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Monday, June 04, 2007

Nashi, Laid Bare

In a photo taken from the Nashi ("us Slavic Russians") youth cult
website, a young child, decked out in Nashi's colors and wearing a
protest whistle hung from a Russian-flag ribbon, prepares to take his
first Komsomol-like steps into the folds of youth cult oblivion.


Once again, the good offices of La Russophobe's heroic original translator open a window in to neo-Soviet Russia that would otherwise be closed to the non-Russian speaking world. This time, it's the unabridged Nashi manifesto direct from Nashi's website. You can see the unabridged version in Russian, the juicy bits from which are translated below, here, and the shortened, brochure-like screed in Russian is here (a comic book version of the manifesto has been published and distributed by Nashi as a propaganda leaflet; it was translated into English here, but then the translation was mysteriously withdrawn -- you can view the leaflet here, in German translation); the Nashi website itself was blocked for a time from Western browswer access, but at least for now is available; LR's commentary about the leaflet version is here and here).

Just for instance, Nashi claims that the USSR simply "decided" to give up the arms race because of its own enlightenment, and likewise "decided" to allow German reunification on the same basis (and note too its obsessive focus on the idea of counterrevolution, now styled as "colored revolution," and the demonization of the U.S., linking Russia's "liberals" to foreign spies looking to subvert Russian independence). As you see Vladimir Putin channel the ideology of Vladimir "Lenin" Ulyanov, creating a brand-new "Komsomol" organization for youth indoctrination in ideology, you see the final nail struck into the Neo-Soviet coffin of Russia. Some have misled us, claiming that the new Russian dicatatorship lacks the ideological underpinnings of the old USSR. Nobody can read this translation and still think so. How long before this ideology makes its way into text books, how long before a "party" requires indoctrination in this ideology before assuming the mantle of power? How long before it becomes a crime, punishable by gulag, to publicly criticize this ideology or those who espouse it?

NOTE: If you are interested in reading translations straight from the pages of the Russian press, check out LR Translations, La Russophobe's translations library, which contains nearly two dozen articles from the Russian press that you will find nowhere else. If any Russian-speaking reader is aware of Russian material that is a good candidate for translation, please let us know.


“Nashi” Organization’s “Manifesto with Commentaries

Summary and Commentary

General Comments

-- This is a long document, about 80 pages as I printed it out. It definitely does not merit full translation. It is, however, a great deal more interesting than the basic Nashi Manifesto (without “commentaries”, available on the same website), which is very vaguely worded and does not identify the ideological underpinnings and concrete objectives of the Nashi organization.

-- The Manifesto lists as its only “main sources” four articles/speeches by Vladislav Yuryevich Surkov, a former GRU officer, currently Putin’s Deputy Chief of Staff, and widely viewed as the Kremlin’s main ideologist. In other words, this appears to be purely Surkov’s “movement”.

-- At the outset, the Manifesto gives the appearance of being much more moderate in tone than some of the leaflets that have been handed out by Nashi members at recent demonstrations. Toward the middle, however, it becomes increasingly caustic and anti-Western, and more openly reveals the main purpose of the Nashi movement, which is to help the authorities suppress mass pro-democracy demonstrations.

-- Reflecting Soviet ideas about the unity of physical and social sciences, the overall tone of the Manifesto is ponderously pseudo-academic and at times pseudo-scientific, though in its opening paragraphs it also carries a disclaimer, to the effect that “a manifesto is not an analysis or an article, but a call to action”—perhaps hoping to insulate itself from criticism that as an article it is short on facts, and as analysis it is not at all objective.

-- On the other hand, the Manifesto also hopes to find usefulness as an “ideological weapon in the hands of political soldiers”, so we might expect to see a lot of its ideas being repeated on various RuNet forums, blogs, etc. The serious Russia watcher may therefore be interested in a quick survey of its major themes, in order to track their re-appearance elsewhere (and thereby, so some extent, the rise or fall of Surkov’s star), as well as predict the activities of the organization.

Some Key Quotes:

“Today the U.S. on one side, and international terrorism on the other, are trying to take control of Eurasia and the entire world. Their sights are set on Russia. The task of our generation is to defend the sovereignty of our country the way our grandfathers did 60 years ago.”

“The ‘Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine and the ‘Rose Revolution’ in Georgia occurred due to internal reasons, but under critically important influence from outside. External forces in large part prepared these revolutions and organized their progress. For this reason one can say that the countries that underwent ‘colored revolutions’ organized from abroad in large measure lost their sovereignty.”

“On the eve of the 2007-2008 elections, the party of oligarch revenge is again raising its head. It is betting on an orange revolution in Russia, a “Berzovskiy revolution”. We, NASHI, will not allow the party of oligarch revenge to return to power in Russia. We will not allow them to steal Russia’s future. Oligarch capitalism is our main enemy in Russia. We will uproot it and ensure progress, freedom and justice in Russia.”

“NASHI is firmly determined not to allow Russia to suffer a geopolitical coup d’etat and the introduction of external control under the guise of a ‘colored revolution’. At the decisive hour we are prepared to send hundreds of thousands of young people into the streets of Russia under the banner of ‘Sovereignty and Independence for Russia’. We are prepared to fight for Russian democracy.”

“Our opponents claim that NASHI is a Kremlin-sponsored scheme against an ‘orange revolution’….And indeed, we are opposed to an ‘orange revolution’ of the Ukrainian type, because this is a geopolitical scheme for the establishment of external control over the country.” [TN: No attempt whatsoever is made anywhere in the Manifesto to rebut the accusation that NASHI receives its financing from the Kremlin – even after the Manifesto itself brings it up.]

“We will help the members of the Movement to become high-ranking professionals and … prove their right to lead Russia, in government organizations, businesses, social structures and mass media.”

“Every oligarch or bureaucrat, street rabble or member of a totalitarian organization who raises a hand against a member of our movement should clearly understand that tomorrow he will face the movement as a whole.”

“It was Russia that defeated Hitler in the Second World War… Other countries…helped us in this war. They sold us arms, raw materials, manufactured products, etc. They even conducted their own wars on the periphery… (But) only on June 6, 1944 – less than a year before the end of the war – did the U.S. and U.K. open a second front in Europe.”

Russia itself unified Germany, thereby creating the most powerful government in Europe, the center of European integration and power.”

“The victory of Russia in the Second World War created the basis for a world order which until recently guaranteed the world would be defended against global hegemony by any one country (whether Nazi Germany or the USA) and a repeat of a new (sic) world war.”

