History / Poland-Russia: never-ending story? [1341]


Chechens are divided into different tribes. In 1996 they became independent de-facto as North Cyprus for example. But such tribal separation didn't permit them to create a de-facto state and centralized administration. Chechen authorities were interested in foreigners and mercenary. Besides that in situation of internal disasters an expansion was required. That was the reason why the attempted Daguestan occupation in 1999. They failed because the majority of Daguestan ethnics formed militias to defend their territory.

Russia had an opportunity to return Chechen terrorists to Chechnya and limit in this way its activities but that was before the elections and a complete victory over terrorism was required. That was the reason of the second Chechen war while the isolation of this region could become more profitable.

It should be stated that the man in the street is quite narrow-minded all over the world. It is quite uneasy for authorities to teach him complicated subjects especially when obscurantist communist opposition in situation of great misery of 90-s used primitive slogans about great victories.


The main challenge of Democracy all over the world today is that traditionally democratic states received it as heritage from previous generations and usually don't know the ways to establish it. Other countries can't use the West as adviser. I for example take more about democratic reforms and theory from British? American and Polish-Lithuanian history, and today western governmental and endowments activities in democratic reforms and human rights stimulation all over the world seem to be a real idiotism that contradicts western past.


The main thing Polish society can do for Russian liberals is to organize the translation of Polish History of 7 volumes into Russian as well as some books on history of 16-17 centuries because Polish-Lithuanian history is unknown in Russia and Golden Age is rejected as failed civilization. The translation of Pasek and Rzewuski books is also required.

But it is doubtful, Poles will do that because there is no sign you are going to reabilitate Sarmatism. Bar confederacy, Enlightment and Romantic ideals are still in vogue in Poland today and Sarmatism is a sinonym of obscurantism.

The model of Political nation is very important for Russia today but it is uneasy to promote it in case when even Polish historians describe it as anarchy.


Yes but you need the permission from EU. And what about your future position and reputation within the EU. EU will soon have to look for explanation why its relations not only with Russia but also with Turkish Republic Middle East etc. are deteriorated.

In Russian case the explanation can be already predicted. In 90-s the West had to concentrate its attention in Russia, to establish more controle and spend more force supporting democratic reforms and the growth of new Russian generation. In this case all states between Russia and the West such as Poland or Baltic countries won't be able to demand more economic aid by the reason of impossibility to protest. They could become democratic and pro western even without a special attention to them while Russia required more assistance.

But the West started isolating Russia and concentrated more attention in Poland and Baltic states. Many analysts predicted that could provoke a Weimar Russia but the West didn't pay attention to that ideas.

Turkish people were also offended because they lost their 40-years place in the queue to integrate EU.
Do you have any doubt new generation of western politicians will accuse previous ruling circles in Russia's isolation?
Do you have any doubt the man in the street in the West will believe that Poland and Baltic states are the main reason why relations with the rest of the world are deteriorated?

Well you will live with those who think so.


I don't know if Russian Saltykow-Szczedryn's novel The history of a town (Glupow town) is translated into Polish. If yes, read it. You wiil notice many similarities. That is an self-ironic novel of 19 century about slavs

History / Poland-Russia: never-ending story? [1341]


Unfortunately there is no respectable opposition in Russia today. Russia requires a liberal doctrine such as was in Great Britain in Victorian period or in Poland-Lithuania in 16-17 centuries, i.e. liberal economics and respect toward morals and majestas. Nothing of the sort in today Russian opposition.

That is the reason why while some 30 per cent of Russians are convinced liberals, "liberal" parties can't gain even 5 per cent at elections. They are considered by Russians as LIBERASTS, a term made in similarity with pederasts.

History / Poland-Russia: never-ending story? [1341]

As to free media:
I didn't notice any freedom restriction on TV since 90-s. That doesn't mean that TV in Russia is free. That means only that it depended upon oligarchy in 90-s and now upon Government. But now Tv materials correspond common public opinion more than in 90-s - nobody in Russia shall deny that.

