Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SNOW REVOLUTION, NO REVOLUTION
In 2008 Putin's second term as president came to an end and the constitution did not
allow him to run for a third consecutive term. Putin's hand-picked presidential suc-
cessor was law professor and Deep Purple fan Dmitry Medvedev, who made haste to
install his predecessor as prime minister.
The change in power registered barely a blip on Russia's political lifeline. Four years
later, Medvedev declined to run for re-election. Putin stepped up, and suggested his
main man Medvedev would make an excellent PM. They switched places in 2012.
For about six months between the election and the inauguration, Moscow's streets
and squares saw regular protests 'for fair elections'. The demonstrations morphed in-
to broader antigovernment unrest, sometimes called the 'Snow Revolution'. The larger
of these events attracted 100,000 participants and more, according to organisers.
But this energy fizzled. Once in office, Putin enacted legislation that severely re-
stricted such actions, making it more difficult to get permission to assemble, and
levying harsh fines on anyone who participated in unsanctioned demonstrations. The
opposition movement suffered from a lack of unity and organisation. Muscovites had
jobs to do and families to support and sporting events and art exhibitions to attend.
And in the end…the capital returned to business as usual. And the Kremlin breathed a
sigh of relief.
The Party after the Party
Starting from 1999, Russia recorded positive economic growth. After the devaluation of the
rouble, domestic producers became more competitive and more profitable. A worldwide
shortage of energy resources heaped benefits on the economy. The Russian oil boom, going
strong since 2000, enabled the government to run budget surpluses, pay off its foreign debt
and lower tax rates.
Moscow, in particular, prospered. The city continued to undergo a massive physical trans-
formation, with industry emptying out of the historic centre and skyscrapers shooting up
along the Moscow River. The city's congested roadways were replete with luxury vehicles.
The new economy spawned a small group of 'New Russians', who were alternately derided
and envied for their garish displays of wealth. Following decades of an austere and prudish
Soviet regime, Muscovites revelled in their new-found freedom. Liberation, libation, defi-
ance and indulgence were all on open display.
By the start of the 2010s, the economic rhythms of the city steadied. More than a decade
of economic growth meant that wealth was trickling down beyond the 'New Russians'. In