Major Points/Themes (in approximately the order presented)

1. Frequent and mostly approving references to Communist/Soviet ideology.

“The most famous manifesto in history was the ‘Communist Manifesto’ of Marx and Engels, which turned the world on its head. With it, people went to the barricades, to prison and even to their death. They went, risking everything, because they believed in the ideas set forth in that Manifesto…”

Very telling detail: Apparently taking pride in its notoriety, the Nashi website also uses the old “.su” domain name designated for the Soviet Union. This is an example of what the Manifesto later calls “historical optimism.” [LR: In a similar way, pop star Oleg Gazmanov croons about being "made in the USSR"]

2. Heavy appeals to generational vanity, reminiscent of the old “Komsomol” Communist youth movement, but trenchantly critical of the last generation of Soviet and first generation of post-Soviet leaders. Several pages are devoted to detailing past “great generations” in Russian history. A poll is cited, supposedly showing that the younger generation of Russians is much more optimistic than older generations:

“Do you expect that in the near future the country will undergo change, and if so, then for the better or for the worse? (“FOM”/Public Opinion Foundation, Aug 2005)”

---------------Generations

-----------Youth---- Older

Better -----53% -----35%

Worse ------ 9% ----- 18%

(Interestingly, according to the above, 38% of young Russians and 47% of older Russians apparently thought there would be no change, or refused to respond.)

The Manifesto quotes another survey, by the British polling company BBDO, indicating that Russian youth are more optimistic about their future than their counterparts in the West, with 80% vs. 46% believing they will live better than their parents. (Of course, this is probably because the Russians are starting from such a low base compared to their Western peers, but no mention is made of this possibility.)

Young Russians are also supposedly more work-loving as well, since only 13% of young Russians plan to retire as early as they can, versus 48% in the West. (The real reason for this difference will surely be obvious to anyone familiar with Russian pensions and investment schemes.)

Also more patriotic: “The percentage of potential defenders of the Fatherland is twice as high in Russia as in Western Europe – 64% vs. 34%.” (The question that evoked these responses is not given; it is also not clear whether this was from the same poll as the one previously cited.)

And more thirsting for opportunity, professional success, entertainment, social responsibility, etc. (No figures/explanation/sources given for this assertion.)

3. Repeated emphasis on “competition” and “competitiveness,” starting with several definitions, including this one:

“Competition – in biology: Antagonistic relations, defined by the effort of the best and fastest to achieve some objective compared to other members of the community. Competition arises for space, food, light, shelter, mates, etc. Competition is a manifestation of the struggle for existence”

This sets the stage for the extremely zero-sum conception of economic competition and other forms of engagement with the outside world that follows.

Two examples of the results of “globalization” are given, both of them completely negative:

-- Brazilian automobile manufacturing: Brazil is now the 10th largest manufacturer of cars in the world, but all of them are of foreign design.

-- Russian aerospace industry: “Not only our foreign partners, but even the leadership of the largest Russian aviation companies are demanding that the Russian government lift tariffs on the import of aviation technology. If this happens, civil aviation manufacturing in Russia will cease to exist.” (Emphasis in the original.)

Conclusion: “Globalization is a project for reinforcing the hegemony of the USA in the modern world.” Nevertheless, “Our task is to make Russia a leader in globalization.”

4. A thinly-disguised bribe/threat is made for young people to join the Nashi movement:

“We will help members of the Movement to become high-ranking professionals and in open competition with others succeed and prove their right to lead Russia, in government organizations, businesses, social structures and mass media.”

(Considering that Nashi is more-or-less openly funded by the Russian government, and such a large percentage of major businesses, social organizations and media outlets are also owned/operated by the government, it is highly doubtful how “free” this competition will be; this is an “offer” that many young people in Russia will probably find hard to refuse.)

5. Dark predictions of another collapse of Russia. The Manifesto takes a long digression through an interpretation of history provided by the English historical philosopher Arnold Toynbee, reflecting darkly on the fates of the Roman, Byzantine and Austro-Hungarian empires, and concluding with the odd claim that the center of world finance passed from London to New York City as a result of England becoming a debtor to the U.S. after World War I (rather than the sharp increase in America’s share of world GDP around the same time – combined with America having inherited most of the English legal and accounting traditions). A long excerpt is given from a speech by Putin about the collapse of the Russian economy in the early-1990s. The conclusion: “If Russia loses (this) competition, it may disappear like the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Some, perhaps, may rejoice in this, hoping to profit from it. But we love our Motherland, and will not allow this to happen.”

6. Miscellaneous assertions, digressions loosely connected to “competitiveness”:

-- The U.S. makes up and changes the rules of the global economy while the game is being played (no examples given).

-- A long review of the historic military threat from the West, recounting all the many invasions Russia has suffered throughout its history (while failing to mention a single one of Russia’s many invasions and annexations of neighboring countries).

-- Back to the generational theme, with empty rhetoric: “Our generation is not satisfied with the status of geopolitical loser… We have set for ourselves the goal not only of pulling Russia from crisis, but of ensuring its leadership in the modern world.”

-- Promise to promote a strong, technologically advanced army, and cultural leadership, so that “the life of the average citizen in Russia will be such that we will be envied by people of other countries.”

-- Notes that “the U.S. Department of State will spend $328 million in 2006 for external propaganda and improving the image of the U.S. (No analogous figures are given for other countries, much less on a per-capita or income-adjusted basis. A cynic might point out that this would be especially difficult to compare in the case of Russia, where virtually all mass media are state-operated, to say nothing of publications by Kremlin-funded “movements” like Nashi.)

7. Grandiose assertions about Russia and the Soviet Union’s central role in world history, “setting the political agenda” of the “modern world order”, etc.:

-- “In terms of the potential of the future leadership of Russia, we view Russia as the historical and geographical center of the modern world…”

-- “The 20th Century was the Russian Century. Three times in the course of this century Russia set the format for world history. The October Revolution (1917) was the historic call that in the end set the political agenda for the 20th century.”

-- The Communist Party of the Soviet Union is given credit for:

- the 8-hour workday

- free public education

- unemployment insurance

- workman’s compensation

- worker participation in the management of companies

- universal suffrage

- rights of women.

All of these measures, the Manifesto claims, were adopted by other countries only after they were instituted in Russia by the Bolsheviks.

-- It was Russia that defeated Hitler in the Second World War… Other countries…helped us in this war. They sold us arms, raw materials, manufactured goods, etc. They even conducted their own wars on the periphery… (But) only on June 6, 1944 – less than a year before the end of the war – did the U.S. and U.K. open a second front in Europe.”


For Nashi, it's "fascism" for Estonians to dare to move a monument
involving Russian soldiers in their own country. Here, a brigade of Nashi's
wait at the airport to attack an Estonian diplomat, urging her to
"go back to fascist Estonia." But Nashi doesn't have any problem with
Russia moving the monuments of other countries within Russia, and it
does nothing to protect Russian memorials
from being denigrated by the Russian people themselves.

-- Claims that Russia’s singular victory over fascism validated the “new world order” of the Yalta agreement.

-- “Russia unilaterally ended its participation in the ‘Cold War’ because it came to realize the pointlessness of military confrontation… Russia itself unified Germany, thereby creating the most powerful government in Europe, the center of European integration and power.”

-- Presents a long digression into the achievements of the Socialist world. (This appears to have been uncritically lifted from a Soviet history textbook, with only a small change in how the story ends.)

