When will the “people” in the West understand the “fundamental” truth,that as Mao said, ” power comes from the barrel of a gun”. Its the people in the West that need to understand that. Their elite masters have always understood that clearly. Those rulers will “always” find a way to disregard what “democracy” will bring if allowed a say. It really shouldn’t even be a question in today’s World. Having seen this for year, after year, after year. What is it going to take for everyone to see that. I don’t know the answer to that. But I long to see the day people do wake up. It only takes enough to wake up and we will see a “new” Fall of the Bastille” across the West.
I do hear ya, Unble B, loud and in stereo, but then again…. we have some peeps here saying that violent revolution is not the answer on account of prior popular revolts goin’ awry such as: the French revolution, Russian revolution [etc]… because of them evil [mainly Jew] Petite bourgeoisie were behind it all from the start…
Ok! FINE!!!
If not by ballot and not by violent means either [because either one can be manipulated by the Machiavellian ones]…. then how can we stop this insanity and bring about real change? I ask!
*crickets-crickets*
Do we all just close our eyes real tight and whish for these awful people just to disappear?!?
What!?!? I’m so not kidding!
-TL2Q
PS; Rhetorical question not really aimed at you, Uncle B.
Thanks! I think that there is no other way. After studies of thousands of years of human history I haven’t seen one. Sometimes cosmetic changes can come about,half-measures that solve a part of the problem,but leave most of it still around to bedevil us forever.
I’m not sure on the French Revolution (first,I don’t see any “Jewish” control there). For its time (very important to always remember that,”for its time”.),it brought a lot of reforms. Some very good for future generations. Some,not so good. It was a bourgeoisie revolution certainly. In those days the working class wasn’t considered at all. But before that revolution the noble classes were everything. A few of the higher bourgeoisie (the richest) had some influence. And sometimes intermarried with the noble class. Or were able to get themselves legally “ennobled”.In most European countries the first thing a wealthy commoner would do is try to insert themselves into the noble class. The French Revolution changed that. It freed the non-nobles from restrictions from their birth.The only ones really, at that time, to benefit from that were the rich,true. But the law set a precedent,that benefited all non-noble society in the future. It also legally abolished serfdom,where ever the French armies went in Europe. In much of Western Europe serfdom by then wasn’t the harsh kind practiced in Eastern Europe. But it was still burdensome on those forced to be ruled under its laws. Another benefit was the separation of churches from the state. And a unified justice system that treated everyone equally under the law (in theory at least),regardless of birth. And when it was abolished by the French in parts of Eastern Europe it was very beneficial to people there.
The Russian Revolution is another one you mentioned. There I see much more of a connection with Jewish influence. And it in many ways wasn’t nearly as beneficial in the long run. But it did (in theory at least) open the discussion up on the lower classes of society. Up until then the lower classes (in many,maybe most countries, the majority of people),were considered as almost “non-people”. To the wealthy classes they were disposal, throw away people. Remember again we are talking about a particular time period. So our thinking of today has no part in it. If you read books from that era you can see from the statements in them how the working classes were thought of. As a small example,a history of WWI I read talked about some British generals watching some of the British soldiers under them bathing in a river in France. And one of the more “aristocratic” of them saying to another,” I never realized that the ‘lower orders’ had white skin “. Now that is of course an extreme example of class snobbery. But still it explains a lot of the thinking back then. And why so many would have supported revolution then. A huge number of the rights of working people today can be traced back to that period (not the least out of fear of the workers staging a Bolshevik Revolution of their own in their country if they weren’t granted those rights) .
Today times have changed. But human greed is still with us. And just as in other days I don’t see a possibility of change coming from just wishing it. Ruling groups (ruling classes seems not a PC term anymore ,though still totally accurate),aren’t about to give up their power unless forced to.They never have,and I doubt ever will.
Re ” Or were able to get themselves legally “ennobled”.I
Gotta laff at that. I was just perusing Vanity Fair mag, and in the Party section there is a piece about a fancy ball for international debutantes. Of course most of them are parvenues,not that I give a hoot, always fun to see how the better half live, but I was struck by the Countesses of Faber-Castell. Isn’t that the pencil company in Nuernberg featured in Michael Moore’s Where do We Invade Next?
They make great pencils, after all, deutsche Qualitaetsware, maybe even noble pencils, but . . . http://www.fabercastell.com/
Yes,that was a funny joke. But in those days the reality was, in most of those countries a Jew couldn’t become ennobled no matter how wealthy they were.That changed near the middle to end of the 19th Century. But during the “ancient regime”, pre-French Revolution times. Nobility was based on your being Christian. And in some countries even the “right kind” of Christian faith. In a few countries a converted Jew could be ennobled. But in others (Iberia in particular),even a drop of Jewish blood (if it was known) stopped a family from entering the nobility (the purity of blood laws).Along with many other positions open to other Christians.
My understanding is that catholic church’s inquisition was in fact instituted originally to “detect” those Jewish converts to Christianity who were not “genuine”.
(As if any religious “convictions” (hallucinations) could be somehow “genuine” or “detectable”. Outside the realm of psychiatry, that is.)
Yes right Martin. That was what that was about. It shows how perverted Religion had become by then.One of the central tenets of Christianity was/is the equality of Christians. Your “station” in life might be different. But as Christians you were all equal before God. Be you King or stable boy. The purity of blood laws barred converts (and more importantly,the descendants of converts,forever), from enjoying the same rights, as so-called Old Christians.Something unheard of in Christianity. What those Churchman must have forgotten,Christianity is a Religion “of converts”. At one time the ancestors of them all were pagans who converted to Christianity.
The law wasn’t fool-proof,people did sometimes forge documents to deny they had any Jewish or Muslim blood (Muslims were included as well).Before the laws came about,many very rich converted Jews and Muslims had intermarried in the noble classes at times. And so the nobility was particularly frightened of it being found out. And many forged documents were produced for them.
