PUTIN HAS BEEN DOMINATING RUSSIAN POLITICS FOR OVER TWELVE YEARS NOW

Sarah,

Vladimir Putin may be the most interesting world leader in office today.  He has dominated Russian politics since 2000 and has recently won Russia’s presidential election.  Here’s why:

The Crisis Of The 1990’s:

During the 1990’s, Russia endured a chaotic transition from communism (in which the state owns everything) to “liberal democracy”.  Connected government insiders bought all of Russia’s most valuable assets for bargain rates and many fled the country with their newly acquired wealth.  The value of Russia’s economy fell by 50% and lawlessness reigned.  While the economy deteriorated, Chechnya, a Russia province, declared independence.

Enter Putin:

In 1999, Russian president Boris Yeltsin resigned and left his post to his prime minister, Vladimir Putin.  Putin then won the presidential election in 2000 and violently suppressed the revolt in Chechnya.  The economy grew for eight straight years and Putin’s popularity exploded as relative stability returned to Russia.

How Did He Do It?

Putin basically struck a deal with a collection of oligarchs who had become fabulously wealthy during Russia’s chaotic transition.  With their support, he was able to reform Russia’s legal code, military, and police force.  Lastly, because Russia is rich in oil and gas, surging energy prices buoyed the Russian economy throughout most of his first term.

Increasing Authoritarianism:

Along with the corruption inherent in catering to the country’s elite, Putin showed a greater authoritarian streak in during his second presidential term.(2004 to 2008)  First, Putin criminally prosecuted the wealthiest man in Russia for tax evasion; a move thought to be punishment for the man’s financial support of Putin’s political rivals.  Second, Putin tightened his control over the Russian media.

The Medvedev Switch:

Putin’s third consecutive term was barred by term limits.  Accordingly he nominated his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, as president and reserved the role of prime minister for himself.  Towards the end of Medvedev’s term as president, he proposed that Putin stand for president again and Putin accepted.

The Last Election:

Putin’s reelection in 2012 did not go as smoothly as his previous triumphs.  By this point, it was glaringly obvious Putin intended to stay in power indefinitely.  Protests by both liberals and communists erupted in Moscow and Putin’s political party, United Russia, had an unusually poor showing in the parliamentary elections preceding his election.

It wasn’t enough.  Putin, with firm control over the media, responded by staging his own pro-Putin rallies to counter those of the opposition.  He retained strong support in Russia’s countryside and was able to rely on government workers under his employ.  Lastly, many of the opposing candidates may have been Putin supporters themselves, acting to promote the charade of democracy.  As a result, Putin won the election with 63% of the vote. 

Bottom Line: The West gets excited when it sees anti-Putin protests, but it is doubtful he is going anywhere soon.  By the end of his next term, Putin will have effectively ruled Russia for 16 years.