If you follow the popular postulate that politics is a dirty business, then the conclusion is sad: everyone who is involved in politics is morally unscrupulous and cannot be trusted a priori. To debunk the postulates is an unproductive undertaking. It is better to just take a closer look at a small part of people - those for whom politics is their main profession.
There can be no unprofessional politicians. Non-professionals are either propagandists or professional provocateurs. Statesmen cannot be politicians either. There is nothing you can do about it - these are the strict limits of the profession. Who can be a politician? The one who exercises power in the subordinate bodies and parties, or the one who fights for power.
“Politics is not the art of the possible; politics is the art of the impossible”, - Vaclav Havel.
"Veterans" of Russian political life
Vladimir Zhirinovsky (born 1946) is one of the world's oldest politicians. In general, this could speak for itself, if not for one circumstance: the once invented extravagant form of presenting information dictates him to remain one of the brightest and most odious politicians of the permanent transition period in the entire post-Soviet space, regardless of age. The benefit of once and for all putting on a mask for this politician is a win-win: any of his statements and suggestions either become prophetic, or he can refuse them at any time, citing a misunderstanding, no matter how fiercely he defended them earlier.
Boris Nemtsov (born 1959) is currently a deputy of the Yaroslavl Regional Duma of the sixth convocation. His political life is almost ideal for a real politician: with ups and downs, storms and calm, compromising evidence and exposure of his debunkers. He was both a governor and a minister, held posts in the presidential apparatus and the Security Council, created parties, actively participating in modern anti-Kremlin opposition activities.
“There is no reason to refuse lunch with President Putin. But taking the opportunity, we need to ask him some unpleasant questions,”- Vaclav Havel.
Vladimir Ryzhkov (born 1966) is a liberal and moderate politician. He began his career at the age of twenty as an organizer of perestroika rallies and an ardent opponent of the State Emergency Committee. He was a member of the State Duma several times. Since 2000, one of the first oppositionists to the existing government. In February 2014, he left the RPR PARNAS party, of which he was one of the founders.
Generation zero politicians
Dmitry Gudkov (born 1980) is one of the youngest modern politicians and a popular political blogger. Independent deputy of the State Duma of the sixth convocation. He was elected from the Fair Russia party, but in March 2013 he was expelled from the SR due to irreconcilable differences with the leadership of the party, pursuing a pro-government, not opposition, line. One of the few opposition politicians in the Duma who consistently defends the opinion of the enlightened stratum of the Russian public regarding the inadmissibility of adopting tough laws that curtail the constitutional rights of citizens.
Sergei Zheleznyak (born 1970) is a lobbyist for the United Russia party. Rather, it belongs to a variety of propagandists, since it systematically disseminates arguments and information that are indisputable for the members of the largest party in the Duma of the sixth convocation, but controversial both from a legal and humanitarian point of view. Initiates laws introducing censorship on the Internet and the media. It must be admitted that its massive influence on public opinion certainly brings the political fruits necessary for the party.
“Modern man must descend to the very bottom of the spiral of his own absurdity, only then can he look over it. It cannot be bypassed or jumped over, it cannot simply be avoided,”- Vaclav Havel.
Alexey Navalny (born 1976) is a popular blogger and opposition leader. One of the brightest faces of contemporary Russian politics. The world's most famous fighter against Russian corruption, especially among officials and political activities in Russia, and the most famous "criminal politician". At the moment, 8 criminal cases have been initiated against him. Meanwhile, Navalny is the creator and leader of such anti-corruption projects as: RosPil, RosYama, RosZhKH. While under investigation and trial in the summer of 2013, he took part in the mayoral elections in Moscow, in which he took second place, gaining about 28 percent of the votes of the total number of voters. On February 28, 2014, the Progress Party, which he heads, was registered by the Ministry of Justice. He is also known for the fact that the President of Russia never and under no circumstances mentions his name.
“The difference between a statesman and a politician is that a politician focuses on the next elections, and a statesman on the next generation, - Winston Churchill.
Mikhail Prokhorov (born in 1965) is primarily a billionaire businessman, engaged in politics as a hobby. Despite this, having entered politics, he immediately won both supporters and ardent opponents. Founder of the Civic Platform party for the middle class and business. Having come into politics only in 2011, by March 2012, participating in the presidential elections, he took the honorable 3rd place in the Russian Federation and no less honorable 2nd place in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In December 2013, he handed over the reins of the party to his sister Irina Prokhorova, temporarily moving away from active political activity.
It should be noted that it is not easy to single out really bright and popular modern politicians. Not everyone who is listed above can correspond to this profession one hundred percent, without deviating into adjacent areas. Many of those whose names come to mind in the first place when the phrase “the most famous Russian politician” is used are either statesmen, or propagandists, or disillusioned, have said goodbye to politics forever, or they are dissidents, but position themselves not as politicians, but as public figures.