In Portugal,there is a story that the King was so anti-Jewish in the mid-18th Century,he let the Bishops convince him to tighten the already tight rules on “New Christians”. And make them all wear a red hat to mark them. The Prime Minister came to the Palace the day the King was to sign the new law. And he carried 4 red hats with him. The King asked why he had them. He said one was for the King to wear,one for the Crown Prince,one for the head Bishop,and one for himself. So they could all obey the new law to mark those with Jewish blood. Needless to say the King canceled the law.
This “Martin” has nothing to do with me, as I already posted 1 or 2 weeks ago and earlier.
It would be nice if this Martin could please add some extra identification, rather than just “Martin”.
I was the only commentator with that name from early 2014 on, so everyone probably thinks it’s me.
.
Especially since I agree with his above statements about religions.
Could you pls. think about changing your nick to something that makes it easier to distinguish your posts vs. my posts?
Thank you.
It would be absurd that I change my name when you yourself already have a unique identifier attached to your name. Believe me that you are not the only rightful Martin and that no one here or elsewhere could ever consider you as the original brand.
Then for God’s sake _use_ your name, but your full name – or add any other suffix after your forename.
Shouldn’t it be common sense among civilized adults that one simply should not use a substring of any user which exists here for years, including not “Martin” which is a substring of my id which I use on this namespace since early 2014.
I never saw you here before and it should be in everybody’s interest that such things do not happen (to anybody).
I’m wondering why there is no moderation policy which answers your unjustified complaint – instantly.
My dear Uncle, sadly, I have to agree with you (and Mao). The actual accomplishments of attempts to work within the system never actually change that system in a significant way.
For me, the real problem is that it’s relatively easy to tear things down but building good systems is where we ALL fail. What country has managed to build a great government that addresses the needs of the masses and really looks our for the interests of the people?
Some of the Scandinavian parliamentary socialisms seem to do this better than the rest of the world but even those don’t really live up to the dream.
I see no way to change things except through violence but what happens when the revolution is won? All that’s really changed is that we, the people, have a new set of masters and, as often as not, they’re worse than the devil we know.
But hey, don’t mind me, the world makes me clinically depressed.
At t=20m45s Sleboda mentions that the Russian military is very frustrated with the constraints placed on their exercise of military might by Russia’s diplomatic corps and Peter Lavelle immediately tries to change the subject.
Lavelle did something similar several weeks ago when a guest suggested that Lavelle’s notion that American foreign policy is schizophrenic and incompetent is completely wrong. The guest went on to say that foreign policy elites in America might actually view the chaos and destabilization in places like Libya, Syria, and Iraq as foreign policy successes when Lavelle sharply cut him off and encouraged all of his guests to mock and belittle that notion. When the guest tried to defend his argument they kept on interrupting him like Sean Hannity or Bill O’Reilly might do on FoxNews.
I am not particularly impressed by Lavelle, who most of the time acts as if the intended audience is sheeple who has to be “told” what to “think”. An obviously biased conduct is counterproductive to say the least, mental “force-feeding” is repulsive to anyone intelligent. Of course that Russia ought to be defended from organized western propagandists – not ever by resorting to their methods, but by stimulating critical thinking and questioning.
I searched in vain for the part where they say C I eh? called it March 24th, but Lavelle gets credit for blowing the lid in a facebook post on April 7.
What’s happening in Donbass?
Does anyone have an update? Hearing that the UAF have stepped up bombing/or shelling of more settlements. Can anyone verify this.
Yes, there is fighting at the border. More and more, it seems. Osce comments on it and some European politicians, too. It is not like Debaltsevo, but very worrying.
DNR expects a big attack sooner or later. If it comes, I guess it comes in time to force the EU to prolong the sanctions. There is fighting in Avdevka and Ukrainian media claims NAF is being beaten.
I am also waiting for news from Donbass. This blog provided us with lots of high quality information in the past. We depend on Russian speaking idealists and can make no demands, only hope for news. I think Scott is preparing a sitrep, but that is only a guess. He has done a great job and I thank him for the other sitreps.
osce.org gives about 6 reports a week, daily (late in the evening GMT), from its SMM, but not good enough.
dninews.com as well, and if you are on vk.com (easy to join, English too), you can read strelkov’s mostly hourly short reports, but he seems to be too pessimistic, gets predictions wrong, thank God.
Otherwise Colonel Cassad as linked on Saker’s page ‘Brothers in Arms’ tab at the top of this page (get a translator).
Still not enough.
There is almost continuous fighting along the contact line, using nearly all types of weapons, including heavy artillery. The USG supported murderous terrorists from kiev etc continue with their daily attacks with almost impunity: the OSCE SMM is mostly a waste of time, as biden the US VP is giving the orders (NOT obummer).
‘7 April 2016 – Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), expressed concern today regarding the highest level of ceasefire violations in the Donetsk region since the sides recommitted to the ceasefire in September 2015. He noted as particularly troubling the extremely high number of incidents involving the use of heavy weapons and mortars.’ – http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/231896 http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/reports
Had my reservations about Bausman, when I heard, that he was an investment banker. If half of it is true, then this is a really bad day for people like myself, who had hoped to fund a independent journalism outfit.
Saker, didn’t you warn us about this 5th Columnist guy Kudrin sometime ago, and how the West would love to have him back making decisions on behalf of Russia?
I saw that too. I’m very worried about that. It appears much of what we thought was going well in Russia is false. When you consider putting a top 5th columnist in a high position,something is starting to smell bad. We’ve wondered for months now, if Russia intended to follow Glaznev’s ideas for rebuilding the economy. And yet heard nothing about whether they were or not. Now we hear that one of the pro-West policy champions is being asked to head economic policy. I think that may be the answer we wondered about. And I’m very disappointed in it.
Uncle Bob 1
I think you may be getting a little disappointed over nothing you know. Kudrin has been wanting to get back for years – basically since he had his fight with Medvedev and walked out. And Putin has kept him on a string. We don’t know any details of his contract – what sort of limitations, policy restrictions etc he has been forced to toe the line on in order to be allowed back.
