by not allowing them air time on national television and from using news media that is already controlled by him. Over the past few years his party has been absorbing many main parties into his in order to increase his power in the Russian Government. Putin is power hungry, power for him is like what General George S. Patton wanted power in the military he was a great man no doubt he wanted to fight the Russians who he saw as America's biggest threat rather then trying to Denazi Germany, Putin is getting rid of people he sees as dangers in his way like Patton hence the similar features they share.
2. Comments made by the Russian finance minister forced him to resign his position in the government. He was dismissed for comments of how he didn't agree with the way that the president and Putin wanted the Russian economy to go. Because of Mr Kudrin's efforts the Russian economy saved much of its oil money, Putin wanted to increase spending for the Russian military Mr Kurdrin didn't believe that was the way to spend money. This is just another example of "Putin's Democracy " for Russia that will bring it back into a dictatorship.
3. Putin has power behind the Kremlin curtain. He was a colonel in the former KGB and being there helped him shape the way he is running Russia now. While in the KGB he learned to rule with fear and having power over the average citizen gives you the mindset that to rule you put fear into your enemies. He served in counter intelligence and kept an eye on foreigners in the soviet union and also for recruits.
4. During his time as president of Russia journalists were targeted and killed. In 2006 Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya was assassinated in the elevator in her apartment. The Russian government thought of her as a threat because she reported the truth and not "Putin's truth". When the 2004 Belsan school siege took place she was trying to fly there to talk with the Chechen terrorists but on the plane when she was drinking tea she that knocked her out, no one knows who it was but many people believe that it was Vladmir Putin that ordered it.
5. Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko was killed in a London hospital. He was believed poisoned by someone who he was meeting with but everyone agrees it was Putin again that hit. Litvinenko said that the Russian intelligence agency aka FSB was behind the 1999 Russian apartment bombings that killed lots of people, he said Putin ordered the bombings in order to gain support to avenge the defeat that the Russians faced during the first Chechen War. Like in Palestine there are certain groups that are controlling behind the scenes and this is just an example of how Putin is gaining power through "Legal" and illegal ways.
I think this post is a little slanted to say the least. But I will agree that Putin does hold most of the power in Russia, mainly because he's been an influential figure in Russian politics for well over a decade. Because of this, I find it unfair to compare him to Hitler. Putin may have advantages over his opposing candidates but to be fair he was really never out of power. As prime minister he simply continued his hold over the Russian people.
ReplyDeleteThe remark you made about "Putin's truth" really reminded me of some things that I've heard about North Korea. As this blog implies, Putin wants to control what information is being put out.
ReplyDeleteNorth Korea, unfortunately, is taking it a step even further and using this control to breed hate.
I don't know if it's necessarily brainwashing, but there certainly is some sketchy business going on in North Korean schools. I read this article (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/26/60minutes/main602415.shtml) that exemplifies that specifically.
Somehow a Dutch film crew got access into a North Korean school and the children were reading "The Diary of Anne Frank."
Apparently, the text was translated (purposefully or not, I don't know) so that North Korean students were warned about being at the hands of "American Nazis" just like Anne Frank was in the hands of German Nazis.
Bush was compared to Hitler and kids were taught that Americans love war, a North Korea vs. America was is "inevitable," and that the purpose of reading the book is solely to honor their "beloved" leader, Kim Jong-II.
From this blog, it certainly doesn't sound like Putin has gone that far. Also, I know in class, Garbs said that Russia is not growing as a population. What would Putin do if everyone just started leaving Russia (hypothetically, of course)?
@Hannah, The last part you said about if everyone just started leaving Russia really interested me, and by judging from this blog and the fact that Putin is so power hungry, I wouldn't be shocked if he tried to invade and take over a neighboring country. Eventually Putin will get tired to just controlling a shrinking population of Russians and want more and more and more. Before this problem gets out of hand Russia needs to make some changes to their system of government - maybe include some more "checks & balances" similar to the US Government system.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with John about comparing Putin to Hitler; I don't think he's done nearly as much damage as Hitler has... yet.
While I agree that Putin is a key political player and hold large influence, I disagree with the Hitler comparison as well.
ReplyDeleteHitler executed mass genocide of a race, Putin has targeted assassinations.
While totalitarian media control may be part of his tactics, I believe Putin is really just a savvy politician who knows how to game the system to his benefit.
However, he isn't trying to strong arm his way into invading other countries or organize a political system designed to support an Aryan race.
Like many power hungry dictator, Putin is actually playing on the desires of the people. I just read about a group of women who actually worship Putin. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2045602/Vladimir-Putin-worshiped-reincarnation-St-Paul-women-sect.html (I wouldn't be surprised if Condoleeza Rice joined them. I love the way she looks at him in photos from her many trips to Russia.)
ReplyDeletePeople in Russia are suffering and have been for a long time. Many of them are elegiacal about the time before the revolution. They romanticize it the way you can long after oppression ends. It's the way Las Vegans talk about how awesome the city was when the mob ruled with an iron fist. It's all well and good as long as you do not contradict the needs of the oppressor. It's predictable. It's efficient. It's orderly. It is also stifling to humanity.
We cannot expect a country that has never had a long term or stable experience with democracy in over 1000 years of history to embrace the idea flawlessly. If people have had few choices, ,they really don't know how to make choices effectively. Democracy takes civic knowledge, civic skills, and civic attitudes. You cannot export those. You cannot terrorize people into accepting them. All you can do is teach them and hope the next generation keeps the ball rolling. Transitions do not happen over night, and more countries backslide than not.