The government and the opposition, along with their supporters, interpret the results of the election, given the purposes of their propaganda. The opposition focuses on manifold and multifold flaws, which, certainly, took place during this election, although the same opposition hasn’t put enough effort to legally define those unlawful actions. And the government, on the other hand, says: “Well, there are many social problems, there are also many discontents; it ought to be so.” Moreover, both sides “throw into action” their inexperienced representatives from time to time, as a result of which some misunderstandings arise. However, there is no serious, thorough analysis of the current situation, since in our country, what is called “political science” or “sociology” is actually “attached” to this or that political force. By the way, as well as the majority of the mass media.
However, there are specialists somewhere who don’t root for anyone. I for one would be interested to listen to their rational, unemotional – without love or hate – explanations. And the most important issue that concerns me is whether the problem is only social in the narrow sense of the word, related to people’s income and standard of living or not. Let’s take the town of Kajaran, for example. The level of unemployment is not high there; people work at the plant, get their salaries, which many people even in Yerevan would dream of. Why are people dissatisfied then? Now, here is where one needs a sober analysis that employs social sciences and not a barrage of curses or praises. I can only make a rough estimate without scientific generalizations. My impression is that people don’t tolerate anymore and will tolerate less from now on when their dignity is infringed. When, say, the same governor of Syunik behaves arrogantly for years – one can say for decades – allows himself to terrify, humiliate, and ignore people, the anger grows among citizens and it finds its best, most restrained and civilized expression at the ballot boxes. When such officials are not dismissed for years this anger naturally spreads to those people who keep the given person in office. A concrete example from our reality. A resident of Sisian who had attended Bagratyan’s rally expressed his “innermost” feelings for the same governor to Aravot’s camera. The next day that citizen was forced to apologize for his “slip of the tongue” on the “official channel” and state that the journalist had gotten him drunk. You think it is easy for that person, his family, and his friends to undergo that kind of humiliation.
Therefore, the problem is not only social. I hope that this modest observation of mine will be confirmed by specialists, and the powers that be will take it into account.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
