Vladimir Putin and “Managed Nationalism”

Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia — and has maintained that power — through the use of Managed Nationalism.

Just like the USA, Russia has millions of outraged citizens who relieve their frustration and anger by lashing out at other ethnic groups. Racist/nationalist skinheads and soccer hooligans are the two main anti-foreigner groups. (How do you say “redneck” in Russian?)

These racist groups are a potent weapon for government power brokers; and some of these groups are “unofficially” affiliated with government VIPs. Recently a gang of hooligans had a “spontaneous” gathering where they attacked a group of environmentalists.

But sometimes a potent weapon can backfire. Recent race riots have shown that “managed nationalism” is getting out of control and isn’t being too well “managed.” (Here's another link in case the Financial Times link doesn't work.)

On December 11th, six thousand skinheads demonstrated near the Kremlin. Some of the demonstrators assaulted non-Russian passers-by who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A member of one of the anti-immigrant groups said: “This is a massive political wave, and no one can stop it.”

The same person also said Vladimir Putin is in roughly the same position as the Polish government after the fall of Communism (they gave up power) and/or Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian dictator who had an unhappy ending in 1989. Grim choice.

55% of all Russians agree with the nationalist/skinhead slogan “Russia for the Russians.” And sales of baseball bats are through the roof. Betcha didn’t know baseball was such a popular sport in Russia. And you were right. For every baseball that gets sold, four bats are sold. Hmmm…thousands of violent skinheads on the rampage, millions of Russian citizens who agree with them, baseball bats selling like hotcakes…what could this mean?

The linked Financial Times article compares Russia’s racial tensions to Germany in the 1930s. The author doesn’t make any comparisons to American demagogues, teabaggers or racist gangs. However…

Hand Over That $700 Billion Right NOW and Nobody Gets Hurt

Hurry up! Pass this bill Right NOW. We don’t have time for amendments or debate or procedures or any of that drivel. This is an Emergency! The entire economy could collapse any minute, and you're just sitting there dithering?!?!?!?!

Does this manufactured hysteria have a familiar ring to it? Think back to the summer of 2002 (and continuing through March of 2003). Saddam Hussein has Weapons of Mass Destruction! He has nuclear missiles pointing right at Your Family, and his finger is on the button! We don’t have time to argue about this. While we dither, Saddam Hussein is getting ready to attack! We have to Act NOW.

This phony “urgency” worked like a charm in 2003. Will it work again?

This Wall Street bailout — sort of a Patriot Act for Wall Street — would turn the Secretary of the Treasury into an all-powerful unaccountable czar. It would provide a $700 billion bailout with absolutely no strings attached. No regulation or oversight (which might actually prevent this from happening again); no limits on those famous 8-figure golden parachutes that executives keep rewarding themselves with every time they fuck up. And most importantly, no giveaways to those sniveling homeowners who should've known what they were doing.

Congress needs to hold out for what's right. (Warning: spines may be required.) Attaching a few strings to this humongous bailout is not only the right thing to do (in case that matters) — it’s also politically shrewd given the public’s fury at Wall Street right now.

When Romania was part of the Communist Bloc (their dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, was overthrown and executed in 1989), it was probably Europe’s poorest country. On top of that, everyone in the country was required — maybe it was just a strong suggestion, but in a police state, you know what that means — to give money and presents to the incredibly wealthy Ceausescu family during Christmas and other holidays.

Little did we know that twenty years later, on Wall Street…

cross-posted at Bring It On!