Rather than risking mockery with outlandish claims – a staple of Soviet propagandists – that Russia will one day surpass the West economically, Surkov taps a deeper and safer emotion: fear. Whatever Russians think of the country’s economic malaise – GDP is expected to contract by 3.8% this year, while inflation could top 15% – they are assured that they would be much worse off without Putin.
与其因为俄罗斯总有一天会在经济上超过西方的怪诞说法而冒着被耻笑的危险——这几乎是苏联时期宣传的主基调——恐惧成了苏尔科夫所能利用的更隐秘、更安全的情感。无论俄罗斯人认为国家经济多么萎靡不振——今年国内生产总值预计萎缩3.8%，而通胀则可能突破15%——都有人向他们保证没有普京更加不堪设想。