Friday, October 13, 2017

Leonid Bershidsky — Putin Wants to Run Russia Like a Corporation


Sour grapes article by a Russian ex-pat who is a Putin-hater, but interesting between the lines. Putin is modernizing government by appointing young well-educated people that have already demonstrated success to prominent positions.

This isn't new news but it is the first instance I have seen in the Western press, suitably dismissive, of course, based quite clearly on bias (Putin is a bad person so he can't do anything right) instead of evidence. We'll see. The skeptics believed that the sanctions would already have sunk Russia and ripen it for regime change.

Bloomberg View
Putin Wants to Run Russia Like a Corporation
Leonid Bershidsky | Bloomberg View columnist and formerly founding editor of the Russian business daily Vedomosti.

See also
On Friday, popular Russian daily Izvestia published the results of a poll conducted by the Laboratory of Political Research of one of country’s leading economic institutions – the Higher School of Economics*. The poll was conducted among students of higher education establishments across the country – both state-sponsored and private.

A little over 47 percent said they would vote for current Russian President Vladimir Putin if the presidential election was held next weekend and, of course, if the incumbent president decides to run again. None of the other potential candidates managed to receive six percent support, while 12 percent of the respondents said they would not vote at all, and 15.4 percent said they had not yet decided who to vote for....
A nationwide public opinion poll released by state-run research agency VTSIOM earlier this month showed that the president’s approval rating was at 82.2 percent – slightly down from 85.3 percent in early September, but still very high and exceeding the approval ratings of the Russian government and both chambers of parliament.
* The Higher School of Economics is a liberal institution not partial to Putin.

RussiaFeed
PUTIN GENERATION: Students vote for Vladimir Putin
RussiaFeed

Also

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matthew 6:21 (NRSV)
VLADIMIR PUTIN: “I am the wealthiest man”
Anna

9 comments:

Salsabob said...

Czar Putin is the wealthiest man on the planet in both monetary terms and absolute individual power (no Congress or General Kelly to keep him in check). As for emotionally wealthy, of course, fearless leaders are always 'loved.' Anyone who doesn't understand this is either willfully ignorant or a complete Putin suck-up, likely both.

Tom Hickey said...

Czar Putin is the wealthiest man on the planet in ... monetary terms

Evidence please.

Matt Franko said...

Need term limits over there....

Tom Hickey said...

Need term limits over there....


They do have them.

Matt Franko said...

Don't tell me ..... it is a function of Putins age????

Tom Hickey said...

A president of the Russian Federation can't serve more than two consecutive terms. Putin served two terms, was succeeded by Medvedev for one term and then won another term, which he completes in 2108. He can still serve another term under Russian term limits.

Matt Franko said...

Shocking....

Tom Hickey said...

The US Constitution doesn't include term limits. The US would likely still have no term limits is FDR had not run and won four times.

The presidential term limit to two terms is by amendment.

Congress critters can and have stayed in office much of their political lives.

Kaivey said...

There are no term limits for prime ministers in the UK, so British politicians or newspapers can't complain about how long Putin had been in office.