In at least 3 public Q & A sessions I’ve seen, a question has been asked of Putin about Kudrin by his supporters – he has many. It could be just a tactical move. That we’ve heard nothing so far on Glazyevs rather extreme suggestions doesn’t surprise me. The Russian way of careful consideration, discussion, more consideration, alteration, back to discussion and so on and so forth does mean that things don’t get done in a hurry.
As the old saying has it “Russians take forever to saddle up their horses – but they ride extremely fast”.
We have had 15 years of observation of Putin and lately some of Lavrov, Ivanov, Shoigue too. Putin has shown himself to be wily, patient, a master strategist, highly informed and very very intelligent. I wouldn’t, personally, be in a hurry to think some 5th columnist can get up and best him. It would appear you have to get up very early to get the better of Putin. In fact – it’s probably better not to go bed at all :-)
Very good perspective to remember, “The Russian way of careful consideration, discussion, more consideration, alteration, back to discussion and so on and so forth does mean that things don’t get done in a hurry.” The Russian political game is a completely different animal. Chess/Go versus our Monopoly.
And then there is also the possibility that economically they don’t want to cut off from the West. The wealthy powerful oligarchs have make a bundle stooging for the West. And huge amounts of their money and investments are tied to the West. So putting a known pro-Western comprador in a high economic post would certainly be to those groups liking. Even if its just one more drain on the nation. I wouldn’t think much of the rumors of his return to power if RT and Pesky weren’t singing his praises as a “great ” economist who “helped” Russia in the past. Yes,helped Russia to fall under Western control,is what he did.And since he shows no hint he’s changed his views.I can see him giving them a lot more “help” if he does take the position.The question that needs asking is whether the Russian government is changing their views.There has always been a schism in Russia (during the last years at least) as to whether the government favors the full-out Western capitalist model of the 1% dominating everything. Or the mixed economy with more state influence that many Russian economists favor.Sadly Kudrin’s return (if its true) says that the 1% capitalist model may have won the argument inside the government. Not a good thing at all.
Concerning your concern about Putin – who isn’t the government, remember – AND the government may have fallen for having Western 1% oligarchs running Russia – I dont know what to say. Or have I misunderstood you?
You cannot seriously believe that Putin or any others even younger than he, have forgotten what happened last time? I don’t believe for one minute they have. Nor that they are a pack of simpletons who think that this time the same people will “play nice”.
Putin has always said, the tragedy when the USSR collapsed was “a paralysis of power, of the loss of a strong state”. It’s his actions in support of strong state structures to which even oligarchs must submit, that gets him labelled an autocrat as far as I can see.
I really really dont see him losing that belief now – do you? I mean, what, exactly, is it, that you see Kudrin being a position to do? Given that we know none of the details of what he will be allowed to do in the first place?
I don’t have all the answers to that. But I can give you what was said at RT about him to start:
“According to an RBC source close to Kudrin, negotiations on Kudrin heading an organization to develop Russia’s economic program have been going on since last year.
It is essential that Kudrin, as the program developer, has the authority to request documents and statistics from ministries and departments, according to the source.
Basing the project on published material would have no practical application, the source added.
“He is one of the most successful cabinet ministers in our country, one of the best finance ministers in the world, not only in Russia. It would be wrong not to use his expertise to develop plans,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday.
Peskov added that it’s up to Kudrin to decide whether he will take part. Kudrin was offered the job as head of the Center of Strategic Research, one of the oldest Russian think tanks.
Kudrin says the reports he will develop an economic program for President Putin are exaggerated, adding that it’s more about working as an expert for the economic policy council.
Kudrin was Russia’s Finance Minister from 2000 to 2011. One of his key achievements was paying off Russia’s $143 billion foreign debt and building reserves that helped the country deal with the global financial crisis of 2008.
In 2011, he was asked to leave the post by former President Dmitry Medvedev. Kudrin disagreed with Russia’s growing military budget and social spending as well as the country’s dependence on oil.
After Putin was re-elected as president, he reportedly asked Kudrin to return to state service. Kudrin turned down the offer, saying that the country had not clearly defined a program to lessen its oil dependence. Despite this, Kudrin continues to advise President Putin on the economy.”
From that (and other reports) we know he opposes the military spending. We know he wants the retirement age raised. Which hurts the oldest and weakest Russians. We know he is a 5th columnist. And now we know that Putin has been working to get him back into the government.What would those facts say to you? They don’t look good to me. I’ve always thought putting “the fox in the hen house” was a bad idea. Russia (as we all have said here at times.Even Saker wrote articles on it) has more than enough 5th columnists in the government and power structure. I don’t see how adding one of the worst ones back into the mix is an “improvement”.
So – Kudrin is to head up a “think tank”. He’s not Finance Minister or anything like that? Well, that looks to me like a “sop” thrown to keep his lefty pals happy but he’s in a position of no power where he can peddle his ideas al he likes.
However, I am a getting sense of you not believing in Putin here Bob. You quote him as saying Kedrin was of value. But – was Kedrin not World Top Treasurer 2 yrs or some such much lauded thing?
Can you tell me – are you thinking of Putin here as a total idiot, or a traitor? Rather than a canny politician who knows how to keep his enemies inside the tent pissing out rather than the reverse?
Because I get the feeling its one or the other.
But then again – maybe I’m misunderstanding. It’s been a tough day :-)
I admit that while I like Putin. And think he is one of the greatest rulers Russia has ever had. I don’t see him as infallible. I’ve never known of any ruler in history I would give that title to. And I’m not sure of what his innermost ideas are. He came to power in an age,and he worked with, and for ,people who embraced Western ideas. They rejected the USSR and wanted to model themselves on the West. I think he (and many of them) see now that wasn’t best for Russia. And have changed a lot of their thinking. But how much is “a lot”. Is it 100%,80%,50%.etc,etc. Have they decided on a clear break with Western influence. Or with some of them ,is it only a partial break they want. And where in that does Putin fit. He doesn’t talk about that. So we can only guess at it by his actions. In foreign policy his actions seem to say he is breaking away. But in internal economic policy its much less clear.Keeping 5th columnists in power. And even adding more of them to the government,is not a good sign. So yes,I don’t support all his policies unquestionably. I think the jury is still out over his commitment to undo all the mistakes of the post-USSR era.
