USUAL RUSSIA

 

Boris Ikhlov

Russian political union “Worker”

Moscow is the capital of bureaucracy

Lenin

The impression of the world society from Russia is usually limited by the impression from Moscow. But it is not quite correct. Moscow is not Russia. Russia hates Moscow, from Soviet times.

It is well known that output of Perm city meat factories was sending to Moscow, so Perm citizens didn’t see sausage. Full of people trains traveled to Moscow from Vladimir city, Ryazan city, Kaluga city, Yaroslavl city, Tver city etc. for goods. People joked: “What is this? Guess: it is long, green and with the smell of sausage.” Answer: it is a train “Moscow – Vladimir city””. Meet, cheese, clothes, shoes, perfumery, electric and radio equipment – all belonged and now belongs legally to Moscow.

In 1981 in Zelenograd town, town of high technologies near Moscow, at the computer plant named “Angstrom” one scientist that was occupied by mathematical provision of computers talked with his colleagues about comparison of levels of computers in Russia and USA. “They are equal”, - he said. Everybody had been surprised: “But why we haven’t computers of such level in Perm, for example?” – “How to say… Is there enough sausage in Perm?”

As for salary, for instance, a yardman (cleaner) or watchman in Perm had 70 rubles and 190 hours of work in a month, but they had 90 rubles and 170 ours of work in Moscow. The same picture was in plants, investigate institutes, etc. In perestroyka period builders had got the salary 1,5 mil. rubles after a strike. They had only 1 mil. rubles before. At the same time average salary of Perm builders was 0,5 mil. rubles (look newspaper “Workers democracy”). One turbine, produced in Sverdlovsk city, cost in two times cheaper, than the same one, produced in the capital.

In 1986 y. there was a “discussion” in Soviet mass media about small salaries in province. One fat cook in Moscow state university said: “THEY must work better THERE”. She meant all Russia, except Moscow. But she wasn’t quite correct. When Eltsyn became the 1^st secretary of Moscow city committee of CPSU, he published several data. It bordered, that productivity of labour in Russia in average is higher, than in Moscow. Later, when his position wasn’t so strong and he was under the pressure of committee apparatus, he published other data, provision of Moscow in comparison with rich cities in USSR, and suggested Soviet republic capitals to help Moscow in building sphere. But foreign right liberal magazine “Continent” (in Russian semilegal that time) calmly published both tables of data and marked, that privileged position of a capital is a method to keep power.

1. Upsurge of Russian economy?

Due to perestroyka Moscow made it’s privileges legal. Now average salary in Moscow is larger than average salary in Russia in 5 – 7 times, and the leader of Russian party “Union of right forces” (SPS) Nemtsov informed about it the population of Russia with pleasure. As for prices, they are almost similar in Moscow and such Ural cities as Chelyabinsk, Perm, Sverdlovsk. Of course, the price of one square meter of a flat is tremendous in Moscow. But one may construct such integral parameter as a price of one flat square meter divided by average salary. In this case Moscow has the minimal parameter in Russia.

Recently one Moscow teacher in one television program said: “WE began to live better.” And what about US?

President of Russian Federation (RF) Vladimir Putin declared, that the upsurge of GDP (gross internal, domestic output, product) was 4,9% in 2001. But it is not quite correct. Thus the upsurge in industry sphere was officially 2% only [1]. But what may the upsurge of industry be in Vladivistok city, if the whole region is without electricity due to Chubais desire to have profit? (And due to Vladivostok administration to keep money, on the other hand.) What may upsurge be in Byeloretsk city (South Ural), if owners of the main city enterprise, the metallurgical combine (BMC) are going to close plant shops? There are no changes in Perm machine building plant “Velta”, in Sverdlovsk plant “Uraltransmach”, in Chelyabinsk tractor plant. Administration of Perm medicine bacteriological complex is going to sack hundreds of workers, but the official statistic tells the story about 13% of upsurge of microbiological industry [1].

Of course, the Primakov’ government returned 80 bill. rubles of debt to budget sphere workers (teachers, professors, doctors, nurses, state plant workers, etc.) and the debt for pensioners. The government stopped the flow of finances abroad so got the possibility to gather taxes. It is possible for workers to return year debts (owners kept salary in a year, even more) by legal process up to now. A year ago commercial director of one of Perm military machine building plant Mezentsev prevented, that if workers wanted to run to district court, they might be dismissed. But one worker, a member of Russian political union “Worker” (OPORa) wrote with his friends the declaration to the court with the demand to return kept salary and got money without any repressions.

