“Tycoons control eighty to eighty five percent of overall [Ukraine] GDP.”...Maidan failed to root out layers of political and economic elites who would be heard over ordinary people: “If anything the political shakeup has only served to enhance the prospects of new and up and coming players.”
Image: 2/21/2014, Independence Square, Kiev, unhappy Ukraine citizens hoped someone would listen to them, Reuters. 2/21/2014, “Quiet Oligarchs: Rich Powers Behind the Fighting in Ukraine,” NBC News
2/27/2015, “Ukraine: Insider Oligarchs Derail Maidan Revolution,“ Nikolas Kozloff, huffpost.com
“In the midst of war and heightened nationalism in Ukraine, many demonstrators who participated in protests at Maidan Square just one year ago are gripped with a profound sense of shock and wonder what has happened to their country. During the revolt in Kiev which eventually ousted the unpopular government of Viktor Yanukovych, the crowd called for a thorough overhaul of elite corruption, cronyism and the incestuous business-government revolving door. Yet, if anything, recent developments have only served to bolster tycoons [commonly referred to in Ukraine as “oligarchs”] and their position, thus torpedoing hopes that Maidan might have led to a more socially equitable and level playing field….
To a great extent, the rise of the oligarchs was tied to the wave of privatizations and acquisitions of large industrial firms in the wake of the 1990s breakup of the Soviet Union. Many Ukrainian oligarchs are invested in the industrial east of the country, home to Soviet-era mines and factories. Most of the oligarchs, notes Foreign Policy magazine, “amassed their wealth by exploiting their closeness to those in power rather than through efficient management.””…
[8/14/2014: “Ukraine’s Oligarchs Are Still Calling the Shots: The revolutionaries of the Maidan wanted to end crony capitalism. But it’s back with a vengeance.” Foreign Policy, by Sergii Leshenko [a member of Ukrainian parliament as of 2014]. “Ukraine’s business elites continue to shape the country’s political agenda despite the wishes of the Maidan revolutionaries to the contrary.”]
(continuing): “In the words of the New York Times, “the ultra-wealthy industrialists wield such power in Ukraine that they form what amounts to a shadow government, with empires of steel and coal, telecoms and media, and armies of workers.” By securing positions in government for themselves or buying off politicians, oligarchs obtain valued political influence. Moreover, by buying up media outlets the oligarchs hope to forestall or preempt any efforts to undermine their position.…
To be sure, most of the oligarchs’ exports,
which emanate from outdated and outmoded factories, were directed
toward Russia.
On the other hand, the oligarchs feared jeopardizing Ukraine’s ties to the west, as well their easy access to fancy vacation homes and London’s financial center….
Reportedly, the oligarchs are “hedging their bets politically” and trying to secure a kind of comfortable status quo in which their assets will be protected. At the very least, the oligarchs no longer have to worry about the sinister sounding “Family,” which imploded in the midst of Yanukovych’s fall from power. The government meanwhile is keenly aware of the perils in taking on oligarchic interests too intensely, since tycoons control eighty to eighty five percent of overall GDP….
Demonstrators sought to end the corrupt and incestuous alliance between business and government. Moreover, they hoped to shed light on privatization initiatives so as to reveal the true extent of what had been stolen.
Initially at least, Pilash says many people on the Maidan were receptive to a more progressive social agenda, though over time “you saw a lot less of this kind of rhetoric,” and such ideas were entirely lost amidst all the “mainstream, pro-market neo-liberal politics.” What is more, the crowd became less assertive in its demands and lost its momentum, solidarity and sense of unity. “When protests ended,” Pilash declares, “ordinary people weren’t involved in making decisions anymore and left such tasks to the establishment.” In the wake of Poroshenko’s electoral victory,civil society retreated and “there is very little political engagement.” The oligarchs, Pilash declares, “are still in power both politically and economically. Maidan showed we could challenge politics, but economically we have the same guys in charge.”…
A power vacuum has led to the rise of yet more oligarchs who are keen to take advantage of political and economic opportunity….
