In the former Soviet and many other countries around the world, the highest government circles and business circles “under them” are convinced that if they lose power, it will have disastrous effects. That conviction of theirs is partially true; it can be a disaster for THEM. Oppositionists’ constant threats of the “fair judgment,” latent hate of the masses – which, nonetheless, doesn’t prevent the same masses from taking election bribes – as well as persecution of representatives of the “former criminal regime” after changes of power make the powers that be think that after losing power, things are going to be in a bad way for them. It is also interesting that they present this absolutely understandable fear as a concern about the future of the country. And the “official” explanation of election fraud is the following, “Can we allow these guys to come to power – they will destroy the country.”
Perhaps this stereotype derives from feudal traditions, the conviction that the “king” is the Lord’s Anointed. In the West, this stereotype disappeared roughly two centuries ago. In Asia, Russia and post-Soviet countries, this delusion of the powers that be and partially the peoples is still maintained. And which are the post-Soviet leaders who try to overcome that stagnant situation? Viktor Yushchenko and Mikheil Saakashvili, politicians who are commonly called “pro-Western.” The first one, losing the presidential election, peacefully handed over power to Yanukovych. The second one didn’t make illegal efforts last week to maintain a parliamentary majority. Certainly, those politicians are far from the ideal and their countries’ position is not particularly enviable. However, I don’t think it is random that they are the very people who showed certain state wisdom in these issues contributing to the maturity of their societies by that. And a mature society is when citizens believe at least a little bit that something depends on their attitude, their activity and most importantly their votes. Such citizens do not emigrate, even if they are in very poor financial conditions. The probability that they will start robbing their own country is also less.
Everyone seems to agree that the task of our and many other countries is to have citizens and voters instead of inert, passive and grumbling masses. And one needs at least two preconditions for that: the first one is to get rid of the government’s fear of being toppled; the second one is to overcome the “king-slave” mentality. I am sure that to achieve these two goals, the societies should move toward the Western, European values.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