In summer 2001 there was the recruiting of workers in many machine building enterprises in Ural and Volga regions, the first recruiting after huge mass dismissal. Now high skilled workers at such type plants in Kirov city has about 10 thousands rubles, at Nijny Tagil city metallurgical industrial complex (Middle Ural) – 8-10 th. rubles in a month. High skilled turner or milling-machine operator at Perm plant “Motovilikhinskie zavodi” (former plant named Lenin) get 7-8 th. r./m. Year ago coloured metal workers at this plant had about 3 th.r./m., now they have 5-6 th.r./m. (1 dollar = 31 ruble).

But prices are growing more quickly. The living wage in Perm freely crossed the threshold of 3 th.r./m. On the other hand the prices of electricity, telephone service, gas, cold and hot water, for city transport and trains, at last, month paying for flats jumped up several times from autumn 2001 till the end of January of 2002. Administration of Perm city is going to increase the price of city transport in 1,7 times if April-May. It is so called the reform of city economy.

After mass dismissal workers were finding ways to get money. Many high skilled workers had a loader job at small district markets. Now they have 100-150 rubles in a day and don’t want to come back to a plant. The absence of specialists in military plants is a great problem. For example, Perm telephone plant “Telta” gets money for TWO high skilled workers to make an auger for Perm plant of mountain-mine equipment (“GCHM”) because there are no such type of specialists in “GCHM”. It is very expensive work, one auger costs 17 thousands rubles, and two workers may produce two augers in a shift. But those two workers went away from “Telta” because absence of money during several moths… Military production on “Telta” is closed and the plant director Morozov is going to close several plant shops, instrumental shop, etc. Workers in these shops are finding work BECIDES administration of the plant. “Telta” produces telephones for streets, but bastard Rubakin, the head of Perm telephone network company “Uralsvyazinform” reported, that he was going to buy the same type of telephones in USA… What money? He has oil money.

As for Perm river fleet (passenger and mercantile marine) there is such a game: the organizer of fleet work is that man, who has the majority of shares. Of course, earlier the head of Perm fleet was awful bureaucrat, member of CPSU, corrupted, etc. But now the head of the fleet is Antonov, who had never ever seen a ship, and his assistant director is former assistant of main doctor of Perm hospital N9… He is much more corrupted that previous head of the fleet. The majority of ships have been sank in back-waters and are rusting. Many freighters are not needed because wood industry is stopped, Kizel coal complex in Perm region died. So several colour metal plants are closed. So Perm plant, that produces ships, is died almost (it lives only for foreign companies, for example, Netherlands companies, that ordered 3 ships), and Perm ship repairing plant is into the same process. Tomorrow sanitary services will close round Perm fleet by penalties because of sank ships in back-waters, and it will die too.

Now one needs to built ships of mixed, river-sea type to transport mineral fertilizers (the region profit of selling may be compared with the profit from oil selling). But ALL mineral fertilizers are intended for foreign companies…

One may say about changes in “Perm motors” aircraft plant and about 6-7 th.r./m. of salary. But don’t forget, that 25% of shares belong to American “Pratt&Wittney”… Of course one may remember about the group of shops in one Perm plant, that produce rocket systems of volley fire (everybody may see the production of this plant in open museum), but these system are sending to Kuwait…

This year at the middle of March last 300 workers of military “Visokogorsky mechanic plant” (shells, but now washing machines) in Nijny Tagil city began to strike: they has no salary during a year. More exactly, they showed to Moscow journalists that they began to strike…

As for Perm region budget, there is metallurgical plant in Chusovoi town in Perm region, destroyed now. Workers and marginal people that live in the town are occupied by production of vanadium from slag. But this production belongs to Moscow, Perm doesn’t get money from this plant, and all vanadium is sending abroad…

One may add that in one of the most rich firm, in Perm oil investigation institute workers and engineers has no salary several month!

It is the devastation. In World War II we lost 30% of industry, now due to Washington-Moscow governments we lost 50% of industry. There were 42 thousands workers on “Perm motors”, now only 15 th. There were 27 th. workers on “Motovilikhinsye zavodi” plant, now only 13 th., etc. Famous democrat Sergey Stankevitch is too narrow man, but once he said greatness phrase: “I know what may be worse than CPSU power. It is our power.”

At the end of 2002 y. State Duma passed the new land law (code), that allowed to buy and sell land more freely. So everybody waits the next jump of prices remembers the situation with privatization of enterprises.

At the same time high skilled workers with the most number of advantages (for instance, alone father with children) at Perm aircraft complex “PNPPK” get only 3-4 th.r/m. Many workers are forced to be occupied by 2 – 3 jobs in different places. Majority of workers are busy in 1,5 – 2 shifts. The main demand of workers of the world is to make hours shorter. Russian main demand is to make hours longer.