-- Explicitly compares the U.S. to Nazi Germany: “The victory of Russia in the Second World War created the basis for a world order which until recently guaranteed the world would be defended against global hegemony by one country (whether Nazi Germany or the USA) and a repeat of a new (sic) world war.”

8. Russian nationalism, couched in the language of multiculturalism:

-- Goes on at some length about Russia’s unique geopolitical position, spanning several continents and many time zones. Brief, pointless critique of “isolationism”, giving 19th century Japan as example (while managing to avoid mention of Russia’s role that story’s denouement, in 1905). Pointless review of various religious groupings of the world.

-- Comes to two very contradictory conclusions: 1) “It must be clearly understood that multiculturalism is an important advantage for Russia in the modern world”; and 2) “At the same time, Russians are the government-forming and most populous people of Russia, and for this reason the fate of Russia will depend in large measure on well-being of and position occupied by Russians.”

-- Condemns “aggressive nationalism, separatism, religious intolerance.” Belittles the imporatance of linguistic identity as a factor in creating national identity, using as evidence the fact that here are 10,000 languages in the world, but only about 200 independent countries. Blames “separatism” for the breakup of Yugoslavia. Long review of separatist movements in India, China and Europe. Claims Sikhism is “separatist” (very dated information, especially considering the current PM of India is a devout Sikh).

-- Another long interlude about Russia being the “heartland” of Eurasia, concluding: “Today the U.S. on the one side, and international terrorism on the other, are trying to control Eurasia and the entire world. Their sights are set on Russia. The task of our generation is to defend the sovereignty of our country the way our grandfathers did 60 years ago.”

9. Obsession with “sovereignty”, vigorous defense of the term “sovereign democracy”. The term “Sovereign Democracy” in reference to Russia was, of course, invente by Surkov himself. The Manifesto starts with a long-winded discussion of “sovereignty”, followed by a list of countries that have supposedly given up parts of their sovereignty:

- Georgia, due a status of forces agreement with the U.S. that excludes prosecution of U.S. troops on Georgian soil by Georgian courts.

- Czech Republic and Hungary, due to 70% of their banks being controlled by foreign capital.

- Argentina, due to use of the U.S. dollar reserves as a benchmark for limiting issuance of new pesos.

- All the countries of NATO.

- Countries with common tariff agreements, intelligence-sharing agreements (presumably refers to the EU, but gives the weird example of Egypt in the period 1875-1952, when it was largely governed by Britain).

- Government economic policies dictated by foreigners (Russia 1992-1998).

Then a list of other ways sovereignty can be surrendered:

- Mass media ownership (Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic)

- Infrastructure ownership (Chinese railroads, until 1949)

- Foreign ownership of key tax revenue suppliers (oil extraction in the countries of the middle east, until nationalized in the early 1970’s)

- Foreign influence in “the political system as a whole. A nation should determine its own president, parliament and judicial system. A nation has no right to tolerate outside forces exerting a strong influence on its political system, least of all at key moments in history.”

A few pages later, the term “Sovereign Democracy” is introduced, defined and fiercely defended:

“Sovereign Democracy is a new term, born in Russia at the beginning of the 21 century. It emphasizes the problem that in the modern world every country is confronted with attempts to limit its sovereignty.” (Note Surkov’s modesty in not identifying himself as the father of this newborn term.)

“Sovereign Democracy means that Russia does not intend to develop democracy under the external instruction of anyone. It does not intend to take a test on democracy administered by foreign professors and build democracy according to a foreign mold. Russia will walk the path of democracy and do this in accordance with its own national interests and traditions, and will not sacrifice to abstract principles the genuine interests of its people – interests in security, stability and a high standard of living.”

10. “Colored Revolutions” as loss of sovereignty. The need to defend against “colored revolutions” is a key point in the Manifesto, probably the main point, and is tied strongly to the Manifesto’s notion of “sovereignty” as being pure of any outside influences:

“The ‘Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine and the ‘Rose Revolution’ in Georgia occurred due to internal reasons, but under critically important influence from outside. External forces in large part prepared these revolutions and organized their progress. For this reason one can say that the countries that underwent ‘colored revolutions’ organized from abroad in large measure lost their sovereignty.”

“Many countries, formally remaining independent, are in fact not sovereign. For example, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, have surrendered their foreign and defense policies to NATO and the leader of NATO – the USA; their economic policies, to the EU; and they have sold off key elements of their economies to European – for the most part German –corporations, which have located in these countries only low-technology manufacturing.”

“Several of the countries of the former USSR also surrendered their sovereignty. For example, Georgia surrendered a large part of its defense policy to American advisors. The plan adopted after the ‘Orange Revolution’ for the integration of Ukraine into NATO and the system for Ukrainian-American consultations are mechanisms for controlling Ukraine’s foreign policy by the USA. The plan for “Europeanization”, developed for Ukraine by the EU, is a mechanism for the control of Ukraine’s internal policies by the EU.”

A few pages later, the Manifesto repeats the above paragraph almost word-for-word, with the following new introduction: “The so-called ‘colored revolutions’ that took place in Georgia and Ukraine and planned in other countries represented the formation of a system for external control of the country.”

The Manifesto then cuts to the chase about the true purpose of the Nashi movement:

“NASHI is firmly determined not to allow Russia to suffer a geopolitical coup d’etat and the introduction of external control under the guise of a “colored revolution”. At the decisive hour we are prepared to send hundreds of thousands of young people into the streets of Russia under the banner of ‘Sovereignty and Independence for Russia’. We are prepared to fight for Russian democracy.”

11. Rejection of “Assimilation” (outside of Russia):

“…the policies of assimilation, of suppressing the Russian language and Russian culture, have been systematically pursued by the countries of the Baltics for the past 15 years with the silent approval of European and world public opinion, which in relation to Russia professes a double standard. What Russia cannot do in relation to one or another national minority, other countries can do to Russians.”

The Manifesto goes on to point out that many non-Russians (Georgians, Ukrainians, Kazaks, Jews) also use Russian as an “international language” while living in third countries, and says the Russian government should defend their “right” to do this as well.

12. Presentation of the Nashi movement as a force of moderation, standing between the extremes of Nationalism/Fascism and Liberalism:

“Liberals are prepared to sacrifice the country’s independence for the sake of personal freedom. Communists and fascists are prepared to sacrifice the personal freedoms of citizens to achieve a great state. For us the two sides of freedom are inseparable… Personal freedom and national sovereignty are two sides of the same coin.”

And later in the Manifesto: “Today before our very eyes an unnatural union is being formed between Liberals and Fascists, westernizers and ultranationalists, international organizations and international terrorists. It is held together by only one thing – hatred of Putin.”