Thank you Uncle Bob for expressing thoughts which I have in a similar way.
I’m really curious if Russia and China are truly building up all the Gold reserves and finally (a few months ago) selling some chunks of their US tresuries to replace SWIFT and the USD with something better for *all* including the former middle-class and now poor, or if they are only doing so to rescue their own ass(et)s and those of their Oligarch friends’
I once was a 100% “I’ll ask no questions believer” myself, but a few things have shaken my blind trust.
I still think Putin is the best modern-day leader Russia can have, but exactly as you described so well – his domestic social policies and his tolerance for and patience with the 5th colums including clear 100% traitors – it makes me wonder and disappoints me.
Just as it made me sad to see how RF first expliciltly gave DonBass big hopes and then didn’t keep their promises to protect all the now dead civilians including women, girls, childs and babies. Maybe it was necessary to handle it like that, because the West only waited for Russia to falling into their WW3 trap, ok, understood.
But I have absolutely ____no____ understanding for keeping enemies of Russia running everything from the central bank to oil factories over the RZD (state railways) to TV channels. The Oligarchs must finally share e.g. _return_ their stolen wealth with the society. If they refuse doing so, their stolen wealth _must_ be nationalized. Even in the USA FDR handled the big depression in such a way (New Deal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal ). So why can’t Putin do it? The normal folks can hardly pay the bills. Here in the EU, over in the US and globally. But why aren’t Russia and China finally stepping forward and recreate _justice_ back to pre 1989??
As long as they don’t at least attempt to restore class justice like we had hoped 2 years ago in Novorossiya – where is the credibility? Where is the ideological perspective for future generations?
Sorry for asking questions, but I’ll never stop doing so until we are back in a system like that before 1989, and even then I’ll not shut my mouth (which I btw. never did before 1989).
Fully agreed.
And there were rows of such disappointments years back. One example: Hartmut Mehdorn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartmut_Mehdorn was former head of the privatized former state railways of Germany. At railways employees he was considered a black swan – one of those typical management idiots running most western biz’s. He was one of those who had nothing to do with railways, no affinity, no clue, yet were appointed CEO. And ruined them by losing more and more freight traffic to the road trucks, closing down lines and so on, while wasting millions for cosmetic nonsense.
“””””May 18, 2007
Vladimir Yakunin meets Hartmut Mehdorn, Chairman of Deutsche Bahn.
The two companies agreed to sign an agreement at the end of June 2007 to set up a joint logistics company during the Moscow meeting.
Immediately following the signing, a decision is expected to be taken to establish a joint logistics company with three parties involved, including the Chinese Ministry of Railways.
The two companies also agreed on 18 June 2007 as the preliminary date to set up Eurasia Rail Logistics, in which the railway companies of Russia, Germany, Poland and Belarus will be involved.
Russian Railways and Deutsche Bahn confirmed their interest in setting up an operating company to service the ferry link between Ust-Luga, Baltiisk and Zassniz, and agreed to continue joint work, including a detailed analysis of the freight volumes in both directions.
Russian Railways also proposed a business plan for the operating company.
Yakunin informed Mehdorn about the development of the project to modernise the section between Khasan and Rajin and the plans to modernise the Trans-Korean Main Line.
Deutsche Bahn expressed its interest in taking part in the international financial consortium to implement the project to link the Trans-Siberian and the Trans-Korean Main Line, and also to establish a logistics centre at the port of Rajin.
In addition, Yakunin and Mehdorn agreed to continue studying the feasibility of setting up a passenger operating company between Moscow and Europe, especially between Moscow and Paris, and study passenger flows on that route. “””””
I read on a few places that Putin considers him his friend and brought him to his RZD post due to “his valuable expertise / for advice”.
That tells me that Putin has different views about economy than I as humble human being think he should have.
About Hartmut Mehdorn, I sent the wrong link.
He not only advised the Russian State Railways RZD a bit, but was from 2010 till 2015 member of their board of directors.
For some starnge reason Wikipedia hides that fact.
And most other sources are either in German or in Russian.
But to post it here in English, although less material, there is also some reporting about it:
“””””Open Joint Stock Company Russian Railways”””””
Putin must be or must have been a convinced full-blood capitalist if he is or was friends with such managers and brought Mehdorn from Germany (where this man had already ruined company after company) to Russia.
This only on a side note.
I’m really losing some more percent of the hope I once had, sorry for that.
Posting some music is not enough and “beauty” is not sufficient to save the planet.
Maybe it is good enough like listening to music on the Titanic – but it by itself certainly won’t rescue her.
Another tragic example throwing some light into China’s economy which is doing biz all over the world. Fact is: Folks like that are tightly interconnected with the Chinese elite. Where and how is that something worth fighting for?????
^ ;-)
-TL2Q
Ps: keep it up guys
When will the “people” in the West understand the “fundamental” truth,that as Mao said, ” power comes from the barrel of a gun”. Its the people in the West that need to understand that. Their elite masters have always understood that clearly. Those rulers will “always” find a way to disregard what “democracy” will bring if allowed a say. It really shouldn’t even be a question in today’s World. Having seen this for year, after year, after year. What is it going to take for everyone to see that. I don’t know the answer to that. But I long to see the day people do wake up. It only takes enough to wake up and we will see a “new” Fall of the Bastille” across the West.
@ Uncle Bob 1:
I do hear ya, Unble B, loud and in stereo, but then again…. we have some peeps here saying that violent revolution is not the answer on account of prior popular revolts goin’ awry such as: the French revolution, Russian revolution [etc]… because of them evil [mainly Jew] Petite bourgeoisie were behind it all from the start…
Ok! FINE!!!
