We abstract from things and facts not global, momentary. Let us take a look at this country and its people, their path and destiny, from the heights of historical. Ecumenical if you want. Or, as it were, from the side, ”writes Vladimir Bekish in a column on Radio Liberty.

Huge territory. So huge that the population to master the territory, you need many times more than there is now. And besides, the population does not grow, but rather decreases. And what is growing is the territory of the country. At the expense of another country.

And therefore - envy and hostility from neighboring countries. They, the neighboring ones, are of course afraid to open their mouths so wide, because their armies are smaller, at times, and their people are not so desperate (or, perhaps, dumb) so that they can be mobilized into the army at any time. In the name of the country's interests. Well, or those who consider themselves to be this country and to whom it actually belongs.

And to whom does she belong? The country has been ruled by its leader for many years.. As if chosen by God, established by the people. And he will rule as much as he wants. Until you get bored yourself. And you get tired - it will indicate the one whom he chooses, and he will rule further. He, the Leader, the ruler of the country, this country belongs primarily. He wants to - and the army goes to overseas countries to smash enemies and opponents of the faith. Will order - a giant bridge will be built for a lot of money. Raise an eyebrow in the direction of a bad governor - and he is no longer the governor. He will tell in the circle of friends and supporters that the people should live better and something will break off. The freedom to work even more for the good of the country, let's say.

And there is beside him, the ruler, a circle of associates. Close. Favorites. They are entirely and always for him, do everything he orders. Because in return they can ask him something for themselves. And he, the ruler, understands that it is his comrades-in-arms who constitute his support. And it is they, the close ones, who will stand behind him a mountain. To continue to rule he, and with him they were. And therefore, they, close, have at the expense of this country if not all, then it’s quite enough. Yachts, palaces and estates. Bread, to say the least, positions and government posts. Orders and ranks. And the Orthodox Church, leading this country to the truth - also with it, with the ruler. And the ruler is with her, with the church. Lead together. Well, the church doesn’t live in poverty either..

There is also a people in this country, only this country doesn’t belong to the people somehow... The huge natural wealth of the country seems to be a national treasure, but in reality it belongs only to the close ones, and only they, close ones, are provided with everything they need. So it remains for the people only to love the country and support the ruler, because only he knows how to live in the country, where to lead it, what is right and what is not.

Of course, the people of this country are the very, most in the world.. He invented and invented a lot of things.. But almost nothing of what was invented and invented by representatives of the people, the country is not able to implement. So this country enjoys almost exclusively the benefits of civilization and technological advances that have been created in other countries. These are cars, and planes, and phones.

Sometimes people arise troublemakers who are dissatisfied with something, who begin to stir up the water and people lead astray. Change is required. Changes in power require. And even sometimes they lead the people agitated by them to processions and demonstrations. It’s good that the ruler has loyal police and guards. Policemen and guardsmen do not allow people to gird - where with batons and where with whips. They drive, in general, the people onto the true path. To even think badly, people didn’t dare to talk about power, not to mention throwing a plastic cup at a policeman.

And the troublemakers of the ruler - prosecutors and judges - to Mickets and to Siberia. On felling. Let there, among the bears and penguins, sow their troubles. The troublemakers, of course, are not all bast as well.. Someone with the stubbornness of madmen continues to broadcast about freedom of choice and protection of rights. Even if, after imprisonment, he is immediately seized and again, under any pretext, to the taiga. And one of the troublemakers manages to escape for the cordon and already from there broadcasts about how the country needs to live. Naturally, at the same time, the runaway troublemaker does not disdain with enemy handouts - money, advisers. Enemies - after all, they sleep and see how the ruler and his power to sweep away and ruin the country in order to capture later.

But here's what is surprising: troublemakers are miserable units, people - hundreds of millions, police - hundreds and hundreds of thousands. And the people of this country - it’s some... mysterious, or something. Silent for decades. Tolerates. Does not react. And then suddenly, for no reason - bam! And there is already no country. That country, in its former form. And there are not just no rulers with close ones, but no one even remembers with a kind word.

So, in my opinion, looks like an excursion into the history of the state of the Russian beginning of the XX century.

The ruler of which is the emperor, and his close ones are relatives by name, nobles, favorites and favorites. And troublemakers are Vladimir Ulyanov, who emigrated to Switzerland. And his accomplices Trotsky, Dzhugashvili, Dzerzhinsky, Sverdlov... They, with the money of the German General Staff, ruined Russia with a revolutionary fire, and in the end they ruined it... Well, actually, I’m talking about. What did you think about?

Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.