13. Presentation of Russia and the Soviet Union as peace-loving countries, in harsh contrast to the United States. After a rambling and pointless cataloging of various forms of democracy observed around the world, the Manifesto suddenly and without explanation reverts back to its “independence” theme:

Russia in 1917 became the first country in the world to proclaim as a founding principle the right of nations to self-determination. Russia recognized the independence of all countries whose governments announced – often despite the will of the people of these countries – the desire to become sovereign. Russia gave the gift of independence to many countries that did not fight for it. Russia does not desire to subjugate any peoples, but neither will it allow its national interests to be harmed, nor will it allow anything to be imposed on Russia which is opposed by our people.

“The USA, by contrast, does not recognize the right of the world’s people to free development…” With this, the Manifesto launches into a long review of U.S. military interventions in Latin America and Iraq, followed by a claim that Russia is a “just country” (again, no mention whatsoever of Russian/Soviet interventions/annexations). This is followed by a gratuitous, vague and suspiciously Marxist-sounding definition of justice, which concludes (with emphasis): “The concept of justice always has an historical character, dependent on the living conditions of the people”. The Manifesto then trails off into a very communist-sounding celebration of Russians’ supposed special solidarity as a society, “where the fate of one person is inextricably tied to the fate of others, where assistance and support of fellow citizens is the norm…” etc.

14. Disgust with recent generations of Russian/Soviet leadership. At this point, the Manifesto abruptly announces a “change in format”, and embarks on a long condemnation of the late/post-Communist and pre-Putin leadership of Russia: “The generation that led the country beginning in the 1980s lost faith in the country and its future. Some of its representatives look to the West and wait for examples and orders… The entrenched mentality of defeat does not allow even consideration of the question of leadership of Russia.”

The Manifesto continues for several pages railing against the “offshore aristocracy”, “defeatist generation” (pokoleniye porazhentsev), “elite of disintigration” (elita raspada), etc. This is followed by a glowing review of China’s modernization program, then a long and approving excerpt from the Putin speech in which he asserted that “the breakup of the Soviet Union was the worst geopolitical catastrophe of the century”.

15. Blame of the “Oligarchs” for all of Russia’s current problems. The Manifesto spends about five pages lambasting Russian oligarchs for the state of the country, claiming that “oligarch capitalism” is the “main obstacle to development of the country”, represents “privatization of the government”, “destroys democracy”, etc., then warns:

“On the eve of the 2007-2008 elections, the party of oligarch revenge is again raising its head. It is betting on an orange revolution in Russia, a “Berzovskiy revolution”. We, NASHI, will not allow the party of oligarch revenge to return to power in Russia. We will not allow them to steal Russia’s future. Oligarch capitalism is our main enemy in Russia. We will uproot it and ensure progress, freedom and justice in Russia.”

(Hatred of the business elite is a common theme for the siloviki elite, and harkens back to old Communist propaganda encouraging class envy and mistrust of capitalist markets. No distinction is made in the Manifesto between “oligarchs” and other wealthy Russian businessmen. One can safely assume that any politician not financed by the Kremlin or someone friendly to Putin will be considered by Nashi to be backed by an “oligarch”.)

16. Tacit admission to being Kremlin-financed. In a burst of frankness, the Manifesto notes: “Our opponents claim that NASHI is a Kremlin-sponsored scheme against an ‘orange revolution’….And indeed, we are opposed to an ‘orange revolution’ of the Ukrainian type, because this is a geopolitical scheme for the establishment of external control over the country.” (Note: No attempt whatsoever is made anywhere in the Manifesto to refute the accusation that NASHI is Kremlin-financed – even after the Manifesto itself brings up the question.)

17. Review of “Objectives”:

1) Preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Russia. Starts out with a quick mention of the war in Chechnya, but almost immediately lapses into a long discussion of the threat posed by “Fascism”, with a few pages spent trying to link it to Liberalism (and finding some unlikely support in a few out-of-context quotes from Zbignew Brzezinski). Oddly, the Manifesto then suddenly changes its mind and concludes that fascism is not nearly as much of a threat in Russia as it is in other countries, due to Russia’s “fiercely anti-fascist ideology”, and characterizes the threat as consisting only of “a multitude of 'minor fascist organizations'.”

2) Modernization of the country. A laudable goal, to be sure, but among eight items listed as necessary for achieving it (patriotism, historical optimism, strategic thinking, social responsibility, openness to the new, constructiveness/cooperation, leadership qualities, and a “high level of professionalism in one’s field of activity”), there is no mention whatsoever of support for free markets, promotion of good corporate governance, protection of investors rights or the rule of law in general. Making this omission the more striking, the Manifesto then spends several paragraphs lauding China’s recent economic achievements.

3) Formation of a functioning civil society. The Manifesto acknowledges the growing importance of NGOs in the modern world, but then seems to imply that “Nashi” is the only legitimate one in Russia: “Government bureaucracy is fundamentally incapable of moving (civil society) forward. This can be done only by our movement… Enough talk about defending human rights. The blather of current Liberals is the worst advertisement for democracy…”

The Manifesto goes on to eulogize Putin as a “man of action”, and recounts in detail the founding of the Nashi movement (again, not a word about the sources of its funding). An account is also given of how one of its members was beaten up by self-proclaimed Bolshevik thugs, and Nashi’s first mass rally in response.

This leads to an example of the sort of “civil society” Nashi has in mind: “We should serve as an example of social solidarity. Every oligarch or bureaucrat, street rabble or member of a totalitarian organization who raises a hand against a member of our movement should clearly understand that tomorrow he will need to deal with the movement as a whole.”

The Manifesto concludes with a repeat of its earlier appeal to “replace the generation of defeatism with the generation of NASHI, the elite of disintegration with the elite of development”, and promise to “create a new generation of managers… and bring this generation to power.” (Again, since this is a government-backed organization, such an offer of “career assistance” can hardly be viewed as anything but a veiled threat that those who fail to join Nashi – like its predecessor Komsomol – will be systematically excluded from positions of power. As the Russian writer Matvey Ganapolskiy recently pointed out, this “offer” is just another part of the Big Lie now being re-assembled in the Neo-Soviet Union.)

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is Hector,

Once again, I was forced to get off the floor after laughing my head off. Kim, before you go making these absurd comparisons such as Vladimir Putin and his Nashi thugs to Vladimir Lenin and the Komsomol youth groups, it would benefit you to find out what they're about. The quotes you allegedly from the Nashi website are foul with Russian nationalism, not Lenin's mobilization for international workers revolution.

References to the Communist Manifesto mean nothing unless part of the Nashi program, which you've yet to prove. Where is the internationalist program of Nashi that has convinced you to believe that they are a mirror image of the Komsomol? In fact the Komsomol groups that survived the Yeltsin-Bush counter-revolution are very active against the capitalist war in Chechnya. One account has them protesting the war with slogans like "No war but class war!". Whereas the Nashi chauvinists were cheering it. If Nashi nationalists are a mirror image of the Komsomol revolutionaries, then Adolf Hitler was a New York Rabbi.

La Russophobe said...

HECTOR:

Are you really so inebriated with stupidity and arrogance that you think it will give us pause that the likes of filth like you don't take us seriously?

Did it ever occur to you that criticism from scum such as yourself is received as praise by the authors of this blog?

