As the OP, I’d like to express my profound appreciation of those who are knowledgeable on the subject participating. Having read the recent Time article on Putin, I’m not as concerned as I was about his particular brand of nationalism. But there were some eye-openers for sure, like his assertion that there can be no morality without religion, and his trivialization of untimely deaths among reporters in an unsupportive media.
Well, you should be still concerned about it because like I said before, the main purpose of these Kremlin-funded youth groups is to prevent revolutionist demonstrations ala the Orange Revolution. The Kremlin feels that there is a very real threat to the vertical power that’s been recreated. It’s not Nazism by far, insomuch as it isn’t a threat foreign countries, (well, maybe Estonia and Great Britain ;)), but a threat to any hope of democratic institutions or people who want them. The Russians are going through this phase of reinventing “Russian Nationalism” where they’re striving to figure out just what it is so they can support it. Nashi’s just another example of it.
The thing you shouldn’t be concerned about though, is the fact that comparatively not that many people in Russia are fully aware of what these groups do or who they are. According to a poll by the Public Opinion Foundation, only 17% of respondents from all over Russia recognized the top 3 most popular groups, Nashi, United Russia’s Young Guard, and the National Bolshevik group. So, while they’re important to people like me who research them, the role they play in the lives of everyday Russians is minimal at best.
Yes, ladyfoxfyre beat me to the punch on this - but there are reasons to be concerned. To my mind, Nashi is an attempt to subvert youth grassroots type movements and put them to a use that is “kremlin friendly”. The Kremlin witnessed how many NGOs (which may or may not have been foreign funded) taught political groups in Georgia and especially Ukraine how to organize and what tactics to use to get their message across. Nashi is an attempt to use same or similar tactics to counter that.
Many Western and English language media like to label Putin and the Kremlin as leaning towards dictatorship or at the very least autocracy. There is an element of that, but I’ve made the case that Russia is becoming more of a plutocracy, rule by the very rich. The Russian government is in many ways, run like a corrupt business.
The latest colorful phrase that I’ve heard turned regarding Putin’s adopted political party United Russia or Yedinaya Rossiya is political opponents calling it Yedim Rossiyu, or “Eating Russia”.
Many or most Russians are pleased with the stability and increased economic prosperity that they associate with Putin’s time in office. However, there are still significant problems to be overcome in Russia’s future. Those of us interested in such topics spend an inordinate amount of time discussing just what those problems are and how serious they are or are not.
Hahahahaha…I hadn’t heard that. Едим россиу…how cute. I have a bumper sticker that says Путин для царя 2008 (“Putin for Tsar, 2008”). It’s become more and more appropriate.
Or is it Россию?
What is the Russian word for “Nazi”?
нацисти, or “Natsisti”
ETA: That’s actually “Nazis” I guess Nazi would be нацист
Er, Natsist if you can’t read cyrillic. Sorry.