I'm sure intellectuals all over the world should abandon TV by its man in the street orientation and choose internet.

No killed journalists in Poland? And what about Italy in 70-s? Less than 50 murdered? Are you sure? There were only criminal terrorism and no separatist armed conflicts. Russia has separatists rebels as well as great money traffic.

History / Memories of the Polish communist era [115]


Yes Kulak is translated as fist.
But rich peasants as grossbauer in German also canned "fists" or kulaks.
Thet meant that the rich and hard working peasant Fist or Kulak is strong, seems to be agressive in defending his interests as if he shakes his fist at someone. Or he is the man who can keep his farm in his fist, control and strongly protect it.

In communist period kulak became a derrogatory term among communist. They said kulak is a rural capitalist. In 1929-30 kulaks' farms were confiscated and they all were sent to exile. Some to other villages of the same district the lived before, other kulaks to Siberia. Many of their familiars died by hunger. It should be mentioned that very few of opressed kulaks were rich by using worker's labour. The majority of them used the work of their families only. But they worked hard and had more profits. That was their main crime in Soviet Union.

This word came to Poland from Russian.

History / Memories of the Polish communist era [115]


Although I'm not Michal, I think I can answer because I'm Russian and remember well the late Cummunism in the Soviet Union. Of corse Michal will give his own answer.

In 80 Russians were admired by the West. For them Western Europe was a symbol of wealthy life and justice. Democracy and complete unexistence of everything they hated at home.

After Michal departure in 1984 Gorbachov came to power, communism ruined. Russians in its majority (some 70%) were very enthisiastic toward future union with the West and western influence in democracy and human rights. prowestern candidates to different parlaments gained more than 70-90% if their rivals were prosoviets.

That dissapeared in 90 when living standarts went down and the West violated gentleman agreement concerning NATO non expansion and in general stated that ruined Russia won't be able to oppose/ Russians became antioccidental when they felt the West is isolating them.

But if you visit Russia you won't feel hostility. Today after many years Russia doesn't have inferiority complex that existed all the years I remenber myself (I'm 43)


You also visited Kharkov?

History / Memories of the Polish communist era [115]


That was permited in Soviet Union in 70-80 to people who was able to give a clear explanation where he gained these money. For example those who worked in Soviet firms abroad.

In reality there was a great black market in Soviet Union


I think I can tell you. There was an exchange of students between Soviet Union and UK in 1950-1990. Some Soviet students of good loyalty to communism (apparent of course) could study some 5 mounths in UK and British stodents in Soviet Union/ That was only for phylologists and this exchange was quite reduced but it was.

Life / Army National Service in Poland [95]


Let us judge on English History. English revolution and King Charles murder. Let us be closer to today. Chartist movement and marxist-anarchist ideas. Who saved UK? Police? Regular Army? Who was the most initiative at Peterloo? Who was able to cope with 60 000 lumpens?

Did you forget that at the beginning of 19 century there was a special tax to support lumpens? Did you forget many poor people who worked hard were ruined by this tax and left for USA? Did you forget that aristocracy ruined them by the idea to make the life of inactive people better? Active candidats to middle class were sacrificed for beggers' good life. Nothing strange that irregulars, middle classers, not rich people, were so agressive at Peterloo.

And as to middle class victory in 19 century, that occured because middle classers were quite united and high class found it more easy to use them without special attention to lumpens.

What about today? Is that a foolish idea that Government takes money from active British people to support inactive? That is the beginning of future disaster.

As to Russia, nobody was able to imagine future even in 1916. communists composed some 0.05%.
No different states. Only militias are different. Russia in 1917 had none.
By the way, Frederick Forsyth didn't describe Russia. UK only

Life / Army National Service in Poland [95]


I didn't mean muslim terrorists. I think Ben Laden gains more from the exagerated reaction than from the actions by itself. Terrorists seem to be unable to be even compared with traffic accidents by victims. And medicals mistakes can kill many times more people. That is the reality

I didn't mean race wars. I can agree: it sounds funny.
I only remember a book written by Frederick Forsyth The Fourth Protocol.
I'm sure you read it.
Don't think I examine as serious the described by Forsyth attempt of some laborist partisans to come illegally to power. No, I tell you quite a different thing: Forsyth managed to show that each society is quite defenceless if it meets a well organized group all over the country.