If before perestroyka Soviet workers got 7% – 13% of a value of output, in Eltsyn period – 0,5%-3%, now they get 1% - 5%. Already in 1994 y. in Perm the whole salary composed 34,5% of output value. It meant the gap in income of rich and poor people in 35 – 70 times.

But the “nail of a program” (high light of a program), program of RF government, is the salary of scientists, teachers, physicians. Average professor (candidate of sciences in Russia) in institute (now Academy) gets 1,5 – 2,5 th.r./m. Professor in Ural institute (the next extent after candidate) gets 2,5 – 3 th.r./m. A chief of a laboratory in university investigation institute has wage 300 rubles in a month officially. No doubt that he has more, but unofficially 3 – 3,5 th.r./m. The leading singer in Perm opera and ballet theatre gets 2 th.r./m., others – more less. Real salary of cloak-room attendants is 300 rubles in a month. The leading ballet dancer in this theatre has 4 th.r./m. Earlier leading singers got 4 th.r./m. Too because of subventions established by previous head of Perm region Gennady Igumnov. New head of the region Yury Trutnev abolished the subvention for singers and saved it for dancers. You may ask: “Why??” How to say… Because he is closed with one ballet dancer. May be, she helps him to formulate economic policy in art sphere.

Certainly, it is impossible to fill abstract data of increasing or decreasing of industry by particular maintenance. But there exist such integral parameter as level of mortality. In 1993 y. Perm nonformal Society Ecological Committee (organized by OPORa and leading by Yuly Schipakin, died in 2001) divided general mortality in the city by two parts: mortality because of bad ecology and because of aggravation of economic situation. The essential exceeding of economic reason upon ecological one was founded. The data was taken from city health department. The extrapolation of data of “economic” mortality gave 1 million of deaths in a year above usual level. Official statistic services kept silence, but in 1999 several newspapers (for example, “New Izvestia”) published the exceeding of general mortality in Russia upon birth rate: above 800 000 cases. It meant 1 million of deaths in a year above usual level. It had been impossible to hide more the demographic crises. Moscow degenerate mass media with “scientists” took in hand to explain it with decrease of birth rate. Of course, if you haven’t money, you can’t feed children. But official science categorically announced that this crises was predicted in Soviet period and is connected with increase of life duration, growing old of population in USSR. “The population science is very complicated”, - scientists said. Every Duma deputy, such as Pochinok or Matvienko considers as a debt of honour to stress that the reason of the demographic crises is low level of birth rate. Though every hog in Russian forests well knows that the reason of the crises is high level of mortality because of absence of medicines, medical equipment, technology discipline, at last food, money. Everybody may see huge growth of cemeteries with died young men and women.

It is necessary to turn reader’s attention to some data. In 1988 the birth rate was 19,0 per 1 thousand people of population and mortality was 10,2 per 1 th. [2]. So the growth was 8,8 per 1 th. In 2001 in Sverdlovsk district in Perm the birth rate was 8,4 per 1 th. and mortality was 24,7 cases per 1 th. [3]. One may calculate in the same manner: 24,7 – 10,2 = 14,5 per 1 th. cases above the level of 1988 y. 140 million people live in Russia. One may extrapolate: 14,5 multiply 140 000 ~ 2 mil. deaths in a year above the level of 1988 year. There was no such situation in Stalin period, when the spire of mortality – 1 mil. deaths above - was only in two years, in 1937 and 1938. Stalin wasn’t such bloodthirsty, as our democratic defenders of human right and new bourgeoisie.

I’d like to ask everybody, especially from USA: do you understand it? Or you want to repeat your standard phrases about human rights, Chechnya, the main enemy of humanity Miloshevitch, etc.? May be, you think that the 11^th of September is more interesting event, don’t you?

I was in different countries and told about 1 mil. deaths in a year for many western journalists. They wrote my words – without any reaction.

Have anybody ever seen like former miners in Kizel coal region in Perm region are gathering pieces of wire to sell or digging out frozen potatoes under hard snow? GO AND LOOK!

Miners did it in Eltsyn time as well as do it now.

Thus we see, that the situation wasn’t improved, in the contrary, aggravated: MORE than 1 mil. people dies in a year above usual level. 1 mil. death above – it is disaster of humanities. But it had “rammed US, European and Moscow political high (and not high…) society mouth with sand”. Recently deputy of State Duma Valentina Matvienko wasn’t ashamed to joke, she asked deputies to help the country to get the demographic crises over with their own participation, in unique sense – of growth of birth rate.

“Civilized society” kept silence in the 1^st Chechen war period and opened it’s wide mitten in the 2^nd Chechen war, when Putin became a president. As for 1 mil. deaths above in Russia “civilized society” kept silence in 1993 and do it up to now.