Did you ever think for one second that your need to argue against us proves that our post is substantive?

Did you notice at all that your statements are totally unsourced and utterly without substance or added value of any kind?

Your jealousy and paranoid fear is quite pathetic, slimey little loser.

Anonymous said...

You know, looking at this Nashi sick schizoid puke, I couldn't help but think of the "Death of a Nation - Russia" video which was posted here previously.

2 things really struck me hard in that video.

First, the "Russian cossacks" in Krasnodar, who attacked the journalists, and in typical russkie fashion, tried to get them to stop filming.

Worse - 30,000 Turks are picked on and attacked in Krasnodar and forced to leave. For what?

For the russkie cossacks, who proceed to take the journalists, and demonstrate the enormous talent of russkies to - drink and get drunk. Sick, sick, sick.

Even worse - the russkie cossack being blessed by the Oily Russian Orthodox "priest".

This is what Russian Orthodox Christianity is about? Russkie cossacks getting profoundly, stupidly, stinking drunk, persecuting non-Russians, and intimidating journalists?

It is absolutely sick - why the hell would you want to be a member of the Oily Russian Orthodox Church?

Why would a priest "bless" a bunch of thugs who get drunk, and then proceed to persecute other people?

The other thing that really hit me hard was the russkie oligarch who went to a small village - to "develop" it. He built a guess what? A goddamn Russian Orthodox Church.

Then, he proceeded to take over the land and homes of the people in the village.

There's a retired Russian Navy veteran, who has retired to this scenic village with a lake. He's explaining that all of a sudden, ANTI-TERRORIST POLICE show up to attack the people in the village - and to take their property for the benefit of the russkie oligarch snake.

This is a Russian Navy veteran. He has bought a house in a scenic village with a lake - it's very pretty.

But the damn oligarch wants to "develop" it. And, as an excuse, he builds an Oily Russian Orthodox Church.

This is a Christian thing to do?

Why bother building the church? Why not just build a brothel? In Russia, it's the same damn thing!

WHAT THE HELL KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THESE?

And how many times have I heard, on Ukrainian web sites, and elsewhere - "the people in [insert name of country here] just want to speak russkie and go back to the ol' russkie orthodox ways."

What a bunch of sick, schizoid pukes.

La Russophobe said...

The following is the response of the translator to Hector's comment:

Hector,

Appreciated your comments. I actually hadn’t been aware that Komsomol still existed. I thought I had attended their funeral, when Gorbachev dissolved them in 1991. So I was charmed when Google came back with a large number of hits on their name, in both English and Russian… sort of like finding a long-lost high school buddy, or an old dissident friend from the 1980’s.But alas, as so often turns out to be the case with both, it turned out he no longer had a job, had stopped taking a shower, and lapsed into crankish ravings (come to think of it, Komsomol nowadays sounds a lot like you, Hector).

Yes, Komsomol had more global ambitions than Nashi, but so did the CPSU, compared to United Russia. Give Nashi some time. I’m told they were quite active in Estonia recently, so perhaps they’ll get out to Africa and Latin America soon and begin preaching “Sovereign Democracy” to enthusiastic amen choirs in Sudan andVenezuela. I’m sure there are franchise opportunities for Nashi in all the authoritarian dictatorships where Putin is spending so much time lately.

And you are right, Surkov can’t hold a candle to Marx and Engles when it comes to bombastic self-righteousness and economic idiocy, but that doesn’t keep him from trying.

The key similarity between Nashi and Komsomol (like between United Russia and the CPSU) is state sponsorship. From what I can tell, this seems to be a point of ambivalence for Nashi supporters. On the one hand, they want to hint that they are getting more than moral support from the Kremlin, in order to increase their attractiveness for career-minded young people. On the other hand, they know this undermines the story they want to tell about being some sort of grass-roots “movement” of self-motivated, principled, “anti-fascist” young people. In the end, however, it seems to be an open secret that Nashi is in fact Kremlin-financed, and only Briganiki-like trolls continue to insist that it is not when it serve their purposes to hide this fact.An especially funny exchange on this topic recently appeared on the discussion page for the Russian language Wikipedia entry for “Nashi”:

Participant Go West: “Движение НАШИ не получает ни рубля бюджетных денег. Все финансирование идет через Фонд Национальные Перспективы из крупных кампаний, в частности нефтяных.”

Participant lite: “Угу. а что бывает с нефтяными компаниями, не финансирующими подобных штурмовиков, мы знаем на примере "ЮКОСа" хехе”

[LR: We trust you read Russian, Hector, and don’t need this translated for you]

The long and short is, we don’t yet have a “smoking gun” on the state sponsorship issue, but neither are we likely to, as long as Surkov sees it as being in his best interests to have it both ways.

In case you still don’t get it, Hector, the problem with state sponsorship of such organizations, especially in countries where the state is still the main employer in many areas of the economy, is that it has a coercive effect on young people. I would refer you, again, to the Big Liearticle by Matvey Ganapolskiy, who pointed out the coercive side to United Russia’s generous offer to boost the careers of certain young people entering the government bureaucracy.

Regards,

LRT

[LR: You see, Hector, that is how a person adds value to a blog post. Compare it to the drivel you scribbled, you may learn something (but we seriously doubt you are capable of that).]

Anonymous said...

Well done LR and your Translator!

This is really useful and has already been distributed onwards.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

La Russophobe, Putin is a nazi white supremacist. He appeals to old soviet sentiments to comandeer people's emotions. At the same time he appeals specifically to white Russians. I think he is trying to create an ideology that unified Russians based on race, albeit in a very covert way by appealing to lofty slogans. Frankfurt Schoolesque cultural marxists in the United States employ similar tactics. However, he is not an internationalist communist. He is very dangerous for our new world order. If he succeeds in improving the lifestyles of Russians the way Hitler did, we will never succeed in overthrowing Russia and administering it with nwo loyalists. Moreover, a possible danger to America is that Russia may support white nationalist activists in America who oppose our efforts to reduce whites to minority status. This is terrifying. It harkens back to the Holocaust. If whites are powerful unified this always leads to elimination of Jews.

Penny said...

Moreover, a possible danger to America is that Russia may support white nationalist activists in America who oppose our efforts to reduce whites to minority status.

40 plus years past the Civil Rights movement no serious white racist group has ever taken hold in America as a backlash. Americans aren't by nature racists in spite of that accusation from the anti-American left. The left plays the game of victim politics and the MSM acts as shills for them.

Americans have never been xenophobic like Russians. We are a nation of legal immigrants. (Legal being the keyword in the framing that issue here and now.) Nashi is a natural fit for Russia. Putin can't revise the old USSR as an international presence, so cashing in on paranoia and nationalism works for him. When you don't have a civil society, dysfuntion is what you get. Russia is failed state and will only get weaker.

Anonymous said...

