Russian experts set the stage for Putin’s eight-year ruling.
Xinhuanet Special: Putin’s eight-year presidency has come to an end. Unlike other historical periods in Russia, his administration has not "subverted" but transformed Russia. Russian newspaper recently published an exclusive interview with Mikhail gorshkov, director of the Institute of Social Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and ruslan Griinberg, director of the Institute of Economic Studies. Experts believe that Putin, as a national leader, has adopted a high-level and rational method and has outstanding organizational skills, thus achieving success.
On February 23rd, Russian President Vladimir Putin skied in Red Pogliana, a ski resort in Sochi, southern Russia. Xinhua News Agency/AFP
Reporter: Putin is leaving office soon, but his support rate has climbed to an unimaginable level. However, people are impulsive, and sometimes, they are more driven by inner demands than rationality. As experts, which achievements of Putin do you think are indisputable?
Gorshkov (Director, Institute of Social Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician of Communication): Putin’s main achievement is that he resolved the systemic crisis facing the country. Systemic crisis is terrible because it can destroy all the basic elements of social life. The economic crisis spread to the social field, and the social crisis led to political turmoil, thus forming a chain reaction. To turn things around, 1978 is undoubtedly a very short historical period. Different people have different opinions on Putin, but they have to affirm his achievement. In the history of the country, these eight years are comparable to the first 10 years of the Soviet regime. At that time, at the expense of great efforts, we overcame the economic collapse, reduced the illiteracy rate, and solved the social problem of homeless children. It is a shame that we can’t do anything about the latter now …
The second achievement of the "Putin era" is that the living standard of most citizens has risen from an unacceptably low level in the past to at least acceptable. Of course, it should be emphasized that it is acceptable at least. However, this change has benefited most people.
The third contribution is to achieve stability in the main aspects of social life. Some people may question it, but it is obvious to all. As sociologists, we have found Putin’s fourth contribution in recent years’ research, and the state has created the necessary macroeconomic, social, political and macro-psychological (which is particularly important) premise for the sustainable development of society.
Of course, this economic, social and psychological achievement also has a "fifth element". Although the energy and raw materials market is very good, which is a favorable factor for "falling from the sky", it does not depend on ourselves, but Russia now has a fairly solid foundation, and we don’t know enough about it. If we focus on "investment in people" earlier and more seriously, we can completely ask for more benefits from good objective conditions.
It is no accident that the people "advance trust" in the country.
A few years ago, when answering questionnaires such as "Who are you?", respondents often claimed that they belonged to a certain nationality or were residents of a certain city. In recent two or three years, the most common answer was: "I am Russian!" The number of people who gave this answer is twice as high as in the past. This is not only the growth of citizens’ self-awareness, but also the natural generate of emotions! I saw the tiny but real premise of Russian national unity and the formation of a citizen country.
Reporter: Is this also Putin’s achievement?
Gorshkov: Not just. But this reflects his long-sleeved dance in the diplomatic arena. We all admit that in the 1990s, after the sudden collapse of great powers, many people didn’t know what kind of country they lived in. Respondents can’t clearly answer what Russia stands for. But today, ordinary people can give their own answers. Russia is a country with its own development goals, and it can bravely express and defend these goals without having to beg for mercy in front of the West.
Sociological research leads us to the conclusion that the upsurge of patriotism can even make up for the lack of material conditions to a great extent (the current situation in recent years). This is a special feature of Russian self-awareness: as long as we have reasons to be proud of our motherland, we can endure many hardships.
Griinberg (Director, Institute of Economics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Communication Academician): When Yeltsin appointed Putin as Prime Minister, a German radio station interviewed me: "Do you think he will become the new president?" I couldn’t help laughing: "Of course not! A president with a support rate of only 2% has appointed his successor. Who will be kind enough to vote for the latter? " It turned out that I was wrong. It seems that I don’t know or understand my compatriots. This is a great lesson for me.
Putin took power when the country was struggling. In the reform era, people not only learned to live, but also got used to living. They hoped that the situation would be more stable. It should be said that Putin has done many things. Of course, subjective and objective factors cannot be completely separated. By the time he was elected for the first term, the country had already walked out of the bottom of the crisis, that is, the gloom in 1998. Then, the price of oil soared rapidly, which was a pie in the sky for the Russian economy. However, we can’t underestimate the significance of Putin’s line: order takes precedence over anarchy and "law is supreme" (although in many ways this is more like a flashy rhetoric). In 2000, people looked forward to all this, just like the fisherman facing a broken basin in The Story of the Fisherman and the Golden Fish. Although the law is still not satisfactory, order has finally been established. It should be admitted that Putin did not live up to expectations.
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