Automobilists Are Key Political Force in Russia

That is what famous Russian economist, Head of Institute of Globalization Problems - Mikhail Delyagin – thinks.

Question. Michael Gennadevich,you repeatedly declared that political life of modern Russia apart from political parties is developing through associations of citizens "on interests". How should it be understood?

Answer. And what is not clear? The sharpest interests bearing political character arise in connection with different conflicts between our citizens and ruling bureaucracy. That is why it will be correctly to say that political life of modern Russiais developing through unification of citizens not “on interests” but “on conflicts”.

Common movements "on interests", various fanclubs are easily used by authorities for their own purposes - they can be promised something on a trifle and the most part of them will fulfill a duty. Thus fan clubs of football team "Spartak", for example, were mentioned not once in connection with activity of "nashisty".

Public associations appeared spontaneously for the sake of defense of these and those citizens’ interests from ruling bureaucracy can’t be “bought” initially by it since they need more than it could give them thus from the outset – without  realizing it and even denying it they bear political character.

В. And what about traditional structures such as trade-unions, for example?

О. Recently their activity becomes gradually more and more evident, however, in the general case trade-unions present the structure that is bureaucratic and regulated to the utmost that has no relation to the real struggle of workers for their rights. It is a kind of "splinter of the USSR" beside it is not its best part. It won’t be an exaggeration to tell that in Russiathere is now not only comprador bureaucracy, but also comprador trade- unions which will for some time more let out political miasma. That thereisone Andrey Isaev- «night in gale of monetization»!

В. What about State Duma?

О.State Duma? A bog! Official frogs croak and official Duremars wander with nets.

В.Your opinion – what is the cause that provokes unification of citizens in the most serious way?

О.In Moscow the sharpest and mass is struggle against " dot building ", however it remains to be the struggle of separate groups of inhabitants against building companies. It is divided approximately into 800 "centers" scattered on all the city of Moscow which flash periodically. Yet these are isolated conflicts - both from the side of inhabitants and from the side of companies.

The same can be said about approximately 30 thousand of families deceived by building companies in Moscowand Moscowregion; besides it is in many respects the single conflict and part of its victims have already protected their interests anyhow.

In connection with the latest accidents which are becoming more frequent and frightening Moscoworganization of diggers is getting the increasing resonance however participation in it demands specific skills and interests.

В. And what is going on in the country?

О. Do You mean that You have any doubts?

Do You have a car?

В.Well, if this sample can be called so…

О. That means that You are a driver. Didn’t You hang white tape?

В. Of course I did - both times – the year before the last on the May holidays, if I am not mistaken, and now not long ago – to support Scherbinskiy …

О. Well and these people ask me what public organization is the most serious in Russia! You yourself take part in it – movement of automobilists.

В. But I did it without any intent… just heard about the idea and took into consideration that in general I am also sick and tired of these all…

О.Everything’s correct – the whole country is sick and tired of it and You are its integral part. Unlike "dot building" where everyone was got by his own “company”, unlike the deceived investors where everyone was robed by his own swindler, automobilists have not only common problems but aso common opponents and these opponents are political ones.

Problems are clear: the utterly worthless roads; thoroughly corrupted fools who are to organize movement on such roads; irresponsible robbers-insurers; the various bureaucrats forbidding this time cars with the right rudder which use a quarter of the country the other time red stoplights with which are in use even in power structures; tow trucks arranging safaris on all in the slightest degree prosperous drivers and so on and so forth.

В. Do tow trucks really revoke serious displeasure?

О. Once I came across a banner in Internet - till now I regret that I didn’t make a copy of it. There were different inscriptions on it replacing each other: "Become a Man: bring up the son, plant a tree, burn a tow truck”. I shall not support this appeal but in my opinion You can here some discontent in it.

And all these problems as in a drop of water, are focused in the unique enemy - irresponsible ruling bureaucracy. And in combination this enemy appears also the main enemy of all today's Russia.

And all these problems as if in a drop of water are focused in a single enemy - irresponsibly ruling bureaucracy. Pluralistically this enemy appears also the main enemy of all today's Russia.

So automobilists as a matter of fact in the most concentrated form express the needs and the interests of all our country.

В. But the Russian society is sick: it is passive and shattered. The majority lives according to camp principle described by Solzhenitsin "You – die today and I - tomorrow"…

О. Yes! And You especially when You protected Scherbinsky operated by this principle!

Coming across common for all problems automobilists appear to be carriers of the main deficiency of a today's political life of Russia– solidarity - in the scale of the whole country. Actions to protect Scherbinsky despite of aggressive counteraction of State Automobile Inspection took place in 22 large cities of Russia! Drivers in many cities where the share of cars with right rudder is insignificant protested against the interdiction of new rule!

Besides automobilists are in fact the most active social group of the Russian society. They are rather successful, rather adapted to the market and consequently, on the one hand, are adequate and, on the other, possess self-respect and independence. Actually they make up skeleton of notorious "middle class".

The Russian roads and customs reigning on them even in the most fragile girls develop skill to stand up for themselves.

At last a car itself provides the driver not only with mobility but also feeling of internal freedom. Influence of it on the Russian man was described by Shklovsky brightly and distinctly.

Finally the main thing is: automobilists make up probably are the only movement in modern Russia possessing positive experience of victories which can generate understanding of own force and readiness to struggle.

В. These victories  – State Automobile Inspection … tow trucks… roads – restriction to import second-hand cars - whom they are against?  

О. Drop it! Automobilists didn’t let the Stateforbid cars with right rudders as well as cars with red stoplights and for the time, by the way, stopped activity of the tow trucks. The fear of their protests didn’t allow to limit seriously import of foreign cars those such intentions were in the air. At last automobilists is the only force in modern Russiawhich broke justice of Putin and pulled out from its mouth innocent person – here I mean Scherbinky.

Yes, these victories are often but these are victories and their inspirational meaning can’t be exagerated.

I am absolutely persuaded that irrespectively of peculiarities among the parties automobilists are right now the key political force in Russia.