If not by ballot and not by violent means either [because either one can be manipulated by the Machiavellian ones]…. then how can we stop this insanity and bring about real change? I ask!
*crickets-crickets*
Do we all just close our eyes real tight and whish for these awful people just to disappear?!?
What!?!? I’m so not kidding!
-TL2Q
PS; Rhetorical question not really aimed at you, Uncle B.
Thanks! I think that there is no other way. After studies of thousands of years of human history I haven’t seen one. Sometimes cosmetic changes can come about,half-measures that solve a part of the problem,but leave most of it still around to bedevil us forever.
I’m not sure on the French Revolution (first,I don’t see any “Jewish” control there). For its time (very important to always remember that,”for its time”.),it brought a lot of reforms. Some very good for future generations. Some,not so good. It was a bourgeoisie revolution certainly. In those days the working class wasn’t considered at all. But before that revolution the noble classes were everything. A few of the higher bourgeoisie (the richest) had some influence. And sometimes intermarried with the noble class. Or were able to get themselves legally “ennobled”.In most European countries the first thing a wealthy commoner would do is try to insert themselves into the noble class. The French Revolution changed that. It freed the non-nobles from restrictions from their birth.The only ones really, at that time, to benefit from that were the rich,true. But the law set a precedent,that benefited all non-noble society in the future. It also legally abolished serfdom,where ever the French armies went in Europe. In much of Western Europe serfdom by then wasn’t the harsh kind practiced in Eastern Europe. But it was still burdensome on those forced to be ruled under its laws. Another benefit was the separation of churches from the state. And a unified justice system that treated everyone equally under the law (in theory at least),regardless of birth. And when it was abolished by the French in parts of Eastern Europe it was very beneficial to people there.
The Russian Revolution is another one you mentioned. There I see much more of a connection with Jewish influence. And it in many ways wasn’t nearly as beneficial in the long run. But it did (in theory at least) open the discussion up on the lower classes of society. Up until then the lower classes (in many,maybe most countries, the majority of people),were considered as almost “non-people”. To the wealthy classes they were disposal, throw away people. Remember again we are talking about a particular time period. So our thinking of today has no part in it. If you read books from that era you can see from the statements in them how the working classes were thought of. As a small example,a history of WWI I read talked about some British generals watching some of the British soldiers under them bathing in a river in France. And one of the more “aristocratic” of them saying to another,” I never realized that the ‘lower orders’ had white skin “. Now that is of course an extreme example of class snobbery. But still it explains a lot of the thinking back then. And why so many would have supported revolution then. A huge number of the rights of working people today can be traced back to that period (not the least out of fear of the workers staging a Bolshevik Revolution of their own in their country if they weren’t granted those rights) .
Today times have changed. But human greed is still with us. And just as in other days I don’t see a possibility of change coming from just wishing it. Ruling groups (ruling classes seems not a PC term anymore ,though still totally accurate),aren’t about to give up their power unless forced to.They never have,and I doubt ever will.
Re ” Or were able to get themselves legally “ennobled”.I
Gotta laff at that. I was just perusing Vanity Fair mag, and in the Party section there is a piece about a fancy ball for international debutantes. Of course most of them are parvenues,not that I give a hoot, always fun to see how the better half live, but I was struck by the Countesses of Faber-Castell. Isn’t that the pencil company in Nuernberg featured in Michael Moore’s Where do We Invade Next?
They make great pencils, after all, deutsche Qualitaetsware, maybe even noble pencils, but . . .
http://www.fabercastell.com/
Katherine
@ Uncle
“… the first thing a wealthy commoner would do is try to insert himself into the noble class …”
/crosstalk-corruption-psyops/comment-page-1/#comment-228393
(PS. of course, when back for the grand retest, his appearance changed so much that they did not recognise him ;-))
Yes,that was a funny joke. But in those days the reality was, in most of those countries a Jew couldn’t become ennobled no matter how wealthy they were.That changed near the middle to end of the 19th Century. But during the “ancient regime”, pre-French Revolution times. Nobility was based on your being Christian. And in some countries even the “right kind” of Christian faith. In a few countries a converted Jew could be ennobled. But in others (Iberia in particular),even a drop of Jewish blood (if it was known) stopped a family from entering the nobility (the purity of blood laws).Along with many other positions open to other Christians.
@ Uncle Bob 1
My understanding is that catholic church’s inquisition was in fact instituted originally to “detect” those Jewish converts to Christianity who were not “genuine”.
(As if any religious “convictions” (hallucinations) could be somehow “genuine” or “detectable”. Outside the realm of psychiatry, that is.)
Yes right Martin. That was what that was about. It shows how perverted Religion had become by then.One of the central tenets of Christianity was/is the equality of Christians. Your “station” in life might be different. But as Christians you were all equal before God. Be you King or stable boy. The purity of blood laws barred converts (and more importantly,the descendants of converts,forever), from enjoying the same rights, as so-called Old Christians.Something unheard of in Christianity. What those Churchman must have forgotten,Christianity is a Religion “of converts”. At one time the ancestors of them all were pagans who converted to Christianity.
The law wasn’t fool-proof,people did sometimes forge documents to deny they had any Jewish or Muslim blood (Muslims were included as well).Before the laws came about,many very rich converted Jews and Muslims had intermarried in the noble classes at times. And so the nobility was particularly frightened of it being found out. And many forged documents were produced for them.
In Portugal,there is a story that the King was so anti-Jewish in the mid-18th Century,he let the Bishops convince him to tighten the already tight rules on “New Christians”. And make them all wear a red hat to mark them. The Prime Minister came to the Palace the day the King was to sign the new law. And he carried 4 red hats with him. The King asked why he had them. He said one was for the King to wear,one for the Crown Prince,one for the head Bishop,and one for himself. So they could all obey the new law to mark those with Jewish blood. Needless to say the King canceled the law.
@ “Martin” :
Reminder:
This “Martin” has nothing to do with me, as I already posted 1 or 2 weeks ago and earlier.
It would be nice if this Martin could please add some extra identification, rather than just “Martin”.
