As you start this Year Thirteen course you may well have some idea that, as its title Russian dictatorships suggest, it wants you to think (and eventually write) in comparative terms.
You may well also have an idea that repression and religion are dominant themes of the period 1855 to 1964. A central plank of both in the period is an intolerance of opposition to alternative views. Under Alexander III a policy of Russification was followed to force non-Orthodox subjects of the Tsar to convert, whilst in Stalin’s Russia repression was taken to a new scale in a totalitarian regime typified by show trials of the 1930s.
At present there is a trial underway of the three members of the band Pussy Riot, for performing a “punk prayer” against Putin in Moscow’s main cathedral. They are changed with hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, and could face ten years in jail. This article from Daily Telegraph suggests that “the trio themselves claim they did not intend to upset Christians, but wanted to denounce Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Orthodox Church, for publicly supporting Mr Putin’s re-election. “It’s all about Putin taking personal offence,” said Nikolai Polozov, one of their lawyers. “He ordered this because you can’t insult the tsar.” You may like to read the article and follow the trial, See what you think, how valid are the parallels ?
Finally, I picked the Telegraph article because it quotes Masha Gessen. She wrote The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin (see the earlier post about an enrichment opportunity). Gessen argues “this is a show trial…all such prosecutions originate from the executive branch. Putin is a vengeful person, that’s the overriding factor.”
Mr Kydd.
Ongoing repression had occurred during the soviet era, which was a continuity reaching different peaks throughout the period of 1855-1964. The event of the group band ‘pussy riot’ was in effect a small uprising against Putin, which could lead to a decrease in his popularity, autocracy and his authority. The action that Putin took against the band, in his role was fair, as it threatened his power and showed signs of being against the orthodox church. This action was not as extreme as what would have occurred during the soviet era, and does not reach the heights of repression that occurred under the Tsarist and communist era with Stalin and Nicholas II, and this was in no/very little way ‘Worse than the Soviet era’.
I beleive the offence committed by the ‘Pussy Riot’ group seems to have esculated much further than perhaps it should have done. Teh only reason for it causing so much controversy is because the demonstration took place in the orthodox church. If it were to happen anywhere else there wouldnt be so much worldwide contriversy. I dont think the sentence is fair, it wasnt an act that was meant to cause offence to Christians and the fact that the offenders are facing a 7 year imprisonment I dont think is right. If a similar thing were to happen in London like there have been, demonstrations against policies made by parliament in this country, then the problem caused by it would not be so severe. It was just because like Masha Green says “Putin is a venegeful person” and the fact that it took place in the church has esculated he matter.
*the fact that it took place in the church means it has esculated the matter
i think putin should retire 🙂
I’ve spoken to James as at first I was confused but once he explained it I began to agree with him. There will always be riots everywhere you go. This was only hyped up because it was about puton
I think that the real motive behind the pussy rioters is history repeating itself , by looking at Russia’s history of regressions and suffering any signs of that repression coming back will frighten the people. Initially this means that there is also something to be afraid of if Putin is putting in measures that punish these activists in their protest perhaps it is do reduce disruption or maybe to silence those that are speaking out against the signs of the return of an anarchist system returning.