The Crimean crisis has given Putin a new lease of popular support, but the effect will not last forever. For ordinary Russians the reality of life is too hard to be ignored for too long. Over the past year an increasingly radical mood has been developing in Russia amongst the youth and criticism of corruption and inequality has become more widespread. In Putins speech there is a clear warning that the elite is preparing to use the current situation of confrontation with US imperialism to their advantage on the home front, if need be: “Some Western politicians are already threatening us with not just sanctions but also the prospect of increasingly serious problems on the domestic front. I would like to know what it is they have in mind exactly: action by a fifth column, this disparate bunch of ‘national traitors’, or are they hoping to put us in a worsening social and economic situation so as to provoke public discontent? We consider such statements irresponsible and clearly aggressive in tone, and we will respond to them accordingly.” What Putin is hinting at is that social unrest will not be tolerated. In the next period it will become clearer to anyone in Russia what this means in practice. The ruling class will resort to any means at their disposal in order to defend their privileges if the workers and youth of Russia dare demand better conditions for themselves. We are confident the workers in Russia and internationally will respond to the capitalists accordingly.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 23:15:15 +0000