I was the only commentator with that name from early 2014 on, so everyone probably thinks it’s me.
.
Especially since I agree with his above statements about religions.
Could you pls. think about changing your nick to something that makes it easier to distinguish your posts vs. my posts?
Thank you.
@ Martin from Soviet East-Berlin
It would be absurd that I change my name when you yourself already have a unique identifier attached to your name. Believe me that you are not the only rightful Martin and that no one here or elsewhere could ever consider you as the original brand.
Then for God’s sake _use_ your name, but your full name – or add any other suffix after your forename.
Shouldn’t it be common sense among civilized adults that one simply should not use a substring of any user which exists here for years, including not “Martin” which is a substring of my id which I use on this namespace since early 2014.
I never saw you here before and it should be in everybody’s interest that such things do not happen (to anybody).
I’m wondering why there is no moderation policy which answers your unjustified complaint – instantly.
My dear Uncle, sadly, I have to agree with you (and Mao). The actual accomplishments of attempts to work within the system never actually change that system in a significant way.
For me, the real problem is that it’s relatively easy to tear things down but building good systems is where we ALL fail. What country has managed to build a great government that addresses the needs of the masses and really looks our for the interests of the people?
Some of the Scandinavian parliamentary socialisms seem to do this better than the rest of the world but even those don’t really live up to the dream.
I see no way to change things except through violence but what happens when the revolution is won? All that’s really changed is that we, the people, have a new set of masters and, as often as not, they’re worse than the devil we know.
But hey, don’t mind me, the world makes me clinically depressed.
Not interested in this, Saker, where’s the Donbass reports?
At t=20m45s Sleboda mentions that the Russian military is very frustrated with the constraints placed on their exercise of military might by Russia’s diplomatic corps and Peter Lavelle immediately tries to change the subject.
Lavelle did something similar several weeks ago when a guest suggested that Lavelle’s notion that American foreign policy is schizophrenic and incompetent is completely wrong. The guest went on to say that foreign policy elites in America might actually view the chaos and destabilization in places like Libya, Syria, and Iraq as foreign policy successes when Lavelle sharply cut him off and encouraged all of his guests to mock and belittle that notion. When the guest tried to defend his argument they kept on interrupting him like Sean Hannity or Bill O’Reilly might do on FoxNews.
@ Shlomo
I am not particularly impressed by Lavelle, who most of the time acts as if the intended audience is sheeple who has to be “told” what to “think”. An obviously biased conduct is counterproductive to say the least, mental “force-feeding” is repulsive to anyone intelligent. Of course that Russia ought to be defended from organized western propagandists – not ever by resorting to their methods, but by stimulating critical thinking and questioning.
Bausman and fraud at Russia Insider? Lavelle blows the whistle
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/04/bausman-and-fraud-at-russia-insider.html
I searched in vain for the part where they say C I eh? called it March 24th, but Lavelle gets credit for blowing the lid in a facebook post on April 7.
:(
I would totaly never use facebook.
Actually, many of us have been “calling” it since late 2014. Was pretty obvious, really.
What’s happening in Donbass?
Does anyone have an update? Hearing that the UAF have stepped up bombing/or shelling of more settlements. Can anyone verify this.
Yes, there is fighting at the border. More and more, it seems. Osce comments on it and some European politicians, too. It is not like Debaltsevo, but very worrying.
DNR expects a big attack sooner or later. If it comes, I guess it comes in time to force the EU to prolong the sanctions. There is fighting in Avdevka and Ukrainian media claims NAF is being beaten.
I am also waiting for news from Donbass. This blog provided us with lots of high quality information in the past. We depend on Russian speaking idealists and can make no demands, only hope for news. I think Scott is preparing a sitrep, but that is only a guess. He has done a great job and I thank him for the other sitreps.
osce.org gives about 6 reports a week, daily (late in the evening GMT), from its SMM, but not good enough.
dninews.com as well, and if you are on vk.com (easy to join, English too), you can read strelkov’s mostly hourly short reports, but he seems to be too pessimistic, gets predictions wrong, thank God.
Otherwise Colonel Cassad as linked on Saker’s page ‘Brothers in Arms’ tab at the top of this page (get a translator).
Still not enough.
There is almost continuous fighting along the contact line, using nearly all types of weapons, including heavy artillery. The USG supported murderous terrorists from kiev etc continue with their daily attacks with almost impunity: the OSCE SMM is mostly a waste of time, as biden the US VP is giving the orders (NOT obummer).
‘7 April 2016 – Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), expressed concern today regarding the highest level of ceasefire violations in the Donetsk region since the sides recommitted to the ceasefire in September 2015. He noted as particularly troubling the extremely high number of incidents involving the use of heavy weapons and mortars.’ – http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/231896
http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/reports
The Saker Team is probably aware of this:
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/04/bausman-and-fraud-at-russia-insider.html
Had my reservations about Bausman, when I heard, that he was an investment banker. If half of it is true, then this is a really bad day for people like myself, who had hoped to fund a independent journalism outfit.
Bullhorns Incorruptible…
Saker, didn’t you warn us about this 5th Columnist guy Kudrin sometime ago, and how the West would love to have him back making decisions on behalf of Russia?
https://www.rt.com/business/339305-kudrin-russia-putin-economy/
I saw that too. I’m very worried about that. It appears much of what we thought was going well in Russia is false. When you consider putting a top 5th columnist in a high position,something is starting to smell bad. We’ve wondered for months now, if Russia intended to follow Glaznev’s ideas for rebuilding the economy. And yet heard nothing about whether they were or not. Now we hear that one of the pro-West policy champions is being asked to head economic policy. I think that may be the answer we wondered about. And I’m very disappointed in it.
Uncle Bob 1
I think you may be getting a little disappointed over nothing you know. Kudrin has been wanting to get back for years – basically since he had his fight with Medvedev and walked out. And Putin has kept him on a string. We don’t know any details of his contract – what sort of limitations, policy restrictions etc he has been forced to toe the line on in order to be allowed back.
