Vladimir Putin has risen to power with both luck and determination. He rose to power from being a quite anonymous KGB officer to become Mayor of St. Petersbourg. Later he became President Boris Yeltsins and the oligarch's favorite. Putin advanced soon to become head of the secret police. After the success in eliminating Yeltsins main political opponents Putins path for power was secured. Yeltsin himself and the oligarchs were in agreement: Putin would become the next President of Russia. This shows Putins great determination and natural talent in both personal realtionships and politics.
Since rising to power Putin has been occupied in molding the administration of the country to match his own wishes. Previous and humiliated KGB bureaucrats received a second chance. Putin has molded the administrative and political institutions to his own liking with the help of KGB.
After molding the administration to his way he could strike down the oligarchs. He proclaimed that they should not dare to get involved into politics. After the proclamation Kremlin begun absolving the huge oil and gas company Gazprom. Taking control of Gazprom gave the state massive control of natural resources and a massive economical instrument.
Kremlin has also institutionalized the media in Russia by seizing it from the oligarchs. Thus the support the oligarchs gave to Putin (media support and campaign finances) was a huge mistake on their behalf. Kremlin seizing the media control has given it a huge instrument for the control of the opinions of the people. Of course the internet age creates difficulties in total media control.
Putin is using elaborate means to be seen and heard on the streets. I would like to mention the Nashi Youth Movement which in some ways really draws parallels with Hitlerjugend (or the brown shirts). Nashi has massive financial backing to organize events (i.e. summer camps, protests, seminaries etc.) This is a movement which is a real political instrument. Young minds are quite easily manipulated, manipulate is what this organization does. This organizations purpose is also to wreak havoc and dismay to scare the political opposition. Other purpose is of course to show the legitimacy of the power holders. Whoever controls Nashi has a real instrument to ruin political opponent’s demonstrations by occupying their demonstration route.
Duma elections 2011 – Was a farce. Somehow Kremlin failed, or did not even care to hide the rigidness. Perhaps they under estimated the Russian people in the great wealthy cities of Russia. But the Duma elections 2011 have seriously been a vocal point. They have put the whole Putin systems legitimacy on the line. Currently in Russia there is a phase where Kremlin still tries to control the dismay through peaceful means. They want to hush Duma 11’. Battle is now fought in the public sphere of opinion. Kremlin has now pulled out its triumph card. They have loaded buses of people from the country side and brought them to Moscow to show the legitimacy within the people.
To make the conclusion we must wait for the presidential elections. Will the presidential elections turn the Russian situation from bad to worse? Or will there be a Kremlin victory? Time will tell.
Putin has through his personal abilities opened the door to KGB to assume power once again. This time it is in total control of the state machinery. Vladimir Putin is without doubt one of our times greatest political leaders. I really admire the way Putin has risen to power. One could not assume that he could have risen to what he is today. If you take into account his humble birth circumstances. His career as a KGB officer was also fairly insignificant (in the large scale of affairs). Putin can simply be described as a person who made the most of it when society was re-arranged. On the other side there is KGB. This organization was feared and loathed by the people. So one can understand how agreeing this organization was to get a new chance in power. However this time they would not be an instrument of oppression for the power holders. They would be the power itself. Looking at this from this perspective, it becomes clear that this organization will do whatever it takes to remain in power. Because if the organization loses its power they’ll be finished.
- Yeltsin ran into political trouble and needed the financial help from the oligarchs. Thus making Yeltsin a ''good man'' for them. Yeltsin secured the political interests of the oligarchs. Putin was thought to be a new Yeltsin. However he kept his poker face and revealed only his true self after assuming power.
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