FREE ESSAY ON MOSCOW VS WASHINGTON

MOSCOW VS WASHINGTON

SAME TWO JOBS, ONE WORLD APART:
THE MAYOR OF MOSCOW AND THE MAYOR OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
William Dean
Comparative Political Leadership
Dr Peterson
Fall 2000
MOCBA
Moscow is a city like no other. This ancient city of has seen the rise and fall of
empires. It has been the home of rulers and despots, a token of war and an envisioned
destiny for many. Yet never has it seen the likes of the last decade. The center of power
for the world's largest country, Moscow is something of a powerful symbol, a center of
power, and in its most simple form, a municipal city. Yet this is the great intangible
mystique of Moscow. The physical city, and its leaders, are more than just leaders and
she is more than just a city. 
At the center of the daily management of Russia's most important city is the Mayor of
Moscow. Unlike what the West considers a mayor's job, Moscow's mayor goes far beyond just
managing the city. He is not simply an elected municipal leader. He reports directly to
the President of Russia. He is inherently virtually a Muscovite dictator and national
political bear. And though Russia shrugged off Communism, it certainly hasn't installed
an established and lasting system, especially at the municipal level. This has left the
Mayor of Moscow with unprecedented power to do as he sees fit, especially as long as
Moscow continues to experience prosperity untouched by the rest of the nation. Following
the collapse of the Soviet Union, no Russian icon has changed more than the city of
Moscow. Though there is only one real dynamic figure to take this office, Yuri Luzhkov
has truly been the spearhead in this change.
In order to better understand its unique politics, one must first understand Moscow's
basic setting. It is not only the capital of the nation of Russia, but also of the Moscow
oblast (region). The oblast has a gubernatorial executive. In other oblasts, the regional
governor is the power point. In Moscow, oblast and city, it is the mayor who maintains
the greatest power. The politics of this are far reaching, for example is the most recent
election of the Moscow Oblast's governor. In January of 2000, Acting President Putin
supported Gennadiy Seleznyov, just to oppose Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's ally. Luzhkov's
candidate won. Going against personal wishes, but attuning to the political climate of
Russia, Putin then desires to appoint Luzhkov as a deputy minister of new, powerful
regional council.l2
As with all of Russia, the pivotal has been economics. Moscow's Mayors Office has taken a
more than active role in seeing prosperity in Moscow, if nowhere else. Luzhkov likes to
refer to himself as a khoziaistvenik (business manager). He is visibly at ease discussing
business plans and financial flows. Unlike most Russian managers, he has a good head for
facts and figures. Even more unusual for a Russian, he neither smokes nor drinks. But he
rules Moscow with an iron fist. In December of 98, he even imposed Christmas spirit by
decree. All stores and restaurants around the capital had to put p Christmas and New
Year's decorations.3 
Luzhkov runs Moscow on a two-tier basis. Apart from the $8 billion official budget, there
is an unofficial budget, where revenues from city-owned businesses and buildings get
directed to construction of new apartment blocks, schools, shopping malls, stadiums and
roads. Moscow officials put the size of this budget at about $4 billion. Most people
think it's a lot bigger than that. 4 
Rival and presidential contender, General Alexander Lebed, describes the problem with
this politics, Russia has long been sick with symptoms of a dinosaur -- a huge body and
tiny head. By the time a signal from the head passes through the body and reaches the
tail, it is already time to turn in the other direction.
But Lebed, the sting of Moscow's czar. During the 2000 campaign, Forbes magazine went to
interview Lebed as his Moscow campaign headquarters near Teriyaki Gallery. The rooms were
not only modest, but very bare and empty; just cheap linoleum and fluorescent lighting.
Early in the interview, Lebed tells of Moscow's hard-hitting politics, Luzhkov is trying
to evict us. The building has been declared an architectural monument and we've been told
we have to go. 
Regardless, Moscow has become an oasis of prosperity in a ravaged nation. In 1996 Luzhkov
was reelected mayor with 90% of the vote. Whereas rivals clash with mafia and special
interests, Luzhkov coexists with them in the Russian capital; but he makes them cough up
big money in return. In a recent interview, Mayor Luzhkov was asked why the city of
Moscow has successfully retained so much control. We say that privatization is necessary
to create new owners who will manage the factories better than the old, but that is
possible only if the factories are sold for real money, so the new owner has to work to
make a return on his investment. 5 The mayor's office opinion is simple, We have to have
a flexible policy. If an enterprise is working well and improving itself, don't touch it.
Forget about how the new owner obtained it.
