Hotmail  |  Gmail  |  Yahoo  |  Justice Mail
powered by Google
WWW http://www.JusticeForNorthCaucasus.com

Add JFNC Google Bar Button to your Browser Google Bar Group  
 
 
Welcome To Justice For North Caucasus Group

Log in to your account at Justice For North Caucasus eMail system.

Request your eMail address

eMaill a Friend About This Site.

Google Translation

 

 

Window On Eurasia: Moscow Still Doesn’t Recognize That Russia Is ‘a Country Of Cities, Not Subjects,’ Glazychev Says

posted by eagle on April, 2010 as Imperialism


SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2010

Window on Eurasia: Moscow Still Doesn’t Recognize that Russia is ‘a Country of Cities, Not Subjects,’ Glazychev Says

Paul Goble

Vienna, April 11 – Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s call for the definition of a strategy of social-economic development for federal subjects and districts is "absurd,” a leading Russian expert says, because Russia "consists not of subjects but of cities” and because development occurs in macro-regions whose borders have little in common with those Moscow has imposed
In an interview published in "Vzglyad” on Friday, Vyacheslav Glazychev, a professor of the Moscow Architecture Institute and a member of the Social Chamber, says that "raising the question about strategy for a federal district is absurd because a federal district is a controlled framework,” lacking "any physical essence” (www.vz.ru/politics/2010/4/9/391582.html).
The only positive thing one could say about such an idea, he suggested is that earlier efforts to come up with strategies for particular subjects of the federations – its oblasts, krays, republics, and so on – were even more ridiculous and have "not justified themselves: money is spent and nothing is done.”
That does not mean that there has not been any development, the frequent Moscow commentator says, but it has taken place exclusively "at the macro-regional level,” and "the borders of these macro-regions have no relationship to the borders of federal districts and subjects of the Federation.”
Recognizing that is a requirement for moving forward, Glazychev says, and he suggests that some officials at the regional affairs ministry in Moscow are beginning to recognize that. Unfortunately, he continues, "up to now there is no such understanding” in the far more powerful economic development and finance ministries.”
All the regions of Russia require serious attention, the Moscow scholar says, but that attention must be individually specific rather than based on generalizations. And he addresses two such generalizations in which, he suggests, Moscow policy makers have continued to place too much confidence.
On the one hand, he says, "the concept of the company town ["monogorod”] in general is an invention.” Because of Soviet development policies, Russia has "almost no non-company towns.” Only Russian cities which have 500,000 residents or more in fact become "multi-company towns.” 
And on the other, Glazychev continues, the faith some in Moscow have in the amalgamation of regions is based on "a completely absurd” notion that such combinations in and of themselves will improve the situation. In reality, he says, except for the so-called "matryoshka” republics, redrawing borders will "add nothing to development.”
Because Glazychev is a widely respected Russian thinker on spatial development – his 2004 report (www.glazychev.ru/projects/2004_ProstRazv/2004_DocladProstRazv_oglav.htm) --continues to be widely cited, his comments now are certain to attract attention, all the more so because they represent the clearest dissent yet from Putin’s latest remarks.
But however much influence they may have on political choices in the Russian capital over the next few months, his words are also a reminder of a reality that many analysts, both in Moscow and in the West, tend to forget: In almost every case, the borders of the units within the Russian Federation reflect political choices in Moscow rather than natural economic units.
The Soviets routinely redrew these borders, sometimes in the name of improving administration but almost always with an eye to ensuring political control. And because that was the intention, the borders and even more the transportation networks Moscow ordered – typically spokes from oblast, kray or republic centers – hurt rather than helped promote economic growth.
Overcoming that will not be easy or perhaps even possible, but recognizing that it is a problem is a precondition for addressing the problems of economic development outside of Moscow. Unfortunately for Russia and its regions, Glazychev’s comments suggest that those with the greatest ability to affect the situation have not yet recognized that reality.

comments (0)


1 - 1 of 1



 RSS FEED


New Posts



Search Imperialism



Imperialism



Archive


 january 2015

 march 2014

 november 2013

 september 2013

 july 2013

 march 2013

 february 2013

 january 2013

 december 2012

 november 2012

 september 2012

 july 2012

 april 2012

 february 2012

 july 2011

 june 2011

 april 2011

 march 2011

 february 2011

 january 2011

 december 2010

 november 2010

 october 2010

 september 2010

 august 2010

 july 2010

 june 2010

 may 2010

 april 2010

 march 2010

 february 2010

 january 2010

 december 2009

 november 2009

 october 2009

 september 2009

 august 2009

 july 2009

 june 2009

 may 2009

 april 2009

 march 2009

 february 2009

 december 2008

 november 2008

 october 2008

 september 2008

 august 2008

 july 2008

 june 2008

 may 2008

 april 2008

 march 2008

 february 2008

 january 2008

 december 2007

 november 2007

 october 2007

 september 2007

 august 2007

 july 2007

 june 2007

 may 2007

 april 2007

 march 2007

 february 2007

 january 2007

 december 2006

 november 2006

 october 2006

 september 2006

 august 2006

 july 2006

 june 2006

 may 2006

 april 2006

 march 2006

 february 2006

 january 2006

 december 2005

 november 2005

 october 2005

 september 2005

 august 2005

 july 2005

 june 2005

 may 2005

 april 2005

 january 2005

 july 2000





Acknowledgement: All available information and documents in "Justice For North Caucasus Group" is provided for the "fair use". There should be no intention for ill-usage of any sort of any published item for commercial purposes and in any way or form. JFNC is a nonprofit group and has no intentions for the distribution of information for commercial or advantageous gain. At the same time consideration is ascertained that all different visions, beliefs, presentations and opinions will be presented to visitors and readers of all message boards of this site. Providing, furnishing, posting and publishing the information of all sources is considered a right to freedom of opinion, speech, expression, and information while at the same time does not necessarily reflect, represent, constitute, or comprise the stand or the opinion of this group. If you have any concerns contact us directly at: eagle@JusticeForNorthCaucasus.com


Page Last Updated: {Site best Viewed in MS-IE 1024x768 or Greater}Copyright © 2005-2009 by Justice For North Caucasus ®