Russia has voted. The results are well known — and also the discrepancies in the process. The streets of Russian cities are draped in Unified Russia flags, leaflets are strewn on pavements, and celebrations continue for the 'Nashi' youth. For four weeks, the election campaign has showered us with activism, rallies, arrests and advertising. At the State University in Novgorod I have been showering my students with questions.
My role as a conversational English assistant means all kinds of topics are open for discussion. In the lead-up to the election, teaching became ever more interesting. My students are future interpreters. Their intelligence is considerable. Most speak fluent English and German, some also Swedish and Portuguese. They are well travelled, the majority having visited the US and Europe. Many want to work for the United Nations or in government. They are likely to play a significant role in their nation's future.
With the campaign growing increasingly vigorous, I began to put questions to the packed classes. My first was 'Will you vote?' Some said they would, but did not yet know for whom. The only party they knew of was Putin's Unified Russia. No great surprise, given that the prospect of a 60-70 per cent majority for Unified Russia has been broadcast across TV and radio airwaves, and 60 per cent of prime time television goes to Unified Russia.
Others hesitated and told me they had not given it any thought. The last group simply shook their heads, regretful, almost apologetic.
My question to this group was 'why not?' The most common response was: 'Even if we vote, nothing will change. The same party will always win. Our vote means nothing.'
Apathetic regret seems characteristic of many of the young people I have come across in St Petersburg and Novgorod. In everyday classes it is difficult to trigger passionate response. I have to search for issues that might inflame students' interest.
For the first few weeks they were surprised at my questions. When I pressed them they often became distressed, bursting into the common refrain: 'This is Russia, democracy doesn't work here.'
On the Monday morning after scores of opposition activists were arrested in St Petersburg by Interior Ministry forces, the topic in class was free speech. Again, the knee-jerk reaction came into play: 'It's not democracy, it's not freedom, but compare Russia today with what it was like during