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Paragraf II: The Balance of Powers in Russia
Based on the postulates described above, the defeat of the opposition inside Russia is primarily a sign that the opposition was noticeably weaker than the authorities. In principle, the opposition organizations in Russia never had a “combat wing” that could protect it from petty attacks or independently conduct any operations against the authorities.
Moreover, paradoxically, the opposition organizations in principle considered it inconceivable and unacceptable that their conflicts with the political course of the ruling party should be resolved through any conflicts. It is this behavior that has reduced the opposition inside Russia to the role of a punching bag, on which you can train as much as you like, and which will never even think about giving back.
In political clashes, only the question of power is primary: the emotional, moral, and ideological aspects (except in the few cases where they may affect the balance of personnel) are secondary, if not tertiary. To follow them is to sabotage all your efforts.
The Russian opposition was ruined by its naivete and idealism. No matter how romantic and enthusiastic their slogans sounded, objective reality was stronger. The real demands of the era are many times more mundane and simpler.
At the moment, the government in Russia has the absolute superiority of forces. Being nothing more than an inert state system, it is devoid of bright personalities, and thus of all senses. Power in Russia is devoid of conscience, compassion, nobility and any passions in principle. Instead, it is entirely focused on one thing: the accumulation and preservation of its forces. At any cost.
And that is why the government in Russia is stronger than any opposition movement, no matter how criminal the government is or how dangerous it is to its opponents.
In most cases, the population is the subject rather than the object of political games. It is pointless to fight for their votes for their own sake if one voter does not follow his rules and the rest have no power to force him to submit.
Even if you bring millions of people to the streets, but you do not find the determination and willingness to transform the human resource into a force to be reckoned with, defeat becomes inevitable, because the rule that the struggle between power and opposition is a struggle between real or imaginary forces remains true. But it also follows that if only a few thousand are brought to the streets – but ready to use force and are strong and desperate in themselves – then the chances of winning, or even a draw, become less illusory than initially seemed.