The Mayor's office has demised a mafiaesque plan of doing this. Unlike the rest of
Russia, Moscow is exempt to the privatization rules of Yeltsin's government . The city
still controls property and the sale of it. Thus, you can still buy property, but the
mayor's office decides how much it will cost you and where the proceeds will go. As
communism collapsed, Luzhkov simply grabbed many of the best Moscow enterprises and
properties for the city government. He has assembled a great business empire with more
than half the working population of Moscow directly -- or indirectly -- on the municipal
payroll.6 The City of Moscow owns and operates two big auto plants, an oil company,
several big construction firms, part of the local phone and electric utilities, a TV
network, two fast food chains (including part of the local McDonald's), dozens of food
processing plants, several big hotels, and hundreds of shops and restaurants.
This economic plan doesn't believe in price controls, but favors a highly interventionist
government policy to spur Russia's industrial revival. He wants to use the government's
position as monopoly supplier of electricity, gas, and rail transport to run those
businesses -- at a loss, if necessary -- in order to bring down the basic costs of living
and doing business. No free trader, he advocates tariffs to protect inefficient Russian
industries as a means of spurring the generation of money.
Additionally, the Mayor's office has gone out of its way to bring foreign capital into
Moscow. The city has attracted $12 billion in direct investment and credits, the lion's
share of all such funds invested in Russia. The city is home to some 5,000 foreign
companies and joint ventures. Moscow's next, and most ambitious project is the new
financial district, Siti, an 8 billion dollar project to be crowned by the 115 floor
Russian Tower.
The greatest extortion involves taxes. Most of the biggest Russian companies are
registered and pay their taxes in Moscow . Most of the money never leaves the city.
Consider Gazprom, the gigantic natural gas utility. It pumps its gas from Western
Siberia, pipes it across the length of European Russia and sells it in Germany, Italy and
France. Gazprom pays its taxes in Moscow and there most of the money stays. 7
But the municipality of Moscow reaches far beyond the ring. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has
steeped his national power especially deeply with the beginning of his own political
party. Russia Homeland is a nationalistic party founded by Luzhkov, giving him a basis of
national support and a much more far reaching platform. Yet Fatherland politics have been
inflammatory. In an interview with Novye Ivestiya on 25 September, Samara Governor
Konstantin Titov blasted the Moscow city government for its policies vis-a-vis non-
Muscovites, saying that Moscow Mayor Yurii Luzhkov is hunting down Caucasians, has turned
Moscow into a screening camp, and is eliciting a chauvinistic wave in this multinational
state. Titov, who is also head of the Voice of Russia bloc, which is aligned with Right
Cause and New Force, said that Luzhkov's policy threatens the stability of Russia no less
than terrorism. Two days later, Saratov Governor Dmitrii Ayatskov, who is a member of Our
Home Is Russia, told ITAR-TASS that his region will not allow civil rights to be
infringed upon or people divided on an ethnic basis. The governor added that he is
planning to meet with members of the local Chechen diaspora to discuss their involvement
in settling the North Caucasus conflict.8 This has gone on to affect Moscow politics,
with a greater concern over anti-Semitic relations and the influx of Russians to the
prosperous city.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Washington, DC, The Federal City, has faced immense change in its short 200 years. In
modern times, Washington has been plagued with the nation's highest murder rate, high
poverty levels and poor education, Washington is still home to the US Federal Government.
Behind the US Capitol is a slum. Down the road from the White House is the nation's crime
capital. But it is still the center of American political power, the base of Congress,
the Supreme Court, DOD, the President....the central nervous system of American
government. But these are just guests in the city of Washington. The city itself, a
non-state District has nonvoting representation in Congress and receives its budget from
local taxes and federal monies. 
The city has been plagued by its last mayor, Marion Berry. Following years of simply
foolish remarks and policies, plus incidents regarding prostitutes and a cocaine habit,
the city has turned to a new mayor. Anthony Williams, a young democrat, defeated Berry to
become mayor in 1998. Williams sees DC's greatest challenge is one of reinventing itself.
Much like Rudolph Gullioni's new New York, mayor Anthony Williams is reinventing a new
Washington. This expansive plan is authored and enforced through the mayor's office.
Mayor Williams asks the people of D.C. to come together and work together to improve the
quality of life in the District for both its citizens and the local business community.
The mission is simple: giving the citizens of DC the best city in America.9 What at first
seems like political rhetoric actually has a multifaceted plan and vision of making
Washington the city it wants to be.
