article source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/putin-presidency-means-more-than-taking-office/2012/01/23/gIQAD5ckXR_story_2.html?sub=AR\
"Putin presidency means more than taking office"
In light of approaching elections for Russia on March 4th, this article outlined much of the current political climate, namely Putin's increasingly heavy-handed control. It points decidedly to the amount of corruption that exists in the current system, especially taking into account the amount of corruption that we as citizens of an outside country are hardly privy to. Though tens of thousands of citizens have demonstrated against Putin's rule, the futility of these protests are highlighted in outlining the political and economic power that key bureaucratic leaders hold.
The centralization and hierarchy of power within Putin's elite is highly reminiscent of the "party state" that controlled the USSR for most of the 20th century, including the rising power and influence of the "silovicki", or elite businessmen that control much of the bureaucracy. Despite the fact that much of the country recognizes the corruption, the question is how to combat it. One sociologist cited in the article commented simply "How do you fight against it? Put the whole country in jail?"
Putin himself voiced a campaign against corruption in the system, failing to publicize the fact that it is a system of corruption that he himself created, and a system to which he owes a great deal of his power. The upcoming elections will mostly likely be a solidification and further instance of Putin expanding control over Russia's entire political system.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
Current Event #3
"An Embargo and a Boon" - the impact of a trans-Siberian pipeline on the Russian oil industry
article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/business/global/russian-oil-industry-set-to-capitalize-if-embargo-hits-iran.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=world
This article discussed possible benefits for Russia (both economically and politically) as a result of the current Western petroleum sactions against Iran. Iran has recently threatened to cut off oil to six European countries, namely Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Greece and Portugal, though the reasoning for these particular six is unclear. As Russia's grade of oil is reportedly close to that of Iran's, Russia stands to make a possible profit from the 7 million barrels of oil that it exports daily. Prices have increased as a result of the "jitters in Iran", and it could mean up to $100 million a day for Russia.
This profit has the possibility to be continued if the oil pipeline in Russia is finished on schedule this year - the pipeline system would be able to supply Ian's traditional customers in Europe and Asia. For the rest of the European world, this could mean a serious increase in oil prices.
The economic impact of this development could also have a serious effect on the upcoming presidential elections in Russia, specifically as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin campaigns for the presidency again.
That being said, there are still serious limits on Russia's ability to benefit from the Iranian oil sanctions. Petroleum is already being produced at full capacity, meaning that Russia would most likely be unable to respond to a quick increase in demand if that opportunity were to arise. Much of the possible change then depends on the completion of the pipeline and the ability of the goverment to capitalize on the possible profit.
article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/business/global/russian-oil-industry-set-to-capitalize-if-embargo-hits-iran.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=world
This article discussed possible benefits for Russia (both economically and politically) as a result of the current Western petroleum sactions against Iran. Iran has recently threatened to cut off oil to six European countries, namely Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Greece and Portugal, though the reasoning for these particular six is unclear. As Russia's grade of oil is reportedly close to that of Iran's, Russia stands to make a possible profit from the 7 million barrels of oil that it exports daily. Prices have increased as a result of the "jitters in Iran", and it could mean up to $100 million a day for Russia.
This profit has the possibility to be continued if the oil pipeline in Russia is finished on schedule this year - the pipeline system would be able to supply Ian's traditional customers in Europe and Asia. For the rest of the European world, this could mean a serious increase in oil prices.
The economic impact of this development could also have a serious effect on the upcoming presidential elections in Russia, specifically as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin campaigns for the presidency again.
That being said, there are still serious limits on Russia's ability to benefit from the Iranian oil sanctions. Petroleum is already being produced at full capacity, meaning that Russia would most likely be unable to respond to a quick increase in demand if that opportunity were to arise. Much of the possible change then depends on the completion of the pipeline and the ability of the goverment to capitalize on the possible profit.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Current Event #2
article source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/in-china-will-transition-bring-real-change/2012/02/10/gIQABrkd6Q_story.html
"In China, will transition bring real change?"
This article detailed speculation about probable change in China's leadership in the near future - Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to take over in November and vice premier Li Keqiang is expected to become the new Prime Minister. While the impact that new leadership could have on China's foreign policy relations with the United States is important, even more pressing is the impact it could have on social tensions within China. The article specifically mentions subjects such as protests over land rights (namely, China's attempts to develop a property tax system), worker strikes, and ethnic unrest in the Tibetan region as serious concerns. Some see this transition of leadership to be an opportunity to respond to cries from the Chinese people for greater political and social freedoms, but others point out that the only change, if any, will be to further repress the "grass-roots society".
