Democracy
The policy is a delicate matter. However, at the same time it is building the fates of entire nations and states. Moreover, the policy has long ago become an integral part of our lives. We have long been accustomed to the democracy and we consider it to be the best or even the perfect political regime. However, if we talk about Russia, it’s very difficult to call it the democratic state.
Russian Federation is rather despotic than democratic; and of course, this is connected with the President of Russia - Vladimir Putin. However, let us assume that Vladimir Putin dies tomorrow, and that Russia holds elections to replace him. Should we expect the state to become more democratic then?
Before answering this undoubtedly interesting question it’s worth mentioning that the changes (especially the state scale changes) don’t ever occur suddenly. Furthermore, if we talk about the whole country, the way to changes (of course, good and democratic changes) is very complicated and multifaceted.
The democratization does not depend on a single specific person (and no matter how despotic or cruel the head of state is). Changes in political, social, economic, mental, and many other areas of the state cannot occur immediately after the election of the new President.
It is important to note that Russia is a country, whose inhabitants have a great respect for traditions. Russian Federation is quite archaic state in comparison with the United States or European countries, for example. If we assume that Vladimir Putin will cease to be the head of the Russia and Russians will choose another president, Russia won’t become more democratic. Moreover, there are a lot of the reasons why this country wouldn’t become more democratic after the death of its current president.
Let's start with that interesting fact that Russian citizens are accustomed to see a powerful (i.e. autocratic) person as the head of their state: starting from Ivan the Terrible and finishing with Vladimir Putin. There is such an amazing thing as the collective consciousness or the national psychology. This thing is transmitting from generation to generation, and people need a very long period of time and wise effective reforms to change their national psychology.
It is also important to note the memory of the Soviet Union, and the most famous leader of the USSR Joseph Stalin. In Russian Federation, there are a lot of people, who sincerely miss the Soviet Union (as they have been living in that interesting period of time); and these people appreciate the powerful authoritative head of state. Moreover, this admiration for the USSR is also typical of the young generation of Russian citizens, who were born after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union.
As we have already mentioned, one person cannot govern the whole state (especially such huge as the Russian Federation). We should understand that behind such famous president as Vladimir Putin stands his team, the people, who help him to govern the country and, for whom the current state of affairs in Russia is advantageous. It is quite possible to imagine that after the death of Mr. Putin the numerous politicians and industrialists would be promoting that candidate, who would be beneficial and “convenient” for them and, who would be customary for the majority of Russians.
As is well known, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, the supporters of the democratic regime and its opponents will be always present in every state. Consequently, if someone, who would be radically different from the previous president would become a new president of Russia, it’s quite probable a situation that in the country would start the uprising.
Of course, there will be the people, who will welcome the democratization, or rather the beginning of a hard way to its achievement. However, the majority of the Russian population is politically illiterate, and a huge number of people will be afraid of something new and different. Russian citizens are accustomed to despotic centralized power.
Moreover, the current president of the Russian Federation, Mr. Putin is using that social prejudices that have long been ingrained in the collective consciousness of Russians in very skillful and profitable (for him, of course) way.
Furthermore, even after the election of new president in Russia would be that people, who have been a part of Putin’s team, and they would act too! Political propaganda is very powerful thing, especially in Russian Federation. There would start something similar to the information war.
So, the Russian Federation will not become more democratic after the death of its current president; and there are many reasons why the democratization in Russia is very unlikely, even after the change of president. In contemporary Russia there are a lot of different problems. However, the most important of them is the national habit of tyrannical rulers, or rather the admiration for them.
Moreover, as we have already mentioned one person cannot govern the whole country. Consequently, those people, who can be called the Putin’s team will do everything possible in order to Russian Federation remain unchanged (i.e. not too democratic). After all, the process of democratization is very long and as usual, very painful.