One may see interesting picture in Perm morgue: stacks of corpses, even in corridor, because morgue administration has no money to build next depository…

Especially world society (in warm company of western so called left organizations) likes to talk about “freedom of word” suppression in Russia. But last dimwit in Russia understands that Evgeny Kiselev and all TV canal TV6 (or NTV) talk about THEIR freedom of word. Workers have no such freedom even at plant. For instance, 98% of shares of Perm chemical enterprise “Kamtex” (before destruction) belonged to 2% of “workers collective”, more exact, to administration. And only 2% of shares belonged to workers. Only 6% of shares of Perm colour metal enterprise “Vtorchermet” belonged to workers. The voice of 2% or 6% shares nobody hears.

So the more world society (including “left” organization) sings about human rights, freedom of word and – especially now! – right of “self determination” (in NATO, USA sense) the more Russian workers hate “world society”. Because of it’s deafness. It’s stupidity. It’s impudence.

After 11^th of September Moscow WAS FORCED to organize TV mourning. Moscow knew very well, that common people in Russia doesn’t pity Americans. Ordinary Russia citizens hasn’t time to regret their dead friends and to spread cemeteries.

Many workers don’t like Putin. But nit because of crying of our bourgeois human right organizations about Chechnya or NTV and TV6 canals. But because of his false about upsurge of industry. Because of the most rich buildings belonged to oil company “Lookoil” administration and gold crosses on dames of the church close by workers semidestroyed wooden barracks in Perm. Because of slow, but permanent growth of unemployment. Because of the debt for workers of budget sphere appears once again and exceeded 4 bill. rubles. It is the result of Putin’s work at the place of president, result, that every ordinary Russia citizen sees by his own eyes.

2. The last stage of decay

Earlier Chubais declared 3 stages of privatization. The first was “share stage”, the second – “voucher stage”. The third began in 1997 y. and is finishing now. This stage is the selling of majority share holdings of largest state enterprises. Due to Kremlin desire to do the process of buying for foreign companies more easy the price of 1$ was established 6 rubles. On the other hand the price of enterprises was established on the level before devaluation of ruble (remember, that in 1985 y. 1$ = 0.72 rubles). For example, such giant automobile industry complex as “GAS” (100 000 workers) in Nijny Novgorod city cost 4 mil. rubles only, less than 700 000 $. Many plants, whole branches, such as cool branch, were completely or particularly closed – before selling.

In June 1993 at the Economic Conference, organized by RF government and parliament in Moscow academic Abalkin reported that we lived in absurdity conditions: all national product that was produced in all Soviet years costs output produced in 1993 y.

But Eltsyn government was faced with certain difficulties. It was impossible for foreign companies to buy such branches as oil or gas complexes. Thus, “Gasprom” is the biggest gas company in the world, 30% of world gas resources. So it couldn’t be bought in spite of decreased level of domestic currency, decreased by Moscow. It was the reason that pushed RF government brought down the ruble in August 1998 once again.

But that wasn’t the decision of problem. The “Gasprom” share price was decreased from 1,8 doll. in October 1997 to 13 cents in August 1998, before default. But only 5% of shares of “Gasprom” were sold after default to Germany’s company “Ruhrgas”, whose majority share holding belongs to USA. On the 15^th of March Moscow mass media reported that price of “Gasprom” shares were following to lower. And on the 17^th of March lousy Shokhin, deputy of State Duma, informed on TV that “one waits the increase of dollar in comparison with ruble.

Evidently Eltsyn couldn’t finish the “3^rd stage”, he was permanently drunk. But Putin has forces to do it.

3. How much dollar cost?

It is easy to prove price of dollar is intelligently and unjustified increased in Russia. 1 bottle of bear in England costs 1 pound. In Russia you can buy 3 similar bottles with such money. Earlier a worker of Ford’s plant in Argentina got 4$ in an hour. It didn’t mean “middle class”, but good salary. Nurses in hospitals got 200$ in a month. Now, in crises, rail way workers in Argentina get 600-700 pesos = 400$ in a month. It’s not poverty, but near poverty. And in Russia 400$ in a month means 12 500 rubles, beautiful salary! Any high skilled European worker may be a millionaire in Russia. More of that, high price of dollar is unjustified in comparison with other currencies. The currency provision of dollar (with gold, silver, other currencies, valuable papers, etc.) amounts to 4 cents (price of dollar paper) [4]. In the contrary the level of euro or yen is calculated on the base of gross domestic product (GDP).

Real price of dollar in accordance with purchasing ability parity was calculated in August 1997: 7 rubles to 1 dollar (in prices of 2002 y.) [5]. Moscow mass media and so called political class, these rogues, proudly were silent.