Only wide public militia as in the past can cope with such organizations.
Now there is no danger. EU assures public stability in each Nation member. But nobody is sure it will be forever. And if such state militia isn't prepared beforehand it is always too late when such danger appears. No regular structures are able to cope with most strong dangers to the Nation. That is the rule described some 80 years ago following Russian Revolution. Only state militia.

That is my idea

Life / Army National Service in Poland [95]

The majority of states dissapeared not by foreign agression but buy internal plots and rebels. Do you know anything about British internal risks and will you be able to resist in such situation?

History / Memories of the Polish communist era [115]


Michal
,
It is a great asset to be behind you...
It may be a great success for Russia or Poland if our countries manage to have the same social and ideological basis UK had more than 100 years ago during Victorian period.

You think Poland is behind. But in what? In moral and honour? There are not so many moral people but - I'm sure that more than in today UK.

You say Poles are behind... Well, why must they abandon many principles of old Europe UK had in Victorian period?
Are they behind because "post-Christian epoch" is declared by many Western people and few Christians live in the West as in Jewish ghetto? It is still not the reality of Poland.

You noticed some Polish fear? But what is its origin? No prospect of a new partition exists but they are still in fright. Yuo think it is not rational. I don't share your opinion. Poles are afraid to loose something prior to high living standarts, i.e. Christian values. They don't want to become as today Western people. I'm refering to the best Poles of course, even en UK you can see their worst representatives.

But here in this forum the many Poles seem to be quite intellectual. Sometimes they are not able to express their fear in clear words (it is quite uneasy when everything is against us: communist past and today West European "values"), but the real fear is that.

Michal,
Poland is quite a different country even some 300-400 years ago but I don't thing that is because Poles are behind the West.
English king Henry the VIII imposed separation from Catholic Church by the desire to divource. He was strongly protected by nobels interested in partition of Church lands. Few Catholics were strongly persecuted and many were killed.

Protestantism was also common in Poland but Poles managed to cope with that without inquisition. Only disputes among Catholic and Protestants convinced Poles that Catholicism had more truth than Calvinism. Note: People in the street were anxious about the Truth, not Church lands partition.

Why should they become different now?

You are talking about economy only? About social culture.
But I'm sure when the best Poles elaborate principles and methods or resistance to "post-Christian concept" they will take your economic and social experience much more faster.


It is described as greatest progress the fact that some 10% of UK Nation received the right to elect parlamentarians in 1832.
Poland and Lithuania had the same percentage of voters some 300 years before the UK


Michal,

We all can remember the 90 when Russia as well as Poland was overcrowded by advicers from USA and UK who were trying to impose to governmental structures their vision of democratic development in East Europe.

Democracy and high living standarts in USA and UK were like a heritage of past generations and that guys didn't know at all methodology of Civic society construction. They could teach only some today USA and UK standarts without any attention to previous measures taken by their ancestors. Despite their complete ignorance of algorytms of Civic society formation they all were full of energy and superiority complex.

The didn't only advice. Using weak situation in East European countries they opmosed their ideas.
They were ready in some situations to give money (taken from you, Michal) but they never give any precious and adecute advice.

These are only my meditations. Now pure facts:
1. No persons as Issigonis with Mini of 1959 (500 pounds when average salary was more than 150 pounds),
No persons as Levitt from the USA (cottages for USD 7000 in 1949 when average familiar income was more than USD 300).
Do you think many Poles want to gain money in the UK if cottages are for some USD 15 000 or cars for Usd 2500?
Levitt told that a man with cottage will never become communist. And never extremist I shall add. But the main idea of British and American advisers was that everybody should be happy of democracy and abstract Human Rights in Uncle Tom's cabin. Or everybody should work hard, forget about educating children etc. for becoming able to pay more for houses and cars. As far as I know even more rich Western European and americans want to have low cost cars and houses. Many of them have a great nostalgia toward cheap Levittown and unexpensive cars.