I hope you are correct. Massive 3rd world immigration and the ufortunate reality of the massive crime rates of blacks/hispanics against whites is going to lead to frightening violence. One need but accept the reality that the people who are most vehemently opposed to nonwhite immigration to the United States are whites.

Moreover, as a proud Jewish liberal, I am sad to say that white Americans are extremely racist. I have experienced this first hand growing up and in my professional life. The only difference between them and Russians is that the American media has thus far been censoring crime rates by nonwhites against whites and demonizing all instances of legitimite and illegitimate instances of pro-white "activism". The Russian government does EXACTLY opposite.

The study at the following link (Rice University) shows that the more educated a white American is, the more likely they are to support segregation:

http://www.rice.edu/sallyport/2006/fall/sallyport/segregation.html

If white Americans catch on to what the Russian government is doing in Russia against minorities, whites here will vote for and demand similar such political leadership. Gays, Jews, Hispanics, Blacks and Hispanics will lose out if this happens. It is very important for whites to become minorities as quickly as possible so that oppressed people of color can take over the political process in America.


you wrote :

40 plus years past the Civil Rights movement no serious white racist group has ever taken hold in America as a backlash. Americans aren't by nature racists in spite of that accusation from the anti-American left. The left plays the game of victim politics and the MSM acts as shills for them.

Anonymous said...

Putin got Russia in crisis. Russia was rolling exactly to where La Russophobe wants and hopes her to get: economy collaps, desintegration, nonexistense as a nation.
One of the thing needed to overcome the crisis was to find some national idea to unite the people around, to awake their civic feelings, patriotism, to get them concerned about their country.
So, NASHI is a usefull thing for the nation. Generally, this kids think right.

I just wonder why La Russophobe keeps saying that NASHI means "us, slavic Russians"? I read through their Manifesto and could not find a word hinting that the movement is limited for Slavic Russians only. They call themself "Youth Patriotic movement", propagate inter-ethnic friendship and appeal to all Russian citizen.

Penny said...

One need but accept the reality that the people who are most vehemently opposed to nonwhite immigration to the United States are whites.

Except that's not the reality.

You are assuming that the Americans that are opposed to nonwhite, and I'm assuming you mean Mexican, immigration are all white - and - are movitated by racism. That is not true. The issue is amnesty for illegals, the unfairness of that to those that have obeyed the law and rotted on waiting lists, the poorly studied cost vs asset of a huge influx of unskilled labor, both of which are concerns to black, Asian and Hispanic Americans, as well as whites. So, stop painting this as a white only issue with race as the motive.

Rice's study is ridiculous as it measures school choice and then extrapolates racism when quality of education is the person's sole motive. People will pay for private schools and choose housing in better school districts if they have the means and opportunity. You'd be an idiot parent of any color if you didn't.

It is very important for whites to become minorities as quickly as possible so that oppressed people of color can take over the political process in America.

It's pretty apparent your parents never got you out of a failed school. You'd be a more amusing little games playing troll. Too bad.

Anonymous said...

This is Hector,

Once again, Kim demonstrates his ignorance and utter stupidity; but above all her pathetic evasiveness. On the contrary, I'm find this blog page amusing if nothing else, so I have no interest in giving you pause. Secondly, I've never seen such praises, just replies from you with terms of endearment. The considerable ease at which I can argue with your evasive slanders and prove your points wrong are sufficient proof enough to me that western chauvinists such as you wouldn't know a Cossack from your own mother. You of all people, Kim, are the last person who should demand sources from me, since all of you whole blog is filled with nothing but anti-Russian chauvinism clearly based on personal opinion without sources. Please tell me, where do I need a source? About Nashi? Well, they're Putin cheerleaders in which case I can promise you they don't defend Chechen independence. Which then concludes their Russian chauvinism, in which case logically it would be sickening to compare Nashi with the Soviet Komsomol. Jealously clearly comes from you, Kim! You need to sweet talk me, your inability to prove me wrong on any aspect. Spoiled little valley twerp.

La Russophobe said...

HECTOR:

Kim is a she, you hopelessly ignorant gorilla. Even the wallpaper knows that.

Jealous of YOU? You don't even have a blog. Dimwit. Jealous of your amazing ability to write gibberish that nobody except you cares about, I guess you mean.

What a freak.

Anonymous said...

This is Hector,

As for the second reply. I don't doubt there are Komsomol groups still active, as I noted many of them are active against the Russian capitalist state. Yes, as a Communist I'd like to think I have a lot in common with the Komsomol. If you really think it possible for Nashi to expand its influence on such a broad scale, your dreaming friend! But if this did occur for the sake of argument, the message would clearly be Russian imperialism and nationalism. What does this have in common with the Komsomol, whose program was international workers revolution? Nothing. Vladislav Surkov "trying to holding a candle to Marx and Engels"? Oh Right! And Wallstreet is trying to fight for international Communism. This proves once and for all the poor knowledge you people have about Communism.

It doesn't matter that the Nashi and the Komsomol were state sponsored. However, you talk as if they were sponsored by the very same state which is absurdly inncorrect. The Komsomol was sponsored by the Soviet workers state promoting revolutionary internationalism. Nashi is sponsored by the Russian capitalist state promoting Kremlin based Russian nationalism. The latter came to power after the counter-revolution in the late 80s early 90s. That paragragh is clearly based on anti-Russian chauvinism for all you seen to aknowledge is that both states were in Russia. For the record,Kim, I can read limited Russian, I studied it for 3 years. What I still don't get is what drew you people to the grotesque conclusion that capitalist Russia is a mirror image of the Soviet Union. I've been asking Kim for evidence of this, but have see none other than bigoted slanders. You're blinded by anti-Russian chauvinism which is clearly why you draw parallels between the Soviet Union and capitalist Russia; for no other reason than that both states existed on Russian soil.

Anonymous said...

This is Hector,

Sorry, my mistake. It was a typo on the gender reference. I apologize. No I don't have a blog, but I have a website http://www.geocities.com/h_marroquin/Communist.html

You seem enough to care, since my "gibberish" involves the topic to this blog. I understand it would be gibberish to you, receiving criticism from a point other than Russian nationalism. I've proven you wrong on every aspect I've commented on. You on the other hand resort to evasive talk and high school insults. You can't compete with me.

Penny said...

It doesn't matter that the Nashi and the Komsomol were state sponsored.

Really?

In any democratic society outside the landscape of a certified moonbat like youself, state sponsorship matters. In a civil society the state doesn't fund politicized youth groups like Komsomol, Mao's Red Guards or Hitler's Brown Shirts. The majority of us in the civilized world would find state sponsorship of anything repugnant.

You seem very history challenged, Hector. Where did you attend school? Just curious.

La Russophobe said...

HECTOR:

Your website's counter shows it's been visited 6,481 times in its whole history. Today alone, well over 1,000 people visited this blog, including you multiple times to write extensive comments. You're such a ridiculous baboon (only a real monkey says something as stupid as "I've proven you wrong on every aspect I've commented on," a person with a speck of intellect leaves conclusions to third parties) how transparantly ridiculous you are with your pontificating nonsense, or that by denigrating this blog, you denigrate yourself.