The reason of low real price of dollar is well known: the penetration of dollars to every country according to Marshall’s plan and, on the other hand, due to will, voluntarism of USA government. In 1944 y. Bretton-Wood Conference fastened the connection between national currencies and gold by means of dollar. So Washington had to pay gold for every dollar. At the end of 50ths the market of eurodollars had been formed, and it meant the beginning of currency shocks. In August 1971 president Nikson temporarily stopped the dollar change to gold [6]. Before this event France president Sharl de Goll had brought to Washington 0,5 bill. dollars and demanded gold. It caused the collapse of USA finance system [7].

In December 1971 after negotiations of ministers of finances (Smitson’s agreement) dollar was devaluated and German mark and Japan yen were revaluated. In February 1973 dollar was devaluated secondly. Market price of gold exceeded official price of gold in dollars in 4 times. In 1985 y. USA took the obligation to decrease dollar [6], but didn’t do it.

Now the price of dollar in Russia equals about 31 rubles, and newspapers write about the desire of “Ruhrgas” to have 20% of “Gasprom” shares and about Kremlin desire to sell to “Ruhrgas” 40% of shares.

Even specialists of IMF calculated, that 1$ costs 13 rubles. But only a year ago the head of the Central Bank of RF, Victor Geraschenko, informed society about such price… and kept former price.

More of that, when euro was imported in cash circulation, Moscow mass media and “political class” began the campaign against euro. After the 11^th of September nobody wanted to pay for 1$ more than 15 rubles in shadow “black” market in Russia. But Moscow organized tremendous campaign to do dollar stable. RF minister of finances Kudrin assured that everything was all right with dollar. Don’t worry, Moscow citizens!

You see, there is only one city in Russia, where population can’t precise salary in rubles, only in dollars. It is Moscow. “How much have you in a month? 300$? Oh, it is too small”, - Moscow citizens say usually. But 300$ are more, than salary of any worker in Ural region. For example, a Moscow driver , that transports books to shops, may have 2000 rubles = 70$ IN A DAY.

It is well known that dollar is oil currency. The average salary in oil industry branch is more than 18 thousand rubles in a month, that exceeds the average salary in Russia in six times. About 450 bill. dollars are going for a walk around the world, 150 bill. dollars from this sum are in Russia [4]. Dollar means the decay of all industry branches except oil and gas branch. So dollar means low salary for every Russia citizen and high salary for oil office “workers” in Moscow. Several years ago Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin bought more than 20 Boeing air plane motors and left workers of “Perm motors” without year salary. Main oil and gas offices are placed in Moscow. They don’t need domestic industry, particularly, plane motors, they sell mineral resources and send dollars to offshore zones. It is small upsurge of “Perm motors” now, it is the material to sell, so finance group “INTERROS” and it’s head Vladimir Potanin (“Vova-dollar”) want to be owners of this plant. To sell and to send dollars in offshore zones… So Russia population is tired from dollar, hates dollar as well as hates Americans.

IMF suppresses Russia because Gorbachev and Eltsyn made huge debt about 140 bill. dollars. But USA state external debt is about 3400 bill. dollars [6], and with the external debt of states, etc. – 370 000 bill. dollars [8]. So Moscow supports empty currency. And the more Moscow supports dollar the more Russia population hates Moscow, because of Moscow robbery of whole Russia. Because of Moscow feeling of superiority that is founded on nothing. Because of Moscow deafness, Moscow stupidity, Moscow impudence.

4. New working movement

Several years ago in office of FNPR (Federation of independent trade unions of Russia, former Soviet federation VCSPS) one trade union employee asked one workers activist from Perm: “What your workers are thinking about?” Activist answered: “About salary and possible dismissal." Deep thinking had been reflected on employee face and he informed confidently: “No… Your workers thinks about changes in political situation in Moscow…” Employee belonged to “Socialist Party of Employees” (not workers only).

In 1998 there was a TV translation with talking of Moscow and province teachers. Province teachers talked about poverty, salary, etc., as Aleksandr Tarasov writes, and Moscow teachers suggested them, that teachers had no right to strike. On province teacher said about “comprador capital”, but Moscow teachers began to screech: “It’s criminal! It doesn’t allow to bring ideology in school!” Province teachers are “hungry, angry, high skilled and they hate Moscow”, - Tarasov marks [9].