2. In the opinion of that advicers people in East Europe should work hard and pay taxes and the rest should be assured by public servants, army, police and secret police who are - being centralyzeed, organized and armed - are only servants of middle classers and business. Servants closer to slaves.

No idea that organized people with force may refuse the status of servants.
Pay attention to the USA. After Independence the complete Regular Army dismissal. On ly state irregulars that were unable in their majority to use praetorian force against government or rebel against the United states. And a weak regular police. Till today no federal police bodies in the USA.

You want to see the result. Well compare USA with Latin America. The same start, but regular army and police in Latin America became the main danger to the Civic society. Many rebels and if there are no rebels that means that Presidents obeys generals and don't contradict them. Presidents in Latin American states are forced in majority of cases to forget middle classers' interests if they contradict military interests.

Only imagine that UK didn't have irregular army and special constabulary in 19 century. Only regular army and police. All marxist ideas sooner or later could overcome in Great Britain. Or an oligarchy of aristocracy dictatorship.

People in former communist countries weren't taught any irregular resistence preparations to defend if possible middle class interests. USA and UK advicers didn't give that idea. A double protection of a stupid idea that authorities should take care of popular security!

Now the East Europeans start studying Western experience. Without any bad advocers. It is quite uneasy after many years of communism and nearly 20 years Western "protection and care". It results that you are behind your Victorian ancestors. You don't know the algorytms of Civic society and still think civilization is the merit of your generation

Life / Army National Service in Poland [95]


Amathyst,

The point is that some 3/4 of regular armies in Europe and Russia is a budget vampirism. Some 3/4 exist not by necessity but by dependence of politicians upon military structures and militarist propaganda that is always stupid but the man in the street believes it

Life / Army National Service in Poland [95]


So great antarctic territory is appropriated by Argentina and Chile despite the complete irrecognition of this by nearly all Nations.
South American example reaches Arctis now.

News / How does Poland imagine other countries see her? [84]


Not for today. Some 4-5 stations more. In that perioud I lived near metro station Новые Черемушки on your line. Now I left for Sokol.
Moscow is better now but so many cars. I think we should use cars only to get metro station because it can take you some 3 hours to cover some 10 miles in central part. Communism didn't prepare Russians for car travelling.

Moscow is expensive for buying apartments. That is the desease of today life. I'm sure with the development of Internet and transport province will become more popular.

Not so long ago I met one Mini by Issigonis near my house. I spent some 2 hours watching. What a masterpiece! How could Englishmen substitute it by today Cooper!

News / How does Poland imagine other countries see her? [84]

You will remember everything. Russia is better now. The main thing for today is the reduction of contrasts between Moscow and province. That is the sign of last two-three years.

There are many English-speaking people. English is taught in schools since the first year i.e. when a boy is only some 7 years old.
Russians seem to be pleased by life now. Average salary from some 150 dollars turned to be 500 dollars in some 4 years.

News / How does Poland imagine other countries see her? [84]


Visit Russia again. You won't recognize it. Live not only in Moscow but also in other cities, such as Vladimir. Russia becomes better every year. There were some 40 churches in 1987 and now more than 500.

History / Memories of the Polish communist era [115]


A few words about the Soviet Union. I'm 43.
We were always told by parents (my Dad was communist party servant), elder friends and in most cases by the friends of our parents or parents of our school mates everything is a lie. But that didn't seem as ideological anti-communist propaganda. Such teaching didn't touch communist doctrine in general. There was another way.

We were taught in different situations how to act. Without any criticism of communism. Bur all the advices contradicted communist ideology.
We were told that one should do its best to avoid army service. That is for workers and peasants not for intellectuals.
We were told one should make his own career. The slogans about the communist constructing are for stupid people, not for postgraduates.
We were told that without young communist membership and later communist party any good living standart is impossible while the oficial ideology was tht no communist should think about his own profit.

