Communists Set to Gain from Putin's Squeeze on Democrats

Lenin may have been dead for 83 years, the Soviet Union may have disappeared, and the prospects for world revolution look dim, but as Russia prepares for a parliamentary election next month, the Communists are enjoying a revival.

Russia’s Communists still enjoy widespread support despite serial attempts by Kremlin evangelism to integrate them in to “modern” society. The 90th anniversary of the 1917 October Revolution this month drew some 20,000 on to the streets of Moscow.

Russia’s December 2 elections may well return only two parties to parliament – Putin’s United Russia and Zyuganov’s Communist party – thanks to new electoral rules that penalise small blocs. The Kremlin raised the threshold for getting into the State Duma from 5% to 7%, meaning that western-orientated reform parties like Yabloko and the Union of Right Forces are unlikely to muster the necessary votes to get in.

Gennady Zyuganov grinned at his wrinkled audience as a voice boomed out: “Comrades, let us salute the heroes of the revolution!” A procession of rather ancient men shuffled forward. Zyuganov gave them each a medal.

One 94-year-old hero – born under the tsar – had problems mounting the wooden stairs of the theatre where the election rally was being held. Zygunov bounded down from the stage. “Ninety-four,” he exclaimed, pinning on a medal for long service. “Amazing,” he said.

Ninety years after the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia, Russia’s Communist party is still alive and well, if rather long in the tooth.

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Born and raised very humbly in a “small town” in southern California, I was a product of different worlds. Literally, part of my family descends from Mexico the rest from Portugal and Uruguay. This mixture had kept me from supporting any racist psyche found...