As press coverage from China is limited, the article cites suspicions that Jinping and Keqiang have been "selected" as the new leadership simply on the fact that their pictures and specific news stories have been specifically and systematically inserted into the Chinese press. It is supposedly a way to acclimate the public to the idea of their leadership and bring them to the forefront of politics. The fact that this controlled release is the only method through which citizens can learn about their leadership only serves to reinforce the fact that change and more freedom are far from priorities for a government that is conducted completely behind closed doors.
"In China, will transition bring real change?"
This article detailed speculation about probable change in China's leadership in the near future - Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to take over in November and vice premier Li Keqiang is expected to become the new Prime Minister. While the impact that new leadership could have on China's foreign policy relations with the United States is important, even more pressing is the impact it could have on social tensions within China. The article specifically mentions subjects such as protests over land rights (namely, China's attempts to develop a property tax system), worker strikes, and ethnic unrest in the Tibetan region as serious concerns. Some see this transition of leadership to be an opportunity to respond to cries from the Chinese people for greater political and social freedoms, but others point out that the only change, if any, will be to further repress the "grass-roots society".
As press coverage from China is limited, the article cites suspicions that Jinping and Keqiang have been "selected" as the new leadership simply on the fact that their pictures and specific news stories have been specifically and systematically inserted into the Chinese press. It is supposedly a way to acclimate the public to the idea of their leadership and bring them to the forefront of politics. The fact that this controlled release is the only method through which citizens can learn about their leadership only serves to reinforce the fact that change and more freedom are far from priorities for a government that is conducted completely behind closed doors.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
current event #1
"Carlos Slim: Let Mexico's moguls battle" from The Economist (http://www.economist.com/node/21546028)
While the article detailed the financial implications of monopolies held by companies like Telmex and America Movil in Mexico's cellular telephone industry, it also more importantly adressed the impact financial control has on the power of certain individuals (e.g. Carlos Slim) and the Mexican government as a whole. The power of monopolies in the Mexico's telecommunications deparment reflects directly on the drain of power and therefore credibility that this lends to the government. Succinctly put, "The relentless use of injunctions, in particular by [América Móvil]…has replaced, to a large extent, the right and responsibility of government to implement economic policy and regulation". This imbalance costs the country a great deal of money (because of excessive pricing) and supresses the number of people in Mexico that can afford to have a cellular phone plan, which then negatively affects the country's economy as a whole.
In addition, the market also has a great deal of interaction with the United States - "Every year Americans make more than 20,000 years of calls to Mexico, more than to all of western Europe" and a few US companies have challenged the Mexican monopolies in court for overcharging them to dial into Mexico - accusations which also take away from the credibility of the Mexican government. Finally, the cellular phone market is also closely linked with that of telephone and broadband connection - since President Felipe Calderon decreed a "digital switchover" for 2015, this interconnection and the power that monopolies could wield will only beome more important.
Personally, though, I think that with further interconnection with US companies in this area as well as the possibility for increased competition with the digital switchover, the power of the monopolies can be more easily broken, especially if divided over cell phone and television markets.
While the article detailed the financial implications of monopolies held by companies like Telmex and America Movil in Mexico's cellular telephone industry, it also more importantly adressed the impact financial control has on the power of certain individuals (e.g. Carlos Slim) and the Mexican government as a whole. The power of monopolies in the Mexico's telecommunications deparment reflects directly on the drain of power and therefore credibility that this lends to the government. Succinctly put, "The relentless use of injunctions, in particular by [América Móvil]…has replaced, to a large extent, the right and responsibility of government to implement economic policy and regulation". This imbalance costs the country a great deal of money (because of excessive pricing) and supresses the number of people in Mexico that can afford to have a cellular phone plan, which then negatively affects the country's economy as a whole.
In addition, the market also has a great deal of interaction with the United States - "Every year Americans make more than 20,000 years of calls to Mexico, more than to all of western Europe" and a few US companies have challenged the Mexican monopolies in court for overcharging them to dial into Mexico - accusations which also take away from the credibility of the Mexican government. Finally, the cellular phone market is also closely linked with that of telephone and broadband connection - since President Felipe Calderon decreed a "digital switchover" for 2015, this interconnection and the power that monopolies could wield will only beome more important.
Personally, though, I think that with further interconnection with US companies in this area as well as the possibility for increased competition with the digital switchover, the power of the monopolies can be more easily broken, especially if divided over cell phone and television markets.
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