A few weeks ago, Dmitry Medvedev announced that Russia’s top officials would reveal their incomes as part of an anti-corruption campaign. When I heard this I wondered whether that disclosure would include any of the money they’ve most likely picked up over the last eight years. After all, Medvedev was the chair of Gazprom’s board of directors, and one would suspect he was compensated heavily for his service. However, when he stated his finances for the presidential election, Dima was pretty much broke by American power player standards. Since 2007, Putin has been rumored to have a hefty $40 billion squirreled away in some unknown bank account.
The tandem released their incomes today, and one can only assume that while Medvedev and Putin might have earned $124,000 and $137,000 respectively, I seriously doubt this is the full number and certainly not full disclosure of their wealth.
Both men earn over 18 times Russia’s average wage of 230,000 rubles per year.
Medvedev has the larger apartment, a 368-square-meter Moscow residence that dwarves Putin’s 77-square-meter flat in Saint Petersburg, the declarations showed. But both men spend most of their time in their palatial state residences.
. . .
Putin also owns a garage, two classic cars, a trailer and a 1,500 square meter plot of land, his declaration said. He also has share holdings with a nominal value of 230,000 rubles.
Medvedev and his wife have bank deposits worth just under 3 million rubles and 4,700 square meters of land. His wife has two car parking spaces and a Volkswagen Golf.
It’s interesting that Putin, as Prime Minister, earns more than the President. But not by much.
Perhaps, what is more interesting is how Medvedev’s salary compares to that of other world leaders. Barack Obama tops the list with a paycheck of $400,000 a year. But this is chump change compared to the $4.2 million Obama earned from book sales in 2007. And now with his own full fledged cult of personality, Brand Obama is a potential bottomless well of profit.
Obama’s high is followed by Ireland’s Brian Cowen who rakes in roughly $380,000, France’s Nicholas Sarkozy’s $355,000, Angela Merkel’s $337,000; and Britain’s Gordon Brown who gets $294,000.
Poor (that is for reported income) Dima is in last place with an annual Presidential salary of $99,000.
As we all well known public office isn’t what pays. What really pays are the connections, greasy handshakes, and back room dealings. I suspect this is how the Clintons earned $109 million (which I also doubt is full disclosure) from 2000 to 2007. And once that government-corporate revolving door begins to spin after leaving office, look out. Pay-dirt. When they finally leave office, I’m sure Putin, Medvedev, Obama, Merkel, Sarkozy, Brown, and Cowen will be amply compensated for their time.
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Putin owns a trailer? I knew the Oligarchs like to flaunt their money, but this is really over the top. The man obviously has no sense of restraint.
What’s the trailer for? Transporting ponies? Or is this some Russian trailer park version of Marie Antoinette’s peasant village?
Speaking of people who probably make a lot of money, I saw Aleksandr Medvedev in TV last night, and he looked like a used car salesman. What’s up with that? Is it a sign of the economic crisis? Or is it camouflage, the elite wearing crumpled suits trying to blend in with the work-a-day folks in case someone’s trying to off them? Even Vovka looked a bit meager giving his Duma address. I think he needs to hop in that trailer, drive to the sea and get some sun. A plate of fried leeches might not hurt either.
Sean.
As a historian you won’t find it hard to answer a simple question – “How much did Stalin get per year?”
It’s not about money – it’s about power. And when you have a country at your disposal – who cares about money!
I’m not really sure why this matters. Say Bush or whoever uses his position as ex-pres to get favorable business deals. Who cares? It only matters if it affects their ability to do their job competently.
“As we all well known public office isn’t what pays. What really pays are the connections, greasy handshakes, and back room dealings.”
Sean, you missed the obvious and completely legal possibilities. Expenses claims.
Example, according to the Brit press recently, MP’s can claim expenses for a ‘second home’ (i.e. to maintain the family home which may be far from the seat of government and a home next to work) and apparently only need to register that they spend a couple of nights there a week to be able to claim their money. Turns out this is very useful in paying off mortgages such as claiming expenses and renting out one of the homes and other such jolly games.
Not only that, they can claim straight faced that they have “done nothing wrong”.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7987102.stm
“It has also emerged that Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon and Chancellor Alistair Darling claimed for second homes and rented out their London apartments while living in taxpayer-funded flats.
Both say their claims were within the rules and openly declared.
The second homes allowance is meant to cover the costs of MPs staying away from home on parliamentary business and can be used towards mortgage interest and rent payments, hotel bills, as well as furniture, utility bills and upkeep costs – among other things.
MPs must designate a property as their main home – usually their base in London – then claim expenses on their “second” home, which is usually the constituency property.”
Even in advanced democracies they have strong rules on many things, but it seems that ‘rules’ can be easily sidestepped.
Back to my primary point, everyone plays the game, just some better than others…
Are there any campaign finance disclosure laws in Russia?
Hi Poemless, I’m taking children to Chicago for Easter and following week. Now that I know you are an arts expert (see recent Russian cinema post), do you have any must see/must do recommendations? We’ve seen the Shedd and Science&Industry; but those are always my fallbacks.
Tess. Well, I don’t know how old your children are, or where you’re staying, etc. But I’m a pretty good tour guide, so I’ll give you this for starters:
Definitely go Millenium Park, The Chicago Cultural Center and The Art Institute. All are in the same few square blocks, all have stuff for kids, and the first two are free. The Art Institute has been in a bit of disarray, because they’re moving stuff around for the new modern wing. I think it should be alright, but you might want to call ahead and ask if the Chagall stained glass is on exhibit. Also, right across the street from the Art Institute is a lovely restaurant, Russian Tea Time. A little overpriced and underquality (by Chicago’s standards), but still a nice place, and it hits the spot. The people who run it, the Muchniks, are really sweet too.
