Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Change in Moscow

Are the changes planned for Moscow indicative of political changes in Russia? As the country's population shrinks, Moscow grows. What does that mean for power of those who occupy the Kremlin?

Moscow to double in geographical size to ease overcrowding

Russian officials have announced plans to more than double Moscow's territory in a bid to alleviate the city's crippling traffic and overcrowding…

The plan to increase Moscow's size from the current 264,000 acres to 620,000 acres was given initial approval on Monday by Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president, in a meeting with the city's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, and Boris Gromov, governor of the surrounding Moscow region. The plan will see Moscow expanding to the south and south-west, taking in forestland, small communities and dachas or summerhouses…

The move is Moscow's boldest attempt yet to deal with the notorious bottlenecks that often bring movement in the city to a standstill. It is part of Medvedev's vision to turn Moscow into a global financial centre as the country seeks to attract investment and boost its international standing…

[Critics worry] that the expansion… will only increase Moscow's dominance over the country…

[Alexei Yaroshenko, of Greenpeace Russia, said] "The country is emptying and Moscow is growing… All resources are going to Moscow – first money and then people follow."