You haven't added a single iota of value to this blog. You've added no links or source material of any kind, all you've done is to blow stupid smoke. But we like that, because it shows how pathetic our rivals are.

Nonetheless, we'd like to thank you for the compliment. You repeatedly make haughly personal insults aimed at us (at least that's what we think you mean by inane drivel like "spoiled little valley twerp" -- whatever that means) and you obviously want your comments published here, so you obviously think we'll allow you to continue to insult us. That's a great compliment of our maturity and commitment to diversity of opinions, even from card-carrying morons like you. Thanks!

We'd also like to thank you for demonstrating with such perfect clarity how messed up the people in Russia are, how crazed the Commies were, and why Russia is such a mess, and why the USSR no longer exists. We couldn't have done it any better ourselves.

Since you're clearly deranged, and don't realize how far out of your depth you are or what a total fool you're making of yourself, we take pity on you. So we say this: You're right, Hector. You're one of the world's great thinkers, and we are mere children compared to you. Communism is the future of mankind, capitalism is finished. You're website is great, this one is a silly insignificant joke compared to it. Please, oh mighty Hector, accept our plea for forgiveness that we ever questioned your genius.

Happy now dear?

La Russophobe said...

PS: BTW Hector dear, see that little sign that says "name" right below the comment window? You type your name in there, baby, that's what it's for, not in the comment window itself. And you can also type your web address so people can find it (well, so rats can). Isn't modern technology cool. Try it, you'll master it sooner or later sweetie.

Anonymous said...

RE: In a civil society the state doesn't fund politicized youth groups...

Every day the first lesson in every USA public school (which are finansed by the USA government) starts with reciting The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance )
In the result every American even if he or she dropped out from school because of drugs or teen pregnancy knows that America is Greate and always right, because the USA promote and defend democracy all over the world.
Why Russian government is not allowed to invest some modest amount of money in the propaganda of patriotism among young people?
There is chaos in the people's minds in Russia now. In 1989 trough 2000 the population had to pass through the hardest years of impoverishment, deprivation of any role in the state, loosing all moral landmarks, national pride and identity. It was a TOTAL CRISIS for the nation.
It is easy to grow all kind of ideology in such a situation.
So, it will not hurt to have an "anti-fascist patriotic movement". Better than to have the "fascist" one.

La Russophobe said...

Russian "Patriot":

The fact that you have to ask why is pretty conclusive proof that Russia is doomed, because of enemies like you.

The reason is simple. Ever heard of a fellow called Stalin, who murdered more Russians than Hitler? Russia is making that same mistake twice.

Anonymous said...

The question remains as to when the "propaganda of patriotism" simply becomes Fascism. If anything, NASHI has eery parallels with the Hitler Youth (Hitler-Jugend).

Citing wikipedia: "The HJ was organized into local cells on a community level. Such cells had weekly meetings at which various Nazi doctrines were taught by adult HJ leaders. Regional leaders typically organized rallies and field exercises in which several dozen Hitler Youth cells would participate. The largest HJ gathering usually took place annually, at Nuremberg, where members from all over Germany would converge for the annual Nazi Party rally."

In examining the NASHI site, I find that they are organized into regional groups, and that they have their "commissars" that are there to teach the NASHI doctrines. The goal: to recruit NASHI members, teach them the propaganda so they may go forward and spread it to others. To cite nashi.su: "Комиссары, составляющие основу идеологического направления – люди, абсолютно верящие вцели изадачи Движения, вуспех НАШЕГО дела, готовые всегда отстоять нашу позицию, знающие и сами определяющие ответы на все вопросы, касающиеся Движения." Potential recruits are told: "Вас готовят, как профессиональных идейных борцов, будущих политиков." Simply put, recruits are to be indoctrinated. And the goal? To cite the website: "В конечном итоге – это формирование человека, как опытного управленца, политика. Это возможность построения своей карьеры. Главное, чтобы это основывалось на стремлении работать на благо России, сделать нашу страну великой державой."

NASHI therefore serves both to indoctrinate and to train the future leadership of the Great Russia. Again, this is similar to the role of the Hitler Youth: "The HJ maintained training academies comparable to preparatory schools. They were designed to nurture future Nazi Party leaders, and only the most radical and devoted HJ members could expect to attend." (wikipedia.org).

Also, NASHI sees itself as a paramilitary force. One of its basic tasks is to: "Отстоять на улицах и площадях независимость России в ходе выборов
2007-2008 гг" and adds as one of its tasks: "патрулирование города." These are odd tasks for a simple youth organization. Why should it see its role as defending the streets and the squares at the eve of the elections in 2007-2008? Why should it be patrolling the streets?

Finally, NASHI seeks a "кадровую революцию" in Russia. Again, the Hitler Youth were meant to be "future "Aryan supermen" (expedia.org) leading the nation to greatness. The main emphasis of NASHI is that the youth under the guidance of NASHI indoctrination will lead Russia to greatness. Or, in their words: "НАША идеология – это идеология патриотизма, идеология великих положительных преобразований в России, в стране нашей мечты. Это выражение наших чаяний истремлений. Это вектор, указатель пути, по которому мы хотим повести нашу Родину и наш народ к глобальному лидерству в XXI веке."

Penny said...

The Pledge of Allegiance isn't an example of a state sponsored youth group, you moron. Your choice of equivalency is as stupid as every other piece of muddled drivel you write.

You are always back with something, each time more idiotic than before.

What a wasted life.

Anonymous said...

To LR

What Stalin has to do with the issue in discussion?

For Anonymous

NASHI as an organized movement may have parallels with any other organized movement, like Hitler-Jugend, YMCA, Boyscouts, etc. So organisational principles are not specific to allow tagging the movement as the fascist one.
To judge how bad or good the movement is, its the goals and the methods must be taken in concideration.
You say: "... recruits are to be indoctrinated. And the goal?"
pointing: "Главное, чтобы это основывалось на стремлении работать на благо России, сделать нашу страну великой державой."
Isn't the mentioned Pledge Of Allegiance the same kind of "indoctination"?
What is the goal of it?
How about patriotic songs by the school choir? Flag raising ceremony at schools? "We support our troops" and "God bless America!"-slogans at school? Why so many Americans believe in their country messianic mission of spreading and protecting democrasy in the world?
Well I do not say that Nashi movement is equal to the USA patriotism propaganda. But the goals are the same: to grow patriots.
The differense is in the level of activity. Well, the USA are in good shape as a nation. Everything goes smoothly, works, good economy, armed forces, no serious threats to the nation's existence. You may limit you patriotic education to what you have now.
Russia is in crisis, in danger. Weak economy, ethnic separatism, no any uniting political doctrine, demographic crisis, the army in disarray, restless neighbours, NATO cheating...
Just listen to what La Russophobe says: "Polnyi pizdets Rossii uzhe viden". She may be right.
So, everything that may help to prevent her and other russophobes from rejoicing is good.
And consider that Russia is a land of extremes. If they do not care the REALLY DO NOT. No reaction, nothing. The country may be falling in the abyss-they do not care. The enemy is at the gates-they do not.
And if they care, they CARE. Zealously. That what NASHI is doing.

