The “order” in the Russian and Soviet empires, as well as in the countries of the Middle East is based on one basic principle – what is provided for by the laws, what is “officially” stated is too far from the mechanisms that function. However, that is not all – it is more essential that everybody knows it quite well and there is a certain consensus on that in the society. Guess in a neighborhood, the electricity has gone out, the traffic lights don’t work, how will the drivers drive? Very easily, there is a specific driving term for that – “getting each other.” So one should try to predict what the man in front of him wants and should base his attitude on the possible boorishness or modesty of that person. Thus, the risk of a crash is conditional not on some written rules, but one’s ability to “get.” The same applies to the cases, when a valet approaches you and asks for 200 drams instead of usual, suggested, “common” 100 drams, one can pay that money without saying anything or have a fight with him, but there is no sign on any tree that it is a paid parking lot, for a certain service of which one should pay a certain amount of money. If there is such a sign, there is no guarantee that anyone will follow that list of prices. Everyone is aware of this situation and no one seriously protests against it, since everyone “gets” that this valet earns his living in that manner and I do the same thing in another place, another area.
This Asian order is in the interest of the majority and that is why it is maintained – there is no secret or influence of supernatural forces here. Even those who struggle for the constitutional order, “got” that there were bad, hostile oligarchs and there were good ones whose means could be used, in order to probably reach lofty goals in the future.
The shadow economy, corruption, the lack of a mechanism to hold elections are manifestations of that “Asian order.” Even emigration, because “getting” that driving a car or living in general requires high nervous tension, people long for not only ensured daily bread, but also “ensured” rules of the game, which admittedly don’t function in the CIS countries. There are speculations about the Eurasian Union in Moscow these days. There are very good and right things written in the proposed documents as if it will be something like the European Union. However, everybody “gets” quite clearly that what is written on the paper is very far from the reality on our territory and if it is succeeds, it will be something like the Russian Empire.
Therefore, I suggest taking the “Euro” part out of its name and calling it the Asian Union, in order that this union’s name comes a bit closer to the reality. Or as Marx wrote, “the Asian Formation.”
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ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
