Thread: Is Russia a democracy? Плюс то же о некоторых других странах

The question about democracy is neither here nor there, really.
In which Western country can you achieve real change through the ballot? None...
In Europe soon all political parties are equally New Labour-esque politcally correct clones of each other.
Turning democracy into a joke because no party is for any significant change. Those who are, are accused of being religious fanatics, clueless hippies, nazis,"stalinist" and similar by mainstream media to the point that nobody will vote for them.

In America it's already happened a long time ago and everyone is busy squabbling about the details of the near identical programmes of the republicans or democrates, while the corporations and elites are grabbing the wealth and the population is getting poorer and more unhealthy year by year.

I think that a much more interesting question is: Is Russia now a total nightwatch liberal country where you need money for everything from hospital care, university education. Are there decent paying jobs for people and pensions for pensioners? I don't really understand what the policies of Edinaya Rossiya are, what their ideology is, if they have one, and what their vision for Russia is.

What are the big differences in the politics of Edinaya Rossiya and the second largest party?

Originally Posted by Hanna

What are the big differences in the politics of Edinaya Rossiya and the second largest party?

This is what the second largest party is going to do:
Своей стратегической целью в долгосрочной перспективе называет построение в России «обновлённого социализма». В краткосрочной перспективе ставит перед собой задачи: приход к власти «патриотических сил», национализация недр и стратегических отраслей экономики с сохранением малого и среднего предпринимательства, усиление социальной направленности политики государства.

Originally Posted by E-learner

This is what the second largest party is going to do:
Своей стратегической целью в долгосрочной перспективе называет построение в России «обновлённого социализма». В краткосрочной перспективе ставит перед собой задачи: приход к власти «патриотических сил», национализация недр и стратегических отраслей экономики с сохранением малого и среднего предпринимательства, усиление социальной направленности политики государства.

Ok.. No version of real socialism can win an election anymore though. I think that's true for Russia too. The market forces against it are too strong.

There was a period, during which socialist parties won fair and square elections in Europe, but it's just too late. The forces that would oppose socialism are too strong, well organised and well prepared.

Plus, media has painted a (mostly false) horror vision of what life was like in socialist countries, using the worst examples, the worst periods and the most extreme excesses.

I think you are stuck with Edinnaya Rossiya then: If the closest opposition are serious communists/socialists. They can never actually win an election can they? Unless they set out for Revolution 2.0 they will never be in power.

It's a shame that it should be such a shambles democracy - but it's no worse than the USA. They can't achieve real change through the ballot either, for the same reason. They get essentially the same regardless of which party they vote for. Europe is getting closer to that situation every year.

Originally Posted by Hanna

Is Russia now a total nightwatch liberal country where you need money for everything from hospital care, university education. Are there decent paying jobs for people and pensions for pensioners?

No, it isn't. Of course there are decent paying jobs, especially in Moscow.