If you have a car, drive north up LakeShore Drive & Sheridan to the Bahai Temple. On the way back, drive down Devon Ave. You won’t regret it.
People like the architectural cruises.
It’s a great town for theater. Catch a show if you can. The Goodman has a strange new take on The Cherry Orchard. For kids, I think Mary Poppins is popular.
This is the main place to find out what is going on in town, arts-wise:
http://www.chicagoreader.com/
And if you have any other questions, feel free to e-mail me (poemless at gmail dot com) so we don’t turn Sean’s site into a virtual Chicago Tourism Board.
I went to preschool in Chicago. I hear the place is a great cultural landmark today.
We’ve seen the Shedd and Science&Industry; but those are always my fallbacks.
Wally’s a Chicago tourist attraction? I thought he was a New England engineer!
Next we’ll learn that Averko is a competent historian.
Much closer to Nemwan being a genius, given his admiration of Hoare – who is a paper academic – in the form of a charlaton.
That is the kind of grammatical construction that could only have been produced by an Adelphi man.
“Putin owns a trailer? I knew the Oligarchs like to flaunt their money, but this is really over the top. The man obviously has no sense of restraint.”
Apparently Mironov declared ONLY a trailer. Some smart-asses were suggesting he was moonlighting as rickshaw driver (perhaps towing Vovka?).
Oh, and Sechin declared an 11-year-old Subaru Legacy.
Here’s a fun little piece from today’s MT:
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1009/42/376054.htm
Frustrated Moscow based blog commenter with little if anything of substance to offer.
Quite pathetic.
Pardon the “Nemwan” bit. At the time, issues concerning Enron were stacked on the table.
I believe the word is spelled “Ernon.”
BTW, this writing sample doesn’t cut it at Adelphi:
http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/2009-62-28.cfm
For consistency sake, this point is noted, vis-a-vis playing the role of a grammar Nazi.
In twastic spazzerings of laurel gowns and heimlic flourishes of comsummate hylomorphism vis-a-vis the abyssal straight men of Nethertwitter, thus does Alephi produce its linguistic marvels.
Heretofor unswept words of golden threstles amid rounded buttocks bespoken of cranial damsels, thus is the linguistic penultimussus of stultii viri aborn immeranew in the fragrant hothouse of Adelphi, greatest of schools.
It’s easier to write like late Joyce than I thought!
ODE TO ADELPHI
by Chris Yog-Dossoth (Adephi graduate)
Hark! Young maidens! Seek not the wayward temptations of the hooligan, the wayward burger’s son, the progeny of Yale!
Run not after those glitter boys of Harvard, their full lips pouting promises of joys untold and English-language competence!
Shun the men of sinful Stanford! For as once the greasepits of Sodom fell, shuddering to sand, before the divine wrath, and a poor weak woman looked back, looked back, looked back no more — thus shall be your fated share should you choose a man with wordly education!
NAY! Seek thou the young strapping men of Adelphi! Men of Averkian unwit and unpolished prose! We, my ladies, shall be faithful, ever-faithful. All hail Adelphi, the potter’s wheel upon which are formed the souls of true, brave men!
I’ve kept someone busy.
Who is perfect?
http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/2009-52-39.cfm
Likewise, some can stand to brush up on their history regarding the Soviet-Finnish War among other things:
http://www.rferl.org/content/At_Last_The_End_Of_History/1509477.html
Stalin didn’t seek all of Finland.
Shifting gears elsewhere, note how a supposedly well educated person and frequent blabberer was unaware that by the late 1970s (if not earlier) Hungary established itself as the most reformist of Warsaw Pact countries.
In short, the world is full of examples of nitwits whose purported educational exploits aren’t always up to snuff.
The last comment is specifically directed at the failed satirist.
“I’ve kept someone busy.”
Not particularly. Took all of 3 minutes.
Who IS Cotton Mather, by the way?
A question like that coming from someone who didn’t know who Alexander Ovechkn is.
This is supposed to be a Russia related venue.
Dunno much about CM. If I’m not mistaken, he was a Protestant minister from a bygone era, in a country outside of Russia.
For an American not to know who Cotton Mather was is pretty pathetic, you gotta admit. Maybe things would be different if Disney had made a movie, like with Pocahontas (nota bene — Cotton Mather did not have a cute animal sidekick).
Who is this bleep you fellow and why does his comments give me a headache? At least the comments of one of Cthulhu’s spawn are entertaining.
Why the ever loving Mike Averko! Your headache should feel familiar. I know mine does.
“At least the comments of one of Cthulhu’s spawn are entertaining.”
Excuse me, Jason. Allow me to set you straight. Cthulhu has hogged too much of the limelight for too long. Cthulhu is a mere monstrous alien being — of overwhelming power by mortal standards, yes, but nevertheless ultimately merely a mundane creature. Moreover, he is asleep until the stars realign properly and he can again feast on your insignificant flyspeck of a world. I, on the other hand, am one of the two poles of existence, an Elder God on a par with Dread Azathoth himself, part of the monstrous structure of reality itself. Clearly far superior to Cthulhu.
You, my friend, have failed your Cthulhu Mythos roll.
I just joined this thing called “save the words,” and the word I chose to save from oblivion by incorporating it into my regular vocabulary is “historiaster.” Which basically means an incompetent historian. I was thinking I’d use is whenever Richard Pipes is mentioned. But y’all can use it for Averko too, if you deem it applicable.
That’s super generous for Putin to buy a Lada. I’m pretty sure that’ll single-handedly save the Russian auto-industry.
Sorry, but I have been in Russia in over 10 years. So I can’t write “Russian auto-industry” without giggling…
have NOT been…
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