Vladimir Putin Myth

[NorwegianCommunist]

Putin was a member of the communist party up until 1991 (The fall of the USSR)
Some people say that he is a conservative Russian right now only to build up the economy of Russia, so that the USSR will com back stronger.
Any thoughts around this myth? =)

[Yugo45]

Everyone who wanted to have any sort of power in the Eastern Block joined the Party to suck up to the guys on top. That does not make him a Communist or anything similar. There's a term for those people, and it's "turncoats". In Yugoslavia, most of the later turned fascists (for their personal gain) like, Slobodan Milošević, Ratko Mladić, etc. were members of the Party. So, yeah. That's a stupid "myth", conspiracy theory and it doesn't even make any sense.

[jookyle]

Well, if he is trying to bring communism into Russia in some back door manner, it might be good considering the CPRF is so hyped up on the return of Stalinism. But the fact remains that the people are against Putin, you're not going to have a successful communist revolution with out the people organized behind and actively participating in it.With out that, I'd be pessimistic about it being communist and it changing into another oppressive state capitalist regime.

Personally, I think Putin likes being on the winning side and is doing what he can to maintain his own personal power.

[Omsk]

the CPRF is so hyped up on the return of Stalinism
The CPRF has little to do with "Stalinism". It's a populist party trying to get support from the older voters by saying "Stalin" a few times. They are actually close to the right wing too.

[roy]

whodathunk the conservative facade that he has worked meticulously to maintain in the public limelight for the past decade+ is really just a front for a gradual top-down communist reformation of the ussr? it's especially clever because he sneakily appears always to be moving in the exact opposite direction of anything even vaguely communistic... those conservatives won't know what hit 'em!

all hail comrade putin!

[Zulu]

Putin was a member of the communist party up until 1991 (The fall of the USSR)
Some people say that he is a conservative Russian right now only to build up the economy of Russia, so that the USSR will com back stronger.
Any thoughts around this myth? =)
Economically, Putin's regime is just as neo-liberal as Yeltsin's. Right now they are preparing to pull out the government share out of all non-raw materials companies, which, given the recent joining of the WTO by Russia, means they will be bought up by the transnationals and probably stripped and shut down.

Personally Putin is a talented guy, but he is a puppet - playing the role of a "tough hand" for average Russian wimps, and a scarecrow (Oh he wants to rebuild USSR... teh horrorz!) for their Western counterparts. But even the smarter of the Russian nationalists can see through his PR image.

[pastradamus]

Putin has all the worst corrupt elements of the old Soviet Regime coupled with the newer corrupt elements of the conservative regime. Putins friends are billionaire oil tycoons. He's now illegally in power and has no interest in the lives of others. A typical oligarch.