Moscow citizens are not able to precise the world around them adequately. It is such specific type of “self enough” consciousness. Ortega-i-Gasset wrote about “mass man”, about his primitive, cliche, stock thinking. Of course, he marked that such man is not from lower classes of society with necessity, but it is evident, that his shadow thinking was about majority mass men from lower classes in Russia after October revolution. Pareto’ society division sat everything on it’s place: masses and elites. Marx wrote about turned, converted, reduced “society form”. So in the contrary one needs to determine primitive, cliche, stock thinking of “elite man” [10].

It is impossible to imagine that workers may protest and support any “leader” or party in conditions of absence of money and dangerous of dismissal. The press of prices separates workers (“atomise” them in Marx terms).

It would seem that conflict situation takes place, or “revolutionary situation”, as it was described by Lenin: common people can’t live in old manner more, the society top rule in old manner and there is extraordinary poverty. All fundamental conditions exist like in text-book. But it is necessary to add, that the society top can do nothing in a whole. Bolshevik government suppressed anti-Soviet rebellion in Chechnya in two days. Eltsyn and Putin governments with a lot of means can’t do it during 7 years. Moscow can’t gather taxes, can’t improve the situation in Vladivostok region, that is without warm and electricity. Government can’t eliminate corruption in every cell of society, can’t stop criminal groups, etc.

It means that bourgeoisie in Russia is not “class-for-itself” (in Hegel terms). It is yet “class-in-itself”, not united, without common (state) interests. So it doesn’t need a state structure to defend this absent united interest. So the interest to develop domestic industry is absent too. There is a single slogan on the banner of new capitalists, owners, employers, so called new Russians, etc.: “To steal, to sell, to send money abroad, to run away”.

80% of Russian bourgeoisie consists of former elite of CPSU. They are tired to rule industry and to divide part of output among population. It is impossible to return “Soviet times”, because former party elite don’t want it. Party elite transformed power into money. They don’t think about high technologies or fundamental science, i.e. long time interests, like Japans. They are indifferent to norm of profit, like Americans. They think about profit only. They don’t want to take care of anything, especially of population. They are able to steel, to convert rubles into dollars and to place them to Cyprus, etc. banks to devoid taxes.

It is the reason that stealing is the manner of existence of Moscow. In “Soviet” period the capital stool not meat or money only. The capital stool everything. No doubt every Moscow citizen accounts that he is much more clever and gifted, than anybody in province. No – Moscow is cleverest in the world. Consequently workers must listen to them and… to pay money for their staggering ideas and “scientific generalizations”. No difference with Ortega-i-Gasset, with Stalin CPSU, only money for best brains was called “fee paying”.

But such position is not quite correct. As for intellectual forces, it was necessary to have 20 – 60 scientific articles besides theses to get the extent of candidate of sciences (professor in the West) in province in “Soviet” time. But 5 articles including theses were enough in Moscow.

On the other hand Moscow steals dissertations. Scientific instructors (chiefs) force students and post graduates to work for them. There were scandals in Moscow university, when professor (in Soviet sense) D. D. Ivanenko wanted to place his surname under the article of two his post graduates V. Ruchin and M. Gogberashvily about bubble model of early universe expansion. Ruchin refused from such suggestion and was pushed from the university. The other Ivavenko’ post graduate S. Vakaru wrote six articles with tvistor generalization of theory of gravity and refused from the same suggestion. The reason was that Ivanenko understood nothing in Penrose tvistor technique… Vakaru wasn’t push from Moscow university, but he wasn’t allowed to defend his dissertation.

Evgenii Serebryany from Ukrainian city Dnepropetrovsk was post graduate in Moscow university that time. And at the same time he was a scientist with the world name, famous physicists from different countries, such as Stiven Hocking, wrote him and sent their articles. “I am astonished with huge low level of post graduates that were Moscow university students; as for several chiefs and “microchiefs”, they are scientific impotents”, - he marked.

Of course, up to now Moscow steals ideas, thinkings. Recent scandal is widely known: professor A. Kolganov from Buzgalin’s group “Alternatives” had stolen one idea of one journalist, A. Tarasov. Several years ago Alexandr Shershukov, former anarcho-syndicalist (so called “KASKOR”) and now official trade union FNPR employee stole the part of the article of one union “Worker” activist and published it in FNPR newspaper “Solidarity”. And so on.

So it is impossible to say that THEY can’t live in old manner. Stealing is not manner of ruling, THEY don’t need to rule and to change anything.

The budget of USSR was 600 bill. doll. Now it is officially 40 bill. doll. But USSR GDP was 3325 bill. doll. in 1990 and Russia GDP was 1265 bill. doll. that year [11] ~ 1 : 2,5.

Let’s assume that RF economy decreased in 2 times and the budget of RF is less than USSR budget in 2,5 times. So one is to divide USSR budget (600 bill. doll. : 2) : 2,5 = 120 bill. doll. Then let’s assume that gathering of taxes decreased in two times. So one has to divide 150 bill. doll. : 2 = 60 bill. doll. of RF year budget. Where are every year another 60 – 40 = 20 bill. dollars?