Although it was declared that workers compose the leading class, we were told in nearly all situations that only intellectuals are good in Soviet Union.

There were very few convinced communists and they never had a good career. Communist in a talk between individuals sound smth. ironical. Different party members said in private conversations that they weren't communists but party members. That looked more honest: communist is stupid, party member has good prospects.

Nobody declared that openly. Only in private way.
But there was a common way to laugh at communism openly: to give publically an evidently exagerated quality to Soviet Union. To declare for example that Soviet cars are the best in the world. Everybody will understand you are joking but there are no ways to proove you are laughing at Soviets.

To finish,

I described you only an honest behaviour. The ideas of noble people who made much for me and other people. I didn't describe for example negative ideas of black market activists. I shall state that there was no way to protest against communism for many years. All the honest protests could be only of that sort. But they were.

Life / Army National Service in Poland [95]


Do you really think it is possible. That was during the partition of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 18 century. Prussia and Austria were in cooperation with Russia. Now it is impossible or what for EU exists?

In 1939 Soviet Union also invaded East Poland. That was the result of Communism/ Communist doctrine orders expansion.
As to today...
Russia is strong only in case of satisfactory living standarts or authorities won't be able to cope with public. Expansion toward the West won't make living standarts higher.

There are some extremists in Russia. But they all think Some Russian-speaking provinces in neighbouring states should have a prospect to become Russian (East Ukraine, North Kazachstan etc). Such ideas are popular among Russians but mostly over 50 years old. I don't think it is a strong conviction. Today it is possible to persuade nearly each Russian partisan of this idea only by saying that it can carry the state to less profits and that money he has will go to the strengthening of these territories.

As to Poland no idea. No profits there, no prospects.
As to regular armies they are abundant in Poland as well as in Russia, Ukraine and Belorus. That occures because armies commands are souvereign players in political life of the region and it is impossible to cope with these groups.


Do your familiars have experience in irregular service? For example in territorial army?

History / Worst Polish leader Lech Kaczynski or King Stanislaw Poniatowski? [44]


Black sea beach was strongly controlled by RP in that period? Or that was only a formal border?

History / Worst Polish leader Lech Kaczynski or King Stanislaw Poniatowski? [44]


Poland never was friom sea to sea. You are talking about Great Lithuania in 16 century.
As for today this is not the ideal for Poles.
As far as I know...

UK, Ireland / 713,000 new foreign workers in UK [44]


Are you sure?
I think the attitude will become equal. The only thing that is the obstacle for today are the stereotypes. There were many Polish imigrants (Slavs and Jews) since even the 19 century and less people from Baltic states.

As to Poles and people from Asia, that is another question. You may ask why people don't pay attention to similarity of Poles while alien imigrants is a greater danger. That's clear to me. In Russia there are foreigners from Asia and Russian-speaking from Ukraine. Russians are frightened be people from the East but they also want to feel superiority over ethnic Russians with foreign passports. That is sometimes more attractive to feel superiority over the same white european man as you are.

I think many Brits have the same attitude.
I wish we knew more social psycology. That can explain much.

Puzzler,

There should be also other reasons why Brits are sometimes loyal to Russians.
There was a research of attitide toward Russians in different europen states. The best attitude was in Orthodox countries. They were followed by Slovakia. After Slovakia appears UK.

I think the main reason is a strong British opposition to today government.
Brits think government involved Nation into different conflicts all over the world, especially into Iraq conflict. They think government is trying to participate in Russian clans fight within former KGB and business and as a result confront with the whole Nation. That isn't the idea of the majority but of a high percentage. The result is sympathy towars simple Russians away from these clans.

If UK government supports openly liberast opposituon to moral Poles and confront the most representative Polish society, the result will be the same. I think this may occure in case of any gay manifestation in Poland support by British ruling circles. The majority of Brits who are naturally unable to superate its negative attitude toward perverts will be indignated by government and they may love Poles more for their confrontation with Brown government.

