Would Differently Styled Elections Really Benefit Russia?

There has been a lot of laments and soul-searching both inside and outside Russia about the 'undemocratic' presidential elections.

But what were the alternatives? What if a Western-leaning liberal of the Yavlinsky kind was elected? Or another power-hungry oligarch keen on boosting his share of Soviet assets.

The nature of Russia's national political ethics is theocratic, very much along the lines of the Byzantine or Chinese Empires: the successor is chosen by his predecessor, or when the power is seized by the fittest. The theocratic system is only stable when power is transferred that way. Unfortunately, this system also requires a certain rigidity and information control to sustain. The very factors that ensure its survival in longer terms become its gravest downfalls: closed to criticism and gradual reform, it makes itself obsolete in the course of time, leaving no space for evolutionary changes more often than not it updates by way of revolutions and dramatic upheavals. If you analyse Russian history you can see that pattern in all of its major historical events.

One thing that Medvedev's rise to power assures is that Russia will continue on its way of becoming a kind of China: economically booming giant with limited freedom of expression. That means that it will be becoming more dominant and assertive economically and politically - something the Western powers hoped would never happen. The moment in the 90's to engage Russia in a more benign way was irrevocably lost - when Russians hoped to join the 'international community' and expected friendly assistance from the West, all they got were bad press and American spin doctors working hard to keep Russia down in the gutter. Now you will have to deal with Russia on her terms. Tough tits.