Pay Attention When Russia Starts Broadcasting 'Swan Lake'

[sun rise]

Russia is only partly in Europe but I found this piece on the history of Swan Lake being used for political announcements interesting.
https://www.newsweek.com/putin-dead-pay-attention-when-russia-starts-broadcasting-swan-lake-1707162
Is Putin Dead? Pay Attention When Russia Starts Broadcasting 'Swan Lake'

When Leonid Brezhnev died in 1982, state-run television broadcast a full-length Swan Lake in lieu of a death announcement. The same footage was aired after the deaths of Yuri Andropov in 1984 and Konstantin Chernenko in 1985. In her book Like a Bomb Going Off: Leonid Yakobson and Ballet as Resistance in Soviet Russia, Janice Ross suggests that these screenings of the Russian ballet were used as a stalling tactic, allowing Soviet leadership time to plan while "soothing the masses." Ballerinas would dance and the public would wait, calmly, applauding the screen.

The same technique was used in 1991 when communists attempted to overthrow Mikhail Gorbachev. Swan Lake aired for three days straight while the public waited it out. In 2011, the Russian national television channel Kultura aired a rebroadcast of Swan Lake to commemorate the attempted coups' 20th anniversary.

 

[Estro Felino]

I know Russian politics enough to know that Putin is the least responsible for this conflict.
Since, unlike many people think, he is just the head of state of a Federation and he takes decisions together with others. With so many others. Who will take over when he is gone.
So...Putin's death will not change anything.

The idea that Putin is a czar, an autocrat...well...we are in the 21st century.

 

[sun rise]

I know Russian politics enough to know that Putin is the least responsible for this conflict.
Since, unlike many people think, he is just the head of state of a Federation and he takes decisions together with others. With so many others. Who will take over when he is gone.
So...Putin's death will not change anything.

The idea that Putin is a czar, an autocrat...well...we are in the 21st century.

So you are a expert who knows more than quite a few others about the inner workings of Russian politics. And how did you acquire such inside information?

As to 21st century, we have many authoritarians all over the world starting with Xi in China. This is hardly so far a democratic century.

 

[Estro Felino]

So you are a expert who knows more than quite a few others about the inner workings of Russian politics. And how did you acquire such inside information?

As to 21st century, we have many authoritarians all over the world starting with Xi in China. This is hardly so far a democratic century.

The Russian Federation is a semi-presidential republic. As France is.
What changes?

 

[stvdv]

I know Russian politics enough to know that Putin is the least responsible for this conflict

Amen to that

 

[stvdv]

I know Russian politics enough to know that Putin is the least responsible for this conflict

I know "God" enough to know that Putin is the least responsible for this conflict

 

[RestlessSoul]

Swan Lake was playing on my car radio the other day, don't know which movement but it was an extraordinarily beautiful piece of music.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I know Russian politics enough to know that Putin is the least responsible for this conflict.

And yet Putin is an autocrat and he is responsible for this. This being the 21st century has nothing to do with that.

 

[Estro Felino]

And yet Putin is an autocrat and he is responsible for this. This being the 21st century has nothing to do with that.

My question is. If the Russians elect another Putin, are Russians to blame, then?

 

[Augustus]

The idea that Putin is a czar, an autocrat...well...we are in the 21st century.

The idea the guy who changed the constitution to allow himself to stay in power indefinitely, mandated 10 years in prison for criticising the government, banned protests and opposition media and killed his opponents using polonium and chemical warfare nerve agants is an autocrat...

 

[Estro Felino]

The idea the guy who changed the constitution to allow himself to stay in power indefinitely, mandated 10 years in prison for criticising the government, banned protests and opposition media and killed his opponents using polonium and chemical warfare nerve agants is an autocrat...

Is the European Union any better?
The EU that allows into the most sacred institutions tragic and destructive individuals like Soros?
Nobody told me why he is. So...this shady behavior is to be likened to what happened in Russia.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Is the European Union any better?
The EU that allows into the most sacred institutions tragic and destructive individuals like Soros?
Nobody told me why he is. So...this shady behavior is to be likened to what happened in Russia.

Please expalin.

 

[Estro Felino]

Please expalin.

Soros used to be a wanted person and persona non grata in several countries because of his unfair financial speculations which ruined many countries and many currencies.

what is he doing in the EU institutions?

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Soros used to be a wanted person and persona non grata in several countries because of his unfair financial speculations which ruined many countries and many currencies.

what is he doing in the EU institutions?

Well he used to be. So is he now? Or is he in fact not convicted for something the EU, for which there is not reason to restrict his rights in the EU?

 

[Estro Felino]

Well he used to be. So is he now? Or is he in fact not convicted for something the EU, for which there is not reason to restrict his rights in the EU?

what rights?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Soros used to be a wanted person and persona non grata in several countries because of his unfair financial speculations which ruined many countries and many currencies.

what is he doing in the EU institutions?

What EU institution is he in?
His wealth and influence is considerable in the financial world, but he has little influence in politics.
he certainly does not define European politics or society in any way.

Unlike Rupert Murdoch who has a major interest in promoting the right wing political agenda.

 

[Augustus]

Is the European Union any better?
The EU that allows into the most sacred institutions tragic and destructive individuals like Soros?
Nobody told me why he is. So...this shady behavior is to be likened to what happened in Russia.

The fact that you can openly criticise the EU and even vote to leave it is evidence it is less bad.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

what rights?

To be a citizen and do within the law that which is not illegal. We can debate if he is moral, but you have to separate that from the law.

If your argument is that the EU is immoral, then I have another opinion. If your argument is that he broke the law, present your case.

Now to tie a bow on this. What Putin has done in Russia may not be illegal, but to me it is immoral. So show me how Soros is immoral and how that within the laws of the EU should stop what he has done according to you.

 

[Estro Felino]

To be a citizen and do within the law that which is not illegal. We can debate if he is moral, but you have to separate that from the law.

If your argument is that the EU is immoral, then I have another opinion. If your argument is that he broke the law, present your case.

Now to tie a bow on this. What Putin has done in Russia may not be illegal, but to me it is immoral. So show me how Soros is immoral and how that within the laws of the EU should stop what he has done according to you.

European countries have entered into a sort of an agreement. It is a pact. It is about sharing common values, a common vision of society. Which include freedom of speech, social solidarity, etc...
Certain banking and financial elites would love to undo all that in order to replace that with what they have in the US: the banks decide the economic policies, and there will be no alternative.
They want to privatize healthcare, education, research.

Russia has not the same levels of freedom Western Europe has. That is a given.
Russia still considers war a instrument to settle issues, whereas Western Europe is over the notion of war. That is a given.

But the fact that Russia is politically different than Western Europe, does not imply that the European Union is entitled to impose certain economic and political visions to the EU member states.

 

[Estro Felino]

What EU institution is he in?
His wealth and influence is considerable in the financial world, but he has little influence in politics.
he certainly does not define European politics or society in any way.

Unlike Rupert Murdoch who has a major interest in promoting the right wing political agenda.

But he would love to.