Dmitry Oreshkin
Photo: Kommersant

Welcome back to Asia, dear Russians.

Does anyone doubt that Putin will remain? One hundred and eighteen times it was predicted and discussed. Then what about noisy men? Unless the rape occurred in a particularly cynical, perverted form? Also seems to be no. Normal is rape, nothing personal. Branded in the corporate style. People’s noise appears to be due to a revival of interest in politics (did you get finally?) and offset of the pole from the revelations of world imperialism to the events of the inner life. That is an alarming sign. It is also interesting that people discuss the topic outside of and in addition to the television Director. Somehow it became clear that on TV lie…

There is a basic signs of a return to the late Soviet situation. This only could be talked about. However, the world is arranged so that not talking about the stream, and that stream carries on the surface. Floating on the surface quite obvious. None of the variants of the transit of power from Putin to Putin at this moment not lost its relevance. Only changed the pace and priority. “The Belarusian scenario” due to the bullish obstinacy Farther retreated to the backyard. But not cooled down completely: if Lukashenka something happens (anything can happen in life!), is the fraternal peoples of the East will pass by this opportunity? No, it will not pass. So, lies somewhere in the table and the corresponding action plan. But not under letters “A” or “B” and “L”. The letter “B” now designated the option of becoming the Plenipotentiary of the Prime Minister. But a big, fat letter “A” clearly went to constitutional reform.

In his signature unpredictable style of President Putin is doing to the triviality of predictable policy, which can be described in one simple word: scoop. Yes, much smaller and not made of carbon cast iron, and plastic nanoparticles. And a sandbox is also markedly decreased in size. But his friends played it as selfless. Again, build for the people a brighter future — naturally, with a topping. It is known that it is necessary to strengthen the vertical, to unite the workers around the only correct line and repel the attacks. The strengthening of the vertical observed in three directions: hardware position Putin personally; statists Andrei Belousov with his projects on the economy; the destruction of the remnants of civil government at the municipal level. Let’s start with the latter. Putin proposed to amend the Constitution article 132 and 133, which should be recorded that the local governments and public authorities are included in the “uniform system of public authority” and must work together to carry out “public functions and powers”.

The 1993 Constitution on the European model clearly separates state power at the Federal level and regions on the level of municipal self-government. Upstairs great leaders to solve their sovereign tasks, and downstairs inhabitants live by themselves. Pay tops taxes, but in your rural or urban economy to decide whom to put at the head of the district Council or urban settlement. The roots of this principle of separation of powers goes to the Magdeburg city law, which laid the Foundation for a long and successful growth of cities in Northern Europe. In our history it Lord Novgorod the Great, which grew yourself quite on a par with other Hanseatic towns, as long as it (together with the city rights) slammed famous statists Ivan the terrible. Then Novgorod, to compete with Riga and Stockholm, for a long time (if not forever) retreated to the level of a quiet regional center in which is worthy of attention except that it remains a wonderful medieval buildings. As the memory of those free and glorious times. But as it has strengthened and increased the vertical!

And now the most important and enduring constitutional amendment destroys the city, and with the Stalinist model (which he consciously borrowed from Grozny) to regain total managerial hierarchy. Even the godforsaken County. The party Central Committee commanded the regional committees, the regional committees commanded the city, and the city was in command of the district committees. The best option for holding a monolithic centralized policy — for example, if you need a war and total mobilization.

But if suddenly the world, God forbid?! In peacetime, this option stifles economic initiative and inhibits territorial development — look at the sad example of Veliky Novgorod, and all other izmyzgany Soviet province with three sheets broken roads and housing. And with a predictable ending. By the way, after Ivan from a province in Russia was even worse. The hunger, the desolation, the state institutions are destroyed. The roads charité warlords with their freedom-loving thugs-militias… it took several generations to make the earth more or less licked the wounds of the great statists.

The organic aisle to the majestic building majestic vertical serve national projects, along with their selfless inspiration Belousov. Once the territories have neither the money nor the authority to make, must wait for the Supreme grace in the form of subsidies to maintain the pants and, if lucky, include in the next major (“target”) of the project. At the Center of the fictional, from the Center koordiniruyutsya and from there funded. Crimean bridge, the Sochi Olympics, the Eastern spaceport… Or, if we take the earlier times, the nuclear project, space, development of virgin lands, the transfer of Siberian rivers, center, colonization of the moon by the year 2020, the plan is to catch up and overtake Portugal in GDP per capita…

All this is great and love involved in the process of management and allocation of comrades. But somehow it always ends with the appearance on the map of the Motherland exhibition of the phenomena of the type of ENEA, luxury Moscow metro or Baikonur against the backdrop of deteriorating and crumbling fabrics of other territories. It’s at best; at worst — there is just another Potemkin village. Not to mention earth, who are not lucky enough to get to focus favorable attention of the Centre. No luck, of course, the most: the country is big, and the money and projects ‘ is not enough. In turn, you sons of bitches!

And because we all know well what end such stories. A generation after the terrible turmoil. A generation after Stalin is rebuilding… this time the process will go faster — at least because in the world everything is faster. But the ending, in General, known in advance. Although the specific form of its implementation is still unclear how the specific technique of extending the powers of another Great Centralizer/Mobilizer for the rest of his days.

Now the most convenient option the game looks with the state Council. Amendment to article 81 (item G1) suggests that the State Council is “… to ensure coordinated functioning and interaction of bodies of state power, determining the main directions of internal and foreign policy of the Russian Federation and priority directions of socio-economic development of the state.”

That is, it rises immediately and over the President, which the old Constitution was responsible for the interaction of authorities and the choice of the main directions of internal/external policy, and the government, which determined the priorities in economy and social sphere. Is to guess from three times who in the future will lead such an important constitutional body. And for how long: 6 years? 12 years? For life? The answer is no and never will be — at least up to the approval of amendments to the Constitution. For in paragraph jf1 said in short and clear: “the status of the State Council of the Russian Federation is determined by Federal law.” This Federal law, of course, not yet. And hardly will be soon. You, dear citizens, first subscribe, and then specially trained people will explain exactly what your paper is your signature.

It should be noted that the state Council according to the internal arrangement is very reminiscent of the Central Committee of the CPSU, which was also collected regional heads (Secretary), key Ministers (foreign Affairs, defence, internal Affairs), generals, heads of both chambers of Parliament — and for the biodiversity of several Steelworkers, workers of fields and opinion leaders among the Soviet intelligentsia. As it is now in the working group to develop amendments to the Constitution. At the same time (which is important!) Of the Central Committee of the party in General was not included in the system of power organs of the Soviet state. And therefore no even a formal constitutional framework was not limited. Neither the timing nor the authority. And why, if both in fact knew no limits. Except of course, the range of material decay.

More than just this model of political management is reminiscent of the Islamic Republic of Iran, where there is a popularly elected President, Parliament and appointed their Prime Minister. But above them all rises the Synod of elders, the ayatollahs who are not appointed and does not slip. They are spiritual leaders and nominate from their midst a Higher (Supreme) Leader — for life. They are called to service directly by Allah, so all people know what foreign and domestic policies and socio-economic priorities pleasing to him. How to extend over the face of the planet the area of the saving revelations of the prophet. Or — what is essentially the same thing — how to build a bright Communist future in one country. So welcome back to Asia, my dear friends. All power to the state Council.

Dmitry Oreshkin, The Insider