On the other hand the desire of ordinary workers in Russia to live better or to get over poverty is not enough. Similar interests are not a glue for consolidation. Unique interest is not united one. On the contrary unique interest separates workers. Have you ever seen like Moscow citizens push each other by elbows in a food shop to capture the best piece of meat? The similar interest moves them! This is such special “elbow-type” of population…

As for province every worker strives to survive alone. So there is working class in Russia formally only, like class-in-itself. Russian “communist” and “left” parties and organizations can’t understand this simple thing. Like a church the try to find such idea that will consolidate workers. Up to now, from Bernstein times they want to export, to carry in dark heads of workers the revolutionary consciousness, as well as Moscow “intellectuals” want to spread their excellent ideas in masses by central newspaper or TV.

“Communists” suggest that their organizations are the base of workers consolidation. If workers join party, they are immediately organized. “Communists” are at variance with such communist like Lenin, who said: “Social democrats have no task to organize party. They have the main task to help workers to organize themselves as a class to political party.”

Russia industry is destroyed. It means that class creative base is destroyed, because the material base of class, united workers interests is industry. May be, communists are going to change industry base to party apparatus? Or to change to military organization, like Otto Neirat, Max Adler and other “Austria Marxists” unsuccessfully tried to do [12]?

We marked that Russia workers have unusual interest to make hours longer. But they have the other unusual interest: their first demand is to eliminate industry decay, huge chaos in economy.

In this sense it seems to be useful to compare today situations in Russia and Argentina. Every day in Buenos Aires and other cities of the country one can see meetings, pickets, demonstrations. Workers, employees interrupts roads. One president change the other. The jump of unemployment, absence of money in banks, decrease of salary, keeping pensioners money push people out of flats. Police can’t stop protests. United States are not going to use and can’t use military forces to suppress movement. USA are occupied by finding of Ben Laden and by competition with new currency euro – the significant feature of October revolution!

One may say it is “revolutionary situation”. But as well as last feature repeats 1917, situation in Argentina repeats default time in Russia and perestoyka period. Of course the absence of money is powerful impulse. But it is unique, not united interest of participants of meetings (so called assembles) and members of the Union of unemployed people.

On the other hand Argentina industry base is destroyed due to president Menem privatization, other following presidents, IMF, USA activity in the country. Military aircraft plant was bought by American “Lockheed Martin” and closed. Several oil, coal, iron ore enterprises, consequently metal plants were bought and closed. There were 120 000 railway line workers in Argentina in 1991 and only 16 000 now with idiot reason that “enterprises were unprofitable”, like in Russia. So there are separated press of growing prices and weakness of working class, whose consolidation decreases due to industry decay.

Argentina workers feel it and repeat French (1968), Poland (70-ths) experience of enterprises capturing, but with the other motivation to stop dismissal and industry decay, like in Russian cities Sovetsky, Yasnogorsk, Schuchye, etc. They captured one metal plant, one coal mine, textile and ceramic factories and started to produce and to sell output.

It is necessary to stress this moment. Western “left” organizations cry about “workers power”. But they’d better ask about “workers power” Russian workers. On one hand, there was no worker in USSR who could say about power in his fingers. On the other hand, directors of Russia enterprises often suggest workers: “You don’t like me? Please, sit in my chair. Take power!” And workers refuse. There are two reasons: 1) workers has no high education. Famous anarchist Michael Bakunin said: “Bourgeoisie may have only one privilege – education to keep power.” So it is the second sense of Marx formula that the extent of capitalism development is determined by in what extent science became a productive force.” The other “subjective” reason is that workers don’t want to have responsibility for organization of production. It is much more easy to work at one’s work place and to get salary… We see that events force workers to take part in ruling of industry. So the slogan of high education for everybody is not in far future.

It is interesting to mark the reaction of Moscow citizens in connection with events in Argentina: “Imagine that crowd lacerated YOUR shop, your OWNERSHIP!” But what must poor people eat? The standard phrase followed: “THEY must work better THERE. They are lazy.”

As for Russian working movement the picture is aggravated in high extent by criminalization of economy, from bottom to top. Criminal authorities take part in election campaigns in Nijny Novgorod city (V. Klementyev), Krasnoyarsk city (P. Struganov), Perm (V. Plotnikov), etc. TV widely lights these events. Official central newspapers, such as “Izvestia” or “Moscow news” [13], and Perm newspapers after them, write, that the head of Perm region administration Yury Trutnev keeps in his administration apparatus criminal authorities, for –example, Plotnikov and Nelyubin, that were convict as extortioners (Plotnikov was placed in a prison).

