So I know today in class Mrs. Garber mentioned how Russians want everyone in Russia to be and act Russian even if they're not. This is actually really true.
Elections are expected to take place in March of this year, and Putin is expected to win. Interestingly, his is taking a strong stance on immigration and labor laws.
Last year, Russia saw seven percent unemployment. This is while immigrants are flooding into the country, taking jobs without proper permits or documentation. They are either forging it or employers are ignoring it/forging it for them.
Many Russians are really frustrated with these immigrants because not only are they taking much needed jobs illegally, they are overcrowding living spaces. This has caused discrimination against anyone who doesn't appear to be or act Russian and it has caused the Russian people to fear and detest different people. Certain groups have even come about that kill or beat these workers who are also openly criticized by politicians.
Putin, if reelected, plans to take a serious stance against illegal immigration and labor and not only punish the illegal workers, but the employers also. For the Russians, this is a serious threat and many people are clearly angry. Out of the ten million foreign workers, there are about four million that are there illegally.
To be clearer, I don't think that it is necessarily that the Russians hate that people that are different, but the lack of respect for Russian law towards immigration and labor is apparent when workers come work in the country illegally and this is a blatant refusal to accept a Russian identity.
Do you think the Russian government is really going to crack down on immigration? Do you think it will be effective? Do you think it is possible to keep a close enough eye on this problem to be able to solve it? Do you think Russians put a permanent stigma on foreigners because some of them came to work in Russia illegally? Do you think this is anything like America's relationship with Mexico and immigration? Similarities? Differences?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russias-putin-urges-crackdown-on-illegal-immigration-by-workers/2012/01/26/gIQAC8ZnSQ_story.html
ReplyDeleteI forgot to put in the link to the article.
It's pretty short and that basic summary is in my post, but it's here to read if you want it.
I thought Russia had historically had a problem with people leaving their country? Also because Russia is an EU state (I think) immigrants have a better ability to move freely between states so Putin can't really do much. Putin will win in a landslide regardless, his policy stances are a formality in my opinion, he controls Russia so he basically is just posing for the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem with the immigration is that the workers are coming from non-EU states and not enough native Russians are employed. Another problem is that the workers are undocumented and they didnt get the job in a fair way.
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