Russia's integrated elite
If you'd like your students to see how integrated Russia's elite is, set them a task like the one I went on.I did a Google search for Igor Sechin.(Saturday's blog entry)
He's usually identified as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office, Aide to the President.
In that position, he is the general supervisor of the "Presidential Chancellery, the Presidential Information and Documentation Directorate, and the Presidential Directorate for Communication and Public Feedback."
He is responsible for organizing the publication of federal laws. He issues decrees and orders by the President... makes decisions on issues of state secrets protection, including issues on access of Presidential Executive Office officials to information that constitutes a state secret, and he appoints and dismisses officials in the Presidential Executive Office.
The President of Russia's web site says that Sechin also, on behalf of the Executive Office, signs service contracts for performing civil service duties and occupying civil service posts in the Presidential Executive Office... organizes the activity of the Presidential Commission for Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repressions, [and] approves official regulations for federal state civil servants...
You'd think that would be enough for one person. In fact, reading through that list of responsibilities, I'm reminded of the resumes of college students and young professionals that are "padded" with every conceivable thing they can think of.
But no! Sechin is not done.
(At left, Rosneft HQ's front window reflecting the Kremlin. At least Sechin's second job isn't far from his first.)He's also the chairman of the board of Rosneft, the state-owned oil company that recently took over Yukos. That makes Sechin the chairman of one of the world's largest oil companies. Imagine if White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten or presidential advisor Karl Rove was simultaneously chairman of ExxonMobile.
Other people in Putin's inner circle?
Here's where you assign students to find out the positions of power held by people in the Kremlin.
- One list of names can be found at CNBC's Russia: All the President's Men .
- Another list of names is available at the Carnegie Endowment's web site, The Alliance of TV Moguls and Kremlin Elite.
- Still more names come from a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty article, Putin's Cabinet Reshuffle Extends His Control.
- The CIA World Factbook offers more names of government officials.
Once students have identified the people and the roles they play, ask them to illustrate the connections between government and business organizations with a large wall or chalk board chart. Then comes the analysis of the chart. What are the hubs of the connections? Can you tell who's in charge? Where would an ambitious young person go and what would he or she do to reach the top? How does this system compare to the Soviet nomenklatura?
Are we having fun yet? Are we learning?
Labels: concepts, leadership, Russia
posted by Ken Wedding @ 7:09 AM
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