Former leader of Independent trade union of miners (NPG) Sergeev was “under” Kuzbass coal region criminal structures. Boris Bragin, one of leaders NPG in Vorkuta coal region told that all more active trade union leaders were killed.

Official scientists say about 30% – 40% of shadow economy. It’s not quite correct. ALL economy is “shadow”. Criminal economy begins from every plant shop of every plant. If you want to sell metal cable from Perm plant “Kamcabel” to Hungary, it is impossible to do it without the consent (and dividends) of Perm criminal authority Plotnikov. May be, you don’t inform him, but the selling is absolutely impossible without agreement with Moscow criminal structures.

It is general modern situation, more exactly, it is the beginning: one docker from Liverpool told that their strike in 1995 was suppressed not by government, police, employers, scabs or trade union bureaucracy, but by criminal structures. Tomorrow – state criminal structures, like in Russia.

As for Argentina, state criminal structures don’t use their methods, but they did it in 70ths – 80ths.

So it means the new stage of development of working struggle forms. Lenin added to conditions of revolutionary situation the presence of “revolutionary class”. So one is to think about modern correction of such term.

5. Moscow “lefts”

Of course, globalization means new forms of working class struggle too (no word about “anti-globalists”, their aim is to let steam out). But the method of suppression of working movement by Moscow is too old in Russia.

The traditional form of state capital conversation with province is teaching. Fridrich Schlegel wrote that only “servants of art” could change the world. Adam Smith in his investigations concluded that workers are stupid due to hard physical labour. Bernstien, Kautsky, Libkhnecht supposed it was impossible for workers to overcome frames of economic struggle, so “revolutionary consciousness” must be imported, injected in working movement by party “competent leadership” (in Ortega-i-Gasset’, social democrats’, our liberals or Zuganov CPRF terms). It penetrates into workers heads like idea penetrates in inert, sluggish matter by God. Poet Andrey Bely thought that one good poem – like party program – might radically change world.

Russia so called lefts work in these best traditions.

In 80ths there was a wall newspaper “Physicon” in physical faculty in Moscow university. In fact it was the first legal anti-Stalin newspaper. The head of it was the member of union “Worker”, post graduate Mark Piskarev (he died). And in 1987 one of the numbers was wholly devoted for theme “Why don’t I like Moscow?” (it was the name of the number). Of course, only post graduates and students from another cities made “Physicon”…

Why don’t Russia like Moscow? Because of an attempt to think instead of Russia. Because of Buzgalin, Kagarlitsky, Hramov, Shein, Nemtsov, Chubais, Khakamada, Zuganov, Anpilov, Kudrin, Kiselev, Mitkova, Pozner and other hundreds and hundreds “lights of mind” with their empty stock stupid slogans, articles, newspapers, magazines, books, that are useless for Russia (excuse me if I forgot somebody).

There is interesting hydrodynamic effect: if one heats water from the bottom, water began to boil, so one may drink tea. But if one heat water from the top, it suppresses convection, so water can’t boil and after such tea one gets diarrhea.

Do you know the sense of Lermontov’ poem “Borodino”? We got a victory when gave Moscow to enemy… Where is new Napoleon?

References:

1. “Commersant” N9, 22.01.2002, p.8, Moscow.
2. “Population in USSR”, Moscow, “Finances and statistic”, 1989.
3. “Rabochii vestnik” (“Workers herald”), N40, 2001.
4. A. Lavrinsky, The Report on Russian Conference “Globalization – problems and perspectives”, Perm, Perm state university and Russian political union “Worker”, December 2001.
5. B. Ikhlov, “Castling or “highl USA””, “Rabochii vestnik”, N27, 1998.
6. V. Martcinkevitch, E. Kirichenko, “USA”, “MEiMO” (“International Economy and World Relations”), Moscow, N8, 2001, p.78.
7. V. Chibrikin, “Zaval” (“Obstruction”) “Ogonek” (small light?), Moscow, N5, 1999.
8. “The New York Times”, 1995.
9. A. Tarasov, “In the land of eternally green tomatoes”, “Tribuna”, N107 (1961), 1998.
10. B. Ikhlov, “It needs to add”, “Rabochii vestnik”, N44, 2001.
11. B. Bolotin, “World economy in 100 years”, “MEiMO”, N9, 2001, p.90.
12. D. Mironov, A. Pertsev, “Austria Marxism, positivism and working movement”, Sverdlovsk, UrGU, 1990.
13. A. Nikitin, “To clean oneself under Putin”, “Moscow news”, N6, 18.02.2002.