In at least 3 public Q & A sessions I’ve seen, a question has been asked of Putin about Kudrin by his supporters – he has many. It could be just a tactical move. That we’ve heard nothing so far on Glazyevs rather extreme suggestions doesn’t surprise me. The Russian way of careful consideration, discussion, more consideration, alteration, back to discussion and so on and so forth does mean that things don’t get done in a hurry.
As the old saying has it “Russians take forever to saddle up their horses – but they ride extremely fast”.
We have had 15 years of observation of Putin and lately some of Lavrov, Ivanov, Shoigue too. Putin has shown himself to be wily, patient, a master strategist, highly informed and very very intelligent. I wouldn’t, personally, be in a hurry to think some 5th columnist can get up and best him. It would appear you have to get up very early to get the better of Putin. In fact – it’s probably better not to go bed at all :-)
Very good perspective to remember, “The Russian way of careful consideration, discussion, more consideration, alteration, back to discussion and so on and so forth does mean that things don’t get done in a hurry.” The Russian political game is a completely different animal. Chess/Go versus our Monopoly.
And then there is also the possibility that economically they don’t want to cut off from the West. The wealthy powerful oligarchs have make a bundle stooging for the West. And huge amounts of their money and investments are tied to the West. So putting a known pro-Western comprador in a high economic post would certainly be to those groups liking. Even if its just one more drain on the nation. I wouldn’t think much of the rumors of his return to power if RT and Pesky weren’t singing his praises as a “great ” economist who “helped” Russia in the past. Yes,helped Russia to fall under Western control,is what he did.And since he shows no hint he’s changed his views.I can see him giving them a lot more “help” if he does take the position.The question that needs asking is whether the Russian government is changing their views.There has always been a schism in Russia (during the last years at least) as to whether the government favors the full-out Western capitalist model of the 1% dominating everything. Or the mixed economy with more state influence that many Russian economists favor.Sadly Kudrin’s return (if its true) says that the 1% capitalist model may have won the argument inside the government. Not a good thing at all.
Concerning your concern about Putin – who isn’t the government, remember – AND the government may have fallen for having Western 1% oligarchs running Russia – I dont know what to say. Or have I misunderstood you?
You cannot seriously believe that Putin or any others even younger than he, have forgotten what happened last time? I don’t believe for one minute they have. Nor that they are a pack of simpletons who think that this time the same people will “play nice”.
Putin has always said, the tragedy when the USSR collapsed was “a paralysis of power, of the loss of a strong state”. It’s his actions in support of strong state structures to which even oligarchs must submit, that gets him labelled an autocrat as far as I can see.
I really really dont see him losing that belief now – do you? I mean, what, exactly, is it, that you see Kudrin being a position to do? Given that we know none of the details of what he will be allowed to do in the first place?
I don’t have all the answers to that. But I can give you what was said at RT about him to start:
“According to an RBC source close to Kudrin, negotiations on Kudrin heading an organization to develop Russia’s economic program have been going on since last year.
It is essential that Kudrin, as the program developer, has the authority to request documents and statistics from ministries and departments, according to the source.
Basing the project on published material would have no practical application, the source added.
“He is one of the most successful cabinet ministers in our country, one of the best finance ministers in the world, not only in Russia. It would be wrong not to use his expertise to develop plans,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday.
Peskov added that it’s up to Kudrin to decide whether he will take part. Kudrin was offered the job as head of the Center of Strategic Research, one of the oldest Russian think tanks.
Kudrin says the reports he will develop an economic program for President Putin are exaggerated, adding that it’s more about working as an expert for the economic policy council.
Kudrin was Russia’s Finance Minister from 2000 to 2011. One of his key achievements was paying off Russia’s $143 billion foreign debt and building reserves that helped the country deal with the global financial crisis of 2008.
In 2011, he was asked to leave the post by former President Dmitry Medvedev. Kudrin disagreed with Russia’s growing military budget and social spending as well as the country’s dependence on oil.
After Putin was re-elected as president, he reportedly asked Kudrin to return to state service. Kudrin turned down the offer, saying that the country had not clearly defined a program to lessen its oil dependence. Despite this, Kudrin continues to advise President Putin on the economy.”
From that (and other reports) we know he opposes the military spending. We know he wants the retirement age raised. Which hurts the oldest and weakest Russians. We know he is a 5th columnist. And now we know that Putin has been working to get him back into the government.What would those facts say to you? They don’t look good to me. I’ve always thought putting “the fox in the hen house” was a bad idea. Russia (as we all have said here at times.Even Saker wrote articles on it) has more than enough 5th columnists in the government and power structure. I don’t see how adding one of the worst ones back into the mix is an “improvement”.
https://www.rt.com/business/339305-kudrin-russia-putin-economy/
https://www.rt.com/politics/336586-ex-fm-kudrin-urges-russian/
So – Kudrin is to head up a “think tank”. He’s not Finance Minister or anything like that? Well, that looks to me like a “sop” thrown to keep his lefty pals happy but he’s in a position of no power where he can peddle his ideas al he likes.
However, I am a getting sense of you not believing in Putin here Bob. You quote him as saying Kedrin was of value. But – was Kedrin not World Top Treasurer 2 yrs or some such much lauded thing?
Can you tell me – are you thinking of Putin here as a total idiot, or a traitor? Rather than a canny politician who knows how to keep his enemies inside the tent pissing out rather than the reverse?
Because I get the feeling its one or the other.
But then again – maybe I’m misunderstanding. It’s been a tough day :-)
I admit that while I like Putin. And think he is one of the greatest rulers Russia has ever had. I don’t see him as infallible. I’ve never known of any ruler in history I would give that title to. And I’m not sure of what his innermost ideas are. He came to power in an age,and he worked with, and for ,people who embraced Western ideas. They rejected the USSR and wanted to model themselves on the West. I think he (and many of them) see now that wasn’t best for Russia. And have changed a lot of their thinking. But how much is “a lot”. Is it 100%,80%,50%.etc,etc. Have they decided on a clear break with Western influence. Or with some of them ,is it only a partial break they want. And where in that does Putin fit. He doesn’t talk about that. So we can only guess at it by his actions. In foreign policy his actions seem to say he is breaking away. But in internal economic policy its much less clear.Keeping 5th columnists in power. And even adding more of them to the government,is not a good sign. So yes,I don’t support all his policies unquestionably. I think the jury is still out over his commitment to undo all the mistakes of the post-USSR era.
