The demand for freedom and democracy

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О спросе на свободу и демократию

You know, when I was a few years ago, I spoke with Mr. Gaidar in the program, I was thinking – or rather, not all the time, but thought: why we do not like the reformers? I emphasize reformers, not revolutionaries. Here with the revolutionaries, we somehow all is well.

Here people like Tsar Alexander II, Stolypin, Witte, Gaidar, Chubais. Why they do not like? It always amazes me. And more than that, at least in familiar countries. Perhaps in others as well. Well, however, this is not important, but it is a thought that I kept repeating in my head.

And wanted to say something. At the beginning of the program I said that many questions were sent to the site of the First channel, a record number. And, of course, I could ask Yegor Timurovich only a fraction. But there was one question I could not ask, but still wanted to draw your attention to this question. It is addressed to the Gaidar: “You have expressed the idea that in the country there was a demand for democracy and freedom, must be satisfied basic human needs – food, shelter, safety. But is the demand for freedom depends on the financial situation? For example, in some countries in the Middle East with a high level of income, and still exist there of the monarchy and the demand for freedom has not appeared. Maybe our mentality is closer to them than to Europe, and democracy in the full sense we will never be?” Here’s a question. I repeat, do not have time to ask Yegor, but wanted about it a little bit to think about.

Look. I totally agree that material well-being depends on the demand for democracy and freedom. I think, indeed, right that it mostly depends on mentality. And what is the mentality? How is it formed? Yes, the history. The circumstances in which people live. So that’s where all originated these ideas of democracy and freedom of the person? In which countries? Only in the European. I do not take North America, i.e. Canada, the United States, even in Latin America because these countries were settled by Europeans. What is characteristic for all European countries? Typical of the Renaissance. The Renaissance is almost 300 years when the people came out of the darkness of feudalism was greatly weakened Church authority. And then they began to bloom the idea that nothing is more precious than one single human life.

And what happened in that time in Russia? And at this time in Russia was the Mongol-Tatar yoke, which lasted almost the same for 300 years. And when finally the yoke was reset if you can reset the yoke, a big role has been played by the Russian Orthodox Church. The Church is entrenched, and, in addition, there was a very oppressive rule. And it is fully expressed in the time of Ivan the terrible. In these circumstances, individual human life meant nothing. Perhaps, then, probably, was born the expression “chop wood, chips fly” – the individual human life had no value.

So, I think so. If a person grows with the conviction that it is valuable in itself, then it automatically arises the desire for freedom and democracy, without it he can not Express themselves, as long as it is valuable. And where there is this conviction, where the person does not consider himself self-sufficient, then where is the desire for freedom and democracy? It’s not natural. So I would like to say that we will arise, this thirst for freedom and democracy, when the absolute majority of the population will feel that individually valuable, or even valuable. And it will happen, alas, not tomorrow. That’s the story.

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