UK, Ireland / 713,000 new foreign workers in UK [44]


There are lots of Russian speaking people in Baltic states. They don't feel prospects there and have opportunity to work legally in other European states. In Latvia and Estonia Russian speaking people do their best to be good in English. Nearly the majority of them is preparing to leave for UK. Many of them has already left. That are some 500 000 in general. That is the reason I asked you about their citizenship.

Their total number should be greater than the number of Poles (if it is not so now it will be so). Besides that the persentage of those who has come from Latvia or Esronia to stay in UK forever should be higher than the percentage of Poles. Poles usually return home and these people don't usialli consider Latvia or Estonia is a better home that UK

Being a Pole you can realize these people are Russian speaking. And as to Brits. Do you think the man in the street can determine their ethnicity by language or knows a characteristic way of behaving and speaking? For Brits they are from Baltic states as passports show.

That's the reason why Brits think Russians came to waste money only: People with Russian passports don't frequiently work in UK. If they work, they do it among intellectuals without high grade of xenofoby.

As to Russian speaking workers their nationality in major cases isn't Russian but Ukranian or Baltic

UK, Ireland / 713,000 new foreign workers in UK [44]


Where do they work? As workers? Or ans programists, researchers etc?
If they are workers, is the majority from Russia? Not Lithuania, Layvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus or Moldova?
As far as I know workers can have good jobs in Russian megapolis without imigration problems.
Prostitutes and those who are looking for adventures chose Spain.

UK, Ireland / 713,000 new foreign workers in UK [44]


We are discussing public attitude sometimes irrational. Polish government also tryes to attract workers from Ukraine for badly paid jobs and I'm sure that will also cause public fear as it happens in UK. Many imigrants are in Russia. They are also personae non gratae. Public doesn't differ those who want to naturalize and those who are going to live for some 2-3 years to gain money.

Public in its majority is unable to analyze

UK, Ireland / 713,000 new foreign workers in UK [44]

Sofi,
The main idea of this topic is that many foreign workers penetrate into UK and nobody knows exactly how much as well as the places they receive the work.

But that shouldn't be so. You for example know the concrete examples. Other people kow the same about their working place.
Did you think about publishing information about imigrants in your factory in Internet? If everybody does the same Brits will have the complete information.


It was informed their total number for UK is approximately 200 000. But they didn't come to work. Only to spend money gained within Russia. People with great capital already gained and sufficient to spend the rest of life in UK. Or the familiars of businessmen who is still in Russia.

Maybe this is the main reason why they are accepted better: they only spend money in UK and don't occupy working places.

UK, Ireland / 713,000 new foreign workers in UK [44]

Amathyst,

What do you think about prospects of Special Constabulary and Police supporting teams among residents?
Ilegals are always united. Nobody of them seem to survive without mutual help of an underground community. And as to Native Englishmen?
I ask this question because as far as I know during the WWII UK was full of refugees, and nobody could guarantee they all were sincere, there was no criminals and German spies among them.

The majority of policemen left for regular army and they were substituted by less strong pensioneers.
Despite that there was a strong and total controle over the territory (except some London districts). And that controle was in majority irregular.
Home Guard beind weak for rejacting a possible German invasion, was able to controle each inch of British territory osing the force of very young and very old men only. Special Contabulary also permitted a strict order.

The activities of criminals and spies were seriously obstacled, more obstacled than ilegals' activitied by regular and high asalaried police.

Life / Will Poland become like the UK ? [93]


Michal you accuse East Europeans. You think they are so primitive.
But aren't your leaders, people you elect as more clever, also primitive?
As you describe you aren't East Europe frequent visitor. So you don't know West leaders spare a lion's share of your personally taxes on "educating" us in the way you described above.

Your politicians think the East should atmit today western standarts without any political and social preparation. Many western endowments make propaganda of today values without any interest to transitorial stages. Some prepare coloured revolution against superior power without any attention to the damaged social system on the whole in our countries.