In a TQM style, the mayors office has approached Washington's problems in a wide to
narrow scope approach. This begins with the Mayor's Vision for Washington. This Vision,
making Washington the 'best' city in America, has tiers of goals established by the
Mayor's Office:
? Strong schools, safe streets, clean communities, affordable housing, and reliable
transportation; 
? Access for all people to health care where our senior citizens and children at risk
receive quality services; 
? A wealth of social and cultural growth opportunities; 
? Vibrant economies downtown and in the neighborhoods; 
? True inclusion, a seat at the table for all; 
? Taking advantage of the District's truly unique assets-tourism that is second to none,
unique partnerships with federal agencies, a strong regional economy that lacks only a
vital urban center; and 
? Empowering men, women, and children of all communities to solve problems together.
Coming together, working together, succeeding together. 
10
In a few years, Washington has made real progress towards the more tangible goals
established by the mayor's office. The following chart depicts some vital statistics in
Washington's continued progress: 
CRIME City Stats Natl. Avg. Rank 
Violent crime(per 100K population) 526.6 506 190 
Property crime(per 100K population) 3,990 4,329 136 
EDUCATION City Stats Natl. Avg. Rank 
Spending per pupil $6,825 $5,387 36 
Student/teacher ratio 18.1 16.95 227 
Number of 4-year colleges 25 4.03 6 
Number of 2-year colleges 8 2.77 22 
ECONOMY City Stats Natl. Avg. Rank 
Cost of Living Index 124 104 300 
State and local taxes% 21.25% 10.35 % 328 
Recent job growth(past 12 months) 3.29% 1.68% 70 
Projected job growth(10 years) 16.54% 15.09% 121 
Unemployment rate % 2.4% 4.24% 30 
Auto insurance rates ($ per year) $1,100 $829 285 
Hospital beds 12,709 2,602 10 
MDs per capita 17.1 12.02 22 
Air quality index(higher is better) 62 65.9 211 
Water quality index(higher is better) 48 52.0 176 
Number of teaching hospitals 20 3.88 7 
QUALITY OF LIFE City Stats Natl. Avg. Rank 
Leisure Index (100 is best; 0 is worst) 59 19.42 17 
Arts Index (100 is best; 0 is worst) 56 11.48 4 
TRANSPORTATION City Stats Natl. Avg. Rank 
Commute time 28.8 19.23 326 
Mass transit availability 24.43 8.03 18 
Number of airline flights 578 139 19 
Amtrak service 22 2.57 8 
Regardless, there still seems to be a bubbling revolt in Washington. Williams noted that
the only people in the U.S. denied voting representation are, minors, convicted criminals
and DC residents. This stems from federal control of the federal city, equaling
Congressional oversight of all spending, taxation, and use of funds. The people of DC are
infuriated that Congress maintains this control while the residents of DC have no
Congressional vote. 10 
This has led to the city actually filing suit. There are two suits on the table. One
challenges the Court to allow the District to become a state, or for its residents to
become part of an existing state, such as Maryland. The other suite demands that Congress
provide the DC representative with a vote in the House. Efforts from within Washington
groups include giving DC two members in the House and two members in the Senate. An
additional option, not officially supported, would be to remove Federal taxation from DC
residents. They would still not have representation, but they wouldn't be taxed,
either.11
The city and residents of Washington, DC are making their point on this issue known in a
unique way. On the morning of November 4, 2000, thousands lined up outside the District's
DMV office to get the new, official plates for their vehicles. The old plates have been
in use since 1997 and bear the slogan Celebrate and Discover. The new plates look the
same, but the slogan across the bottom of the plate reads, Taxation Without
Representation. Mayor Williams, Delegate Norton and several city officials were on hand
November 4 with city vehicles being the first to sport the new plate. 
MOSCOW VS WASHINGTON
Two capital cities. Two centers of world power....two worlds apart. Moscow and Washington
are two very different cities with different leadership structures, especially with
regards to municipal leadership. In Washington, the mayor is what the west would consider
'just a mayor', truly the political leader and manager of the city, but nothing like
Moscow's mayor. In Moscow, the mayor runs a near dictatorship, ruling almost every detail
of the city. 
NATIONAL CLOUT
By virtue of being the Mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov has been reserved a seat on the
national stage. The formation of the Father Russia party only solidifies this to a
national voice. The Mayor's office not only dictates local taxes, but also makes official
opinion on Chechnya, Yugoslavia, and international trade. This illustrates a key point
about the city Moscow itself. Moscow, as Moscow is the center of Russia. The city
represents a nearly mythical image in Russian life. It is Moscow that is the fulcrum of
Russian culture, money, and power. 
American would have no such of