Thread: Putin

I wonder what people think about Putin's political views. Here's a simple poll.

I voted for point (h), because I can't see in this list option "A man trying to pull his country out of the deep <self-censored>" -- which is the most accurate description of what he is trying to do.

I have mixed feelings about Putin. He's got his downsides but he's the best so far.

Originally Posted by Scorpio

I voted for point (h), because I can't see in this list option "A man trying to pull his country out of the deep <self-censored>" -- which is the most accurate description of what he is trying to do.

+1

I'm asking where you would put his political views in the political spectrum from extreme left to extreme right. I'm not asking whether you think he is a good politician or not.

He is well liked at home and abroad. He is mostly and administrator. Not a megalomaniac like others. He should get a third term, for the sake of his country.

Originally Posted by Ilkay

I'm asking where you would put his political views in the political spectrum from extreme left to extreme right.

The problem is: in Russia political "left" and political "right" do mean something quite different, than in West.

I'd say he's a bit of everything, except a) and g).

He is liberal and I pay no attention on rhetoric. His economic team in government is liberal. Gref, Kudrin they are all liberal reformators. He is their chief and emloyed them... So is he (once he said that his guru was Sobchak, onother liberal).

please discount the one communist vote and add it to option h =\ dunno why i picked the wrong option *and* clicked submit...there should be a re-vote option!

Originally Posted by Plastic-Saint

please discount the one communist vote...

Nevertheless, somebody believes that Putin is a communist.

Originally Posted by Ilkay

I'm asking where you would put his political views in the political spectrum from extreme left to extreme right. I'm not asking whether you think he is a good politician or not.

thing is that Putin is to a large extent apolitical as far as the usual left right spectrum is concernced. I'd call him a populist because the people that are running him seem to take his popular image very seriously indeed so that in almost every interview and TV appearnce he says things that appeal to the majority of russians:
A lot of Russians are really hurt by Russia having been relegated from a superpower to a third world supplier of natural resources so Putin does a fair amount of "imperial talk", retired people get meager compensations so he regulary keeps raising thein pensions, every such raise is announced with great pomp on TV, usually with Putin making a personal appearnce, but these raises rarely add up to more than 10 % per year at the most which is far behind the rate of inflation. The same happens with public school teachers, he recently announced on TV with lots of hype that their salaries are going to be raised by 11% on the 1st of September. Unfortunately this raise is supposed to be finnaced by the local municipal governments many of which simply can't afford it. In one region I know, the teachers were already getting an extra 10% from their local gvnt, soon as this new 11% raise was announced the local authorities said they'd discontinue the extra 10% so that for the teachers in that region the total raise in effect ammounted to a pathetic 1%.
So the bottom line is you can't really pin him down as a conservative a liberal or something else, because he doesn't really have any political views whatsover he just keeps to the most popular rhetoric, diverting the public's attention from the shadowy dealings of the real puppet masters that are behind him.
Actually on Channel 1 in Russia they are now running this show, almost every day, short episodes in which Putin is shown at work, usually in conferences with different ministers. Most of the time in these episodes Putin reprimands different ministers for different sorts of failings and shortcomings in their areas of responsibility and there are heaps of such shortcomings and failings. The main purpose of this show is to convince the public that even though some of the ministers might be slobs, the president is a living saint. It's really amazing how many people actually buy into this bull.

Originally Posted by igorfa100

thing is that Putin is to a large extent apolitical as far as the usual left right spectrum is concernced. I'd call him a populist because the people that are running him seem to take his popular image very seriously indeed so that in almost every interview and TV appearnce he says things appeal to the majority of russians:
...

I watch первый канал and РТР by satellite receiver and what you wrote is pretty much what I think about Putin. His TV appearences remind me the situation of state television in Turkey during the early 1980's when Turkey was under military rule.

I presume "communist" must be extreme left. Does this mean that "fascist" is extreme right? So this would mean that fascism is about individualism, low taxes, deregulation and low level of social support? Does not seem to be what Mussolini wrote or Hitler did.

Originally Posted by Ladeque

I presume "communist" must be extreme left. Does this mean that "fascist" is extreme right? So this would mean that fascism is about individualism, low taxes, deregulation and low level of social support? Does not seem to be what Mussolini wrote or Hitler did.

I think this site http://www.politicalcompass.org (sections "home" and "analysis") explains those things rather well (thanks to mike, from whom I first learned of this site).

I don't really know how to position Putin according to the chart given in that link. The scales are economcal (left-right) and political (authoritarism - liberalism). Owing to the vertical of authority that Pitin has set up in the coputry and regional governers that, in fact, have become appointed by President, Putin can hardly be considered as an advocate of liberal ideas. However, since criminal elements (corruptioners and even murders) still receive only conditional sentences for their deeds and their property illigally gained is not confiscated, Putin doesn't display even a hint that he rules the country in an authoritative way. The system of panishment is not always just here, you can be sentenced to a long term for the crime you never commited and be exonerated from punishment for real crimes you perpetrate.

As for the economical scale in that chart, it also preplexes me. On one hand, Putin's government never intervenes when so-called unfriendly absorptions take place, and on the other hand, the Youkos issue shows up how easy it is for the goverment to bankrupt such a big company.

I dont know about you guys but Я хочу такого как путин.

Originally Posted by Анатолий

I have mixed feelings about Putin. He's got his downsides but he's the best so far.

I liked Yel'tsin. At the time he was the best president Russia had ever had.... :P

What about the latest news of barring Rodina from Moscow elections? Because of a "bad" advertisment... any one care to comment on that?

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

What about the latest news of barring Rodina from Moscow elections? Because of a "bad" advertisment... any one care to comment on that?

Don't have time for more detailed comments unfortunately, but I am opposed to both the advertisment and the barring of Rodina.