File spoon-archives/aut-op-sy.archive/aut-op-sy_2001/aut-op-sy.0106, message 22


Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 14:21:58 +0400
From: Antti Rautiainen <antti.rautiainen-AT-kolumbus.fi>
Subject: AUT: politics of postmodern


23rd of may there was a meeting against import of 
the nuclear waste to Russia in Moscow, around 100 people came
(which is a lot here). Curious thing in the demo was that
along ecologists who organised the meeting 
about all "ideas" which can be by doing some violence described 
as "modern" were present - anarchists, stalinists and neo-liberal
Yabloko party, with numbers of few dozen at most. Even
few fascists came up, and liberals were jerk enough to let
them to have a speech! 

Everyone was just standing in the line, insulting each other. Anarchists
were insulting more, and stalinists less than the rest since stalinists
are 60+ and suffer from dementia, alzheimer etc. 

So any political theory whatsoever of last 2 centuries is in the opposition
in Russia.
Those in power are only interested
about material benefits for themselves. A post-modern political
condition. 

In the contrary, "Molodezh za prezident" ("Youth for the President"),
initiated by ruling circles, is an example of a post-modern and 
growing movement. In the beginning there anarchists were writing
worrying articles about "Putin Jugend" but now I think 
there is not a lot reason to be worried. Few days ago a friend
saw a pack of drunken youth with these t-shirts of huge Putin face
(distributed for free to participators of "Putin Jugend") making a noise
in metro and joking between each other
 that "if you do not behave, I will call Vladimir Vladimirovich" (Putin). 
Youth getting involved does not care a  shit about any politics, 
quite the contrary - there was a talk for years that "now we have
democracy, everyone may participate" and so on, which gave
people absolutely nothing. Now youth goes to "Youth for the President"
to absolutely fuck with all the politics, they get free t-shirts and other
benefits, and 100 roubles for each 5 new members they recruite. 
So it works like a kind of a pyramid (ponzi) scheme. 

Such a corruption is for sure well spread in all the circles closer
to real politics than anarchist. For example in a wide anti-war coalition
a year ago (mostly anarchists and glasnost-generation liberals, trots
boycotted but did not organised an alternative) anarchists were only
ones who agreed to distribute stickers to announce about coming up 
actions unpaid. 

Of course postmodern condition of Russian politics has also good 
sides, otherwise some fascists (left- or right wing) could have been 
able to seize the power years ago. 

I am quite sure phenomena of today's Russian politics will come
around to West as well in the future. 

Antti R. 


 



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