For PENNY.
I don't give a penny for what you say. Your IQ is to low to understand the difference between "equivalency" and "qualitative parallelism".

Anonymous said...

Hi, Hector!

Enjoied your web-site.
Well... Looks like communism is in the past. Was it really a political system in accordance with the man's nature?
People do not want to be equal. They are trying to be better well then others. And Communism hits the heads of those who are trying to pop out higher. Than the enemies start saying how bad communism is.
But if the dialectic laws are the right ones, it still may come back on the higher level somewhen in future. May be people will grow more conscious by that time.

What fills my heart with sorrow is Cuba and Cubans. Not as they are doing now, but what they are going to go through when Castro is out of business. The capitalist thugs from Florida and Yankees will get this revolutionary land of free and noble people. They will buy for cheap its nickel mines, tabacco and sugar plantation. They will remodel the kindergartens and schools into restourants and casinos, and the country again will become a brothel for Yankees.
The highly educated men will sell all kind of capitalist goods on the streets and markets to survive, and highly educated women will forced to earn money the way they can. Oligarchs will rule the country. As about plain people, they will get freedom to swear at both communism and capitalism but little from the country's assets. Same like it was in Russia.
The only hope is Hugo Chavez

Anonymous said...

This is Hector,

To Penny: The comprehension challenged of the russophobe gang is really amusing. I was explaining the differences between Komsomol and Nashi which Paris Hiltons like you have no understanding of. They were funded by different states, but you reduce the topic as both being funded by a single Russian state. This is utterly absurd. History challenged am I? You and your little valley gang of anti-Russian bigots have yet to prove me wrong on anything I've ever said on this blog page.

The Russophobe clown: My website is a private one hosted by geocities, hence not very popular. But obviously you've only glanced at the first page. Anyone with a functioning brain can see I go unchallenged on my comments, what with the high school insults you reply with. You should be the last person demanding sources from me, as you've yet to provide any I've requested. Besides, it doesn't take a source to see that Russia under Yeltsin and Putin is capitalist; that Stalinism was a sellout practice to revolutionary Communism; or that capitalist Russia and the Soviet Union have nothing in common.

Yes I've demonstrated to you how messed up people in Russia are. You have capitalism to thank for that, but hey at least Russia is "free and democratic" right? I've shown you the Stalinist betrayal of the workers states, their sellout to capitalism, Stalin's butchery of hundreds of thousands of Communists. I'm glad we finally agree on something. Except for one thing: Aren't you trying to convince the world that Russia is a new USSR?

How am I making a fool of myself? Who is the one replying with high school era insults? Thank you for the compliments, but seeing your comments I can conclude that even Bush can be labeled a great thinker when compared to you. At least he knows capitalist Russia is not a "neo-Soviet Union". I would gladly accept your forgiveness except that I've seen no questions from you, just high school insults. Hears a tip: maturity means arguing your point without resorting to childish name calling. Again, you've failed to challenge what I posted. Your use of childish names in reply demonstrates how immature you are. So why demand sources from me?

Anonymous said...

This is Hector,

For Russian patriot: Communism never existed, so it cannot be in the past. In the early days of the Soviet Union is was an egalitarian society ran by democratically elected workrs councils. What you're refering to is the Stalinist betrayal; his establishment of a bureaucracy put an unstable layer above the workers. The workers were conscience enough at the time, but to win them back they must know about Stalinism.

As for counter-revolution in Cuba, I'll tell you what will happen. Cuba will be in economic chaos similar to Russia with a mafia style regime as they go back. Cuban immigration will flow to Miami 20 times over than now due to the results that you mentioned. But will not be greeted as "they chose freedom" guests, but by extreme racist minutemen patrol boats flying U.S, confederate, and Nazi flags who will shoot them, as minutemen shoot Mexicans crossing the border. In other words, Cuban immigrants will become "spicks" to the American right. Cheers.

Anonymous said...

In response to the Russian Patriot:

Why do you assume that I am American? I happen to live in another country and we do not have a pledge of allegiance, we do not ask God to bless us and our troops our not in Iraq. I have spent months and years in Russia, however, and little time in the United States so I cannot really comment on American patriotism in a meaningful manner.

One quick question: who exactly are the "enemy at the gates"? What is it exactly that you fear? Do you really fear an invasion of NATO and the United States? Who exactly is threatening to invade Russia? Estonia? Latvia? Kazakhstan? China????

Anonymous said...

to: Anonymous

"enemy at the gates" is a metaphor.
I just used it to show to what extent the Russian carelessness can reach.
Potential enemies for Russia are USA(NATO) and China.
It comes from the existing geopolitical realities.
Invasion of NATO and the United States is not something unrealistic or impossible under certain circumstances.
Remember Yugoslavia?
And now I draw you a picture:
Pretend Russia is in a deep, deep crisis. (Like it could be had Yeltsyn still stayed in power). Her political system, economy are in collaps, population inpoverished, the Army lost its capability to repel the invasion.
Separatists in Tatarstan, Dagestan, Yakutia proclamed independence. There are another separatist movement in process in Karelia.
What does the West? They immediately and unconditionly recognise the independence of the separated territories. Any Russian attempts to protect the interests of ethnic Russians in the separated territories are blocked. all the resistance of the Russian population in this "new republics" is supressed by NATO bombing and assistanse to the separatists.
Russia gives up the territories. Then the West is not happy with the regime still in power in Russia and starts the next phase. They provide a strong political support to the Karelian separatists, help them to raise money, to buy and smugle the weapons into Karelia. Karelian separatists are organised into KLA (Karelia Liberation Army), equipped and trained by retired US colonels. The KLA begins total war of terrorism, killing Russian military personsl and Russian civilians. Russia responds with tough military measures. Karelian civilians intentionally flee their villages to show how brutal the Russians are. Voiced campaign in Western media about demographic catostrophy in Karelia.
A few civilians killed in crossfire in some Karelian village. The American Ambassador in Finland comes to the spot and says: this is a brutal Russian war against peacfull civilians.
Next day NATO starts another bombing campaign.
Moscow, navy bases and bridges in St-Petersburg are bombed. Ground invasion from Estonia and Latvia is in preparation. Street demonstrations organised by NGOs (supported and financed by the USA). Gary Kasparov and the "Other Russia" demand Russian Government to resign. It resigns seeng no other solution.
The NATO occupies Karelia and put it under its administration. Russian government dissmissed and arrested. Russia divided in 50 smaller independent states.
Kim Zigfield holds a banquet in the "La Russophobe" headquater.

What Russians have to do to avoid such a scenario?
To grow Russian patriotism, keep her Army and economy strong, do not give up nukes and develop more missles able to get through the USA Anti-Ballistic Missles defence.