Maidan’s legacy and the oligarchs
Watching news reports emanating from Kiev, many westerners surely came to believe that the most crucial power struggle taking place on Maidan pitted Yanukovych against popular demonstrators in the square. Yet just beneath the surface, another equally important feud was taking shape: the conflict between Ukraine’s political and economic tycoons. While Maidan succeeded in ridding the country of some oligarchs, the revolution failed to root out the elites, and if anything the political shakeup has only served to enhance the prospects of new and up and coming players.
While Poroshenko talks about cleaning up corruption, it’s not clear if he can succeed or even has the willingness to go up against his own oligarchic class….
Will there be another Maidan against oligarchic interests? In Kiev, I put the question straight to activist Denis Pilash. “Things have tilted so far to the right that disillusionment is inevitable,” he says. Pilash adds that perhaps in time “this small Ukrainian left will undertake actions closer akin to Occupy Wall Street.” He then muses, perhaps prophetically, “I don’t think this last Maidan was the last.””
“Nikolas Kozloff is a New York-based writer who recently conducted a research trip to Ukraine.”
………………………….. On the other hand, the oligarchs feared jeopardizing Ukraine’s ties to the west, as well their easy access to fancy vacation homes and London’s financial center….
Reportedly, the oligarchs are “hedging their bets politically” and trying to secure a kind of comfortable status quo in which their assets will be protected. At the very least, the oligarchs no longer have to worry about the sinister sounding “Family,” which imploded in the midst of Yanukovych’s fall from power. The government meanwhile is keenly aware of the perils in taking on oligarchic interests too intensely, since tycoons control eighty to eighty five percent of overall GDP….
Demonstrators sought to end the corrupt and incestuous alliance between business and government. Moreover, they hoped to shed light on privatization initiatives so as to reveal the true extent of what had been stolen.
Initially at least, Pilash says many people on the Maidan were receptive to a more progressive social agenda, though over time “you saw a lot less of this kind of rhetoric,” and such ideas were entirely lost amidst all the “mainstream, pro-market neo-liberal politics.” What is more, the crowd became less assertive in its demands and lost its momentum, solidarity and sense of unity. “When protests ended,” Pilash declares, “ordinary people weren’t involved in making decisions anymore and left such tasks to the establishment.” In the wake of Poroshenko’s electoral victory,civil society retreated and “there is very little political engagement.” The oligarchs, Pilash declares, “are still in power both politically and economically. Maidan showed we could challenge politics, but economically we have the same guys in charge.”…
A power vacuum has led to the rise of yet more oligarchs who are keen to take advantage of political and economic opportunity….
Maidan’s legacy and the oligarchs
Watching news reports emanating from Kiev, many westerners surely came to believe that the most crucial power struggle taking place on Maidan pitted Yanukovych against popular demonstrators in the square. Yet just beneath the surface, another equally important feud was taking shape: the conflict between Ukraine’s political and economic tycoons. While Maidan succeeded in ridding the country of some oligarchs, the revolution failed to root out the elites, and if anything the political shakeup has only served to enhance the prospects of new and up and coming players.
While Poroshenko talks about cleaning up corruption, it’s not clear if he can succeed or even has the willingness to go up against his own oligarchic class….
Will there be another Maidan against oligarchic interests? In Kiev, I put the question straight to activist Denis Pilash. “Things have tilted so far to the right that disillusionment is inevitable,” he says. Pilash adds that perhaps in time “this small Ukrainian left will undertake actions closer akin to Occupy Wall Street.” He then muses, perhaps prophetically, “I don’t think this last Maidan was the last.””
“Nikolas Kozloff is a New York-based writer who recently conducted a research trip to Ukraine.”
Comment: Ukraine sounds exactly like the US. They said, gosh, look at all the people at the Trump rallies. So what? Things are worse than ever. There’s just no interest in allowing the will of the people. Nothing will change unless and until the US is broken up.
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