One has to laugh at the pronouncement yesterday by former Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov that he plans to form a new democracy movement. It’s always fascinating to watch desperate political strongmen, such as the 18-year veteran of the Moscow mayoralty just dumped by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, suddenly discover the joys of democracy.
Luzhkov has been tarred by claims of corruption, some undoubtedly true and others likely not so true. What is known is that he has been notorious over two decades for helping his billionaire wife, construction mogul Yelena Baturina, secure lucrative contracts for the reconstruction of Moscow. Friends tell me that Moscow is today a high-energy “city on the move,” thanks in part to the Luzhkov-Baturina vision. Nobody should kid themselves, however, that this “new Moscow” emerged from anything remotely resembling democracy.
Luzhkov’s cynical embrace of democracy now has to be seen in the context of the strong-arm, anti-democratic impulses that built both his city and his fortune.
Luzhkov has been tarred by claims of corruption, some undoubtedly true and others likely not so true. What is known is that he has been notorious over two decades for helping his billionaire wife, construction mogul Yelena Baturina, secure lucrative contracts for the reconstruction of Moscow. Friends tell me that Moscow is today a high-energy “city on the move,” thanks in part to the Luzhkov-Baturina vision. Nobody should kid themselves, however, that this “new Moscow” emerged from anything remotely resembling democracy.
Luzhkov’s cynical embrace of democracy now has to be seen in the context of the strong-arm, anti-democratic impulses that built both his city and his fortune.