Russia's Privileged Class Rises Up

{
  "authors": [
    "Matthew Rojansky"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
    "Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "russia",
  "programs": [
    "Russia and Eurasia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Caucasus",
    "Russia"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform"
  ]
}

In The Media

Russia's Privileged Class Rises Up

Fed up with a closed political system dominated by one man, Russia’s privileged class has taken to the streets to protest against Putin’s regime.

By Matthew Rojansky

Published on Dec 26, 2011

Source: To the Point

In an interview with Warren Olney on To the Point, Carnegie’s Matthew Rojansky argued that anti-government protests in Moscow and the rise of political activism in Russia represent a major break from what has been a “very cynical and very detached political culture.” Many Russian citizens—including the privileged class—are frustrated with pervasive corruption, election fraud, and Putin’s blatant attempt to hold onto power and are now taking to the streets. These protests, however, do not signal the end of Putin’s Russia, Rojansky contended. Given that the “Russian people remain, broadly speaking, sort of comfortable and tolerant of authoritarianism,” he concluded that the centralized political system Putin has created will likely remain in place.

About the Author

Matthew Rojansky

Former Deputy Director, Russia and Eurasia Program

Rojansky, formerly executive director of the Partnership for a Secure America, is an expert on U.S. and Russian national security and nuclear-weapon policies.

Recent Work

Paper
An Opportunity for Ambition: Ukraine’s OSCE Chairmanship
- Matthew Rojansky
In The Media
Presiding Over the OSCE: Challenges and Opportunities
- Matthew Rojansky

Political Reform Caucasus Russia

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Commentary
Carnegie Politika
The Future of Russian-European Relations Is Bleak
The truth of the strategic situation is that Europe and Russia are extremely unlikely to be able to “turn the page” on their confrontation within the next two decades.
Arkady Moshes
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Ukrainian Drone Attacks Reveal the Cost of Russia’s “Sovereign Internet” Campaign
Russia spent years building a “sovereign internet,” concentrating web infrastructure exclusively within Russian territory. Ukrainian drone attacks have shown how vulnerable that approach has left the Russian internet.
Maria Kolomychenko
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
How the Latest Election Changed the Role of Russia’s Parliament
Putin’s conservative staffing policies and search for ever greater control have cemented parliament’s transformation into a bureaucratic appendage of the executive branch.
Andrey Pertsev
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
In the Kremlin’s AI Propaganda Blitz, the Noise Is the Signal
Russia’s AI-driven propaganda campaigns operate in a fragmented, chaotic, and often illogical manner. That’s not necessarily a problem for the Kremlin, though: It’s much easier to mimic genuine public debate that way.
Ilya Klishin
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Stalled at the Front, Russia Seeks to Undermine Ukraine’s Economic Capacity
Russian strikes are weakening the economy sustaining Ukraine’s war effort. Closing the growing funding gap will require more European support and politically contentious reforms in Kyiv.
Balázs Jarábik

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

The Future of Russian-European Relations Is Bleak

The truth of the strategic situation is that Europe and Russia are extremely unlikely to be able to “turn the page” on their confrontation within the next two decades.

Arkady Moshes

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Ukrainian Drone Attacks Reveal the Cost of Russia’s “Sovereign Internet” Campaign

Russia spent years building a “sovereign internet,” concentrating web infrastructure exclusively within Russian territory. Ukrainian drone attacks have shown how vulnerable that approach has left the Russian internet.

Maria Kolomychenko

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

How the Latest Election Changed the Role of Russia’s Parliament

Putin’s conservative staffing policies and search for ever greater control have cemented parliament’s transformation into a bureaucratic appendage of the executive branch.

Andrey Pertsev

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

In the Kremlin’s AI Propaganda Blitz, the Noise Is the Signal

Russia’s AI-driven propaganda campaigns operate in a fragmented, chaotic, and often illogical manner. That’s not necessarily a problem for the Kremlin, though: It’s much easier to mimic genuine public debate that way.

Ilya Klishin

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Stalled at the Front, Russia Seeks to Undermine Ukraine’s Economic Capacity

Russian strikes are weakening the economy sustaining Ukraine’s war effort. Closing the growing funding gap will require more European support and politically contentious reforms in Kyiv.

Balázs Jarábik