Thanks Uncle Bob, that makes it clearer to me. – Where you are “coming from” I mean.
What did you think of Putins’ answer in the Q & A early today, regarding this exact subject?
Did it encourage you at all?
Thank you Uncle Bob for expressing thoughts which I have in a similar way.
I’m really curious if Russia and China are truly building up all the Gold reserves and finally (a few months ago) selling some chunks of their US tresuries to replace SWIFT and the USD with something better for *all* including the former middle-class and now poor, or if they are only doing so to rescue their own ass(et)s and those of their Oligarch friends’
I once was a 100% “I’ll ask no questions believer” myself, but a few things have shaken my blind trust.
I still think Putin is the best modern-day leader Russia can have, but exactly as you described so well – his domestic social policies and his tolerance for and patience with the 5th colums including clear 100% traitors – it makes me wonder and disappoints me.
Just as it made me sad to see how RF first expliciltly gave DonBass big hopes and then didn’t keep their promises to protect all the now dead civilians including women, girls, childs and babies. Maybe it was necessary to handle it like that, because the West only waited for Russia to falling into their WW3 trap, ok, understood.
But I have absolutely ____no____ understanding for keeping enemies of Russia running everything from the central bank to oil factories over the RZD (state railways) to TV channels. The Oligarchs must finally share e.g. _return_ their stolen wealth with the society. If they refuse doing so, their stolen wealth _must_ be nationalized. Even in the USA FDR handled the big depression in such a way (New Deal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal ). So why can’t Putin do it? The normal folks can hardly pay the bills. Here in the EU, over in the US and globally. But why aren’t Russia and China finally stepping forward and recreate _justice_ back to pre 1989??
As long as they don’t at least attempt to restore class justice like we had hoped 2 years ago in Novorossiya – where is the credibility? Where is the ideological perspective for future generations?
Sorry for asking questions, but I’ll never stop doing so until we are back in a system like that before 1989, and even then I’ll not shut my mouth (which I btw. never did before 1989).
Fully agreed.
And there were rows of such disappointments years back. One example: Hartmut Mehdorn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartmut_Mehdorn was former head of the privatized former state railways of Germany. At railways employees he was considered a black swan – one of those typical management idiots running most western biz’s. He was one of those who had nothing to do with railways, no affinity, no clue, yet were appointed CEO. And ruined them by losing more and more freight traffic to the road trucks, closing down lines and so on, while wasting millions for cosmetic nonsense.
Now, watch this:
http://eng.rzd.ru/newse/public/en?STRUCTURE_ID=15&layer_id=4839&refererLayerId=5074&id=2422
“””””May 18, 2007
Vladimir Yakunin meets Hartmut Mehdorn, Chairman of Deutsche Bahn.
The two companies agreed to sign an agreement at the end of June 2007 to set up a joint logistics company during the Moscow meeting.
Immediately following the signing, a decision is expected to be taken to establish a joint logistics company with three parties involved, including the Chinese Ministry of Railways.
The two companies also agreed on 18 June 2007 as the preliminary date to set up Eurasia Rail Logistics, in which the railway companies of Russia, Germany, Poland and Belarus will be involved.
Russian Railways and Deutsche Bahn confirmed their interest in setting up an operating company to service the ferry link between Ust-Luga, Baltiisk and Zassniz, and agreed to continue joint work, including a detailed analysis of the freight volumes in both directions.
Russian Railways also proposed a business plan for the operating company.
Yakunin informed Mehdorn about the development of the project to modernise the section between Khasan and Rajin and the plans to modernise the Trans-Korean Main Line.
Deutsche Bahn expressed its interest in taking part in the international financial consortium to implement the project to link the Trans-Siberian and the Trans-Korean Main Line, and also to establish a logistics centre at the port of Rajin.
In addition, Yakunin and Mehdorn agreed to continue studying the feasibility of setting up a passenger operating company between Moscow and Europe, especially between Moscow and Paris, and study passenger flows on that route. “””””
I read on a few places that Putin considers him his friend and brought him to his RZD post due to “his valuable expertise / for advice”.
That tells me that Putin has different views about economy than I as humble human being think he should have.
About Hartmut Mehdorn, I sent the wrong link.
He not only advised the Russian State Railways RZD a bit, but was from 2010 till 2015 member of their board of directors.
For some starnge reason Wikipedia hides that fact.
And most other sources are either in German or in Russian.
But to post it here in English, although less material, there is also some reporting about it:
http://www.4-traders.com/business-leaders/Hartmut-Mehdorn-067C2H-E/biography/
“””””He is on the Board of Directors at SAP SE and Russian Railways OJSC.”””””
or in
http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=740513&privcapId=36116270
“””””Open Joint Stock Company Russian Railways”””””
Putin must be or must have been a convinced full-blood capitalist if he is or was friends with such managers and brought Mehdorn from Germany (where this man had already ruined company after company) to Russia.
This only on a side note.
I’m really losing some more percent of the hope I once had, sorry for that.
Posting some music is not enough and “beauty” is not sufficient to save the planet.
Maybe it is good enough like listening to music on the Titanic – but it by itself certainly won’t rescue her.
Another tragic example throwing some light into China’s economy which is doing biz all over the world. Fact is: Folks like that are tightly interconnected with the Chinese elite. Where and how is that something worth fighting for?????
The Curious Story Of The Chinese Tycoon Found “Chopped Up Into 100 Pieces” In A Vancouver Mansion
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-04-14/curious-story-dismembered-chinese-tycoon-found-dead-vancouver-mansion