Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998
From: Fred Weir in Moscow
For the Hindustan Times
MOSCOW (HT Sept 1) -- Russia's warring politicians are
accusing each other of inciting chaos and popular revolt
following parliament's rejection of Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime
minister.
But a street survey of average Russians in downtown
Moscow Monday found them furious with their leaders but
disinclined to take to the streets.
``It's sickening to watch this happening. Schoolchildren
are generally smarter and better behaved than these
politicians,'' said Galina Polischuk, a 50-year old primary
school principal.
``The country is in a terrible state. Children are going
hungry and teachers aren't being paid, and all they have for us
is conflict and bombast. I wish they would all go to hell.''
Russia's fragile economy has been unravelling for weeks,
and ordinary Russians have begun to feel the pain. After the
rouble was devalued, peoples' savings evaporated and prices
jumped. A wave of bank failures has added to the general sense of
collapse.
But the crisis became a full-blown political one Monday
when the Communist-led State Duma rejected President Boris
Yeltsin's appointment of Mr. Chernomyrdin as prime minister. That
is not the last word -- the Duma must vote three times on the
issue -- but it means the country is left without a legitimate
government while politicians battle and the economy nosedives.
``If this chaos lasts for several more weeks, it may
happen that there will be neither Communists nor us,'' Mr.
Yeltsin's parliamentary representative Alexander Kotenkov said
Monday, urging the Duma to vote for Mr. Chernomyrdin. ``I mean
popular uprising, merciless and senseless.''
Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov also invoked the
spectre of mass revolt if Yeltsin refuses to give parliament the
additional constitutional powers it wants to deal with the
crisis.
``If we fail to reach an agreement here, everything will
spill out onto the streets,'' Mr. Zyuganov said.
But Ms. Polischuk says that's nonesense.
``I don't know what it's like in other parts of Russia,
but no one here wants to turn a terrible situation into
catastrophe,'' she said. ``Revolution won't solve anything. A
little bit of sensible cooperation and hard work by politicians
just might.''
Moscow has fared better in post-Soviet years than much of
the country, because it is the seat of power and has received the
lion's share of foreign investment.
But the new middle class, which has suffered
disproportionately in the financial meltdown, is heavily
concentrated in Moscow. If their mood were to turn ugly the
consequences could be far worse than any isolated revolt in
Russia's far-flung provinces.
``Stability in a few big cities, like Moscow, is crucial
to the survival of the Yeltsin government,'' says Alexander
Konovalov, an expert at the independent Institute of Strategic
Assessments.
``If this crisis brings financial ruin to the majority in
those cities, it could bring people into the streets. It would be
very close to a revolutionary situation.''
But only one of ten Muscovites questioned Monday said the
hour to rise up has already struck.
``We have been humiliated for years by this gang of
thieves,'' said Serafima Nikolayeva, a 70-year old pensioner who
said she's been a Communist all her life. ``Let Zyuganov give the
call, and I'm ready to fight at any time.''
Nikolai Bordovoi, a 34-year old bank worker, agreed that
something radical should be done to end the country's tailspin,
but said that mass action is not the way.
``I believe a strong man is needed to straighten things
out,'' he said. ``That's the Russian way. And if a strong man
seizes power and starts to do what's needed here, I will support
him.''
Most others said they were too disgusted with politics in
general, too exhausted by years of turmoil or too absorbed in the
daily struggle for survival to think about taking to the streets.
Analysts say the absence of any opposition force with
mass support, and a perceived lack of credible alternatives to
integrating Russia with the capitalist world market, are major
reasons today's situation -- though it is dire -- is not yet
verging on social explosion.
``I hate Yeltsin and I hate Chernomyrdin, but I hate the
Communists more,'' said Yevgeny Kramer, a 26-year old music
student. ``They are all stupid, but revolution is more stupid.
``I feel sorry for Russia, that it has no leaders who can
rise to meet this crisis. I really fear a disaster is coming. But
when it does I'll be home with my family, not in the streets
shouting.''
--
Gregory Schwartz
Dept. of Political Science
York University
4700 Keele St.
Toronto, Ontario
M3J 1P3
Canada
Tel: (416) 736-5265
Fax: (416) 736-5686
Web: http://www.yorku.ca/dept/polisci