All these steps and standarts aren't proposed. They are all imposed by different ways. And as to consequencies, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Russia should assume the complete rosponsability.

I wish you commented...

UK, Ireland / The true about the British People [51]


I don't think it is funny. This is a great problem for British people. The best of them are trying to cope with. I gave you some information about different ways.

As to "funny facts", will you give the same about Poland to make us all be sure it is not an Anglophobia?

UK, Ireland / The true about the British People [51]


Zion, what heppens to you?
I only commented your post. It is for comments, isn't it?
And what do you want? Admiration by Anglophobia?
I'm sure you can be of the same use for Poland as these British "critics" to UK

UK, Ireland / The true about the British People [51]

I'm Russian. I don't have reasons to love British foreign policy.
But as to that blog...
These are very durty pages prepared by some marginals. One can make the same photos in each capital all over the world. One can tell stories like these about some residents of each city of all states.

Each Nation has problems. Problems are concentated in megapolis. There are people in UK anxious about the improvement of living condutions. There are those who are looking for ways to improve.

Many people are trying to controle their streets, to look after the order in area surrounding their houses. British police supporting teams created by pensioners are known and attract attention in many places outside UK. Many younger people spend their time after work in gratuite service as special constables. There are other examples of public activities in UK.

And these guys not so old and more strong can only condemn without proposing any measure how to cope with deficiencies.
And what about us? We are reading this with interest. We are discussing. But do we pay the same attention to opinions, activities of active Englishmen? We do our best to listen to the opinions of supporting teamers, special constables, British territorial army irregulars? We read their blogs with attention? We even know their blogs?

Is situation in Poland or Russia much better than in London. Don't we have the same degenerates and perverts?

History / My Opinion about the Former President Walesa, Lech [28]

Joe,
There is a great difference between you and ordinary Russian. Russians think The top of political system is responsable for everything. People should only follow chiefs or reject superior authorities if they "are agains people". New heroes wil come to power and nomine good leutenants, they in turn will choose their commands and the man in the street will be protected.

Russians think they should work and pay taxes and public servants, police, secret service and army will become their servants. They have arms, force, system but they can't use it against defenseless middle classers by any instinct. And President always has force over them and they can't rebel against him except his policy is antipopular.

No one can deny such rule doesn't work. February revolution 1917 was a pure praetorian rebel that opened way to Russia to Communism. Andropov mentioned by you was for Soviet leader Brezhnev smth like Hoover for US presidents, i.e. blackmail professonal.

Russians know that but for them it is only an injustice against them without any idea that middle classers (not invalids, sick people unable to move) may controle streets and towns and in this way prevent any preatorianism upstairs and Human Rights violation on their level. They don't even imagine that during war soldiers are against soldiers not generals. No, they think they must support some upper "Patriotic Forces" in their struggle against oligrchs by voting only and everything will be OK.

Every time such campaign fails Russians are sad. They behave themselves as if they are little babies abandoned by their parents. Parents forgot their duties and a little baby isn't capable to do anything by himself.

That's common Russian psycology. Pardon Poles but I'm sure you have the same psycology.
It should be noted that not only domestic politicians exploit it but also foreign ones as for example author of coloured revolutions Sharp.
That occures because first we were taught as slaves.
Besides that any efficient militia ended here in 18 century it was developping in UK and USA

American intellectuals like you who know American history realize well that each duty of public servants any law on Human Rights is only a sheet of paper for wc if they are not supported by even some 10% of population organized as minutemen.

People like you know that if there is an hierarchy of armed men parallel to other social hierarchy, if some salaried and organized people exist to "defend" defenseless and unorganized people, sooner or later they will become their masters.

It is not important to spend much force to Americans like you that oligarchs upstairs are less dangerous than lumpens nearby. And that middle class militia is the only efficient way to make lumpens work without claiming to share with them manufactured by other people.

Joe, you are free American. You know American history. If you share you knowledge on algorytms of local defence with Russians that may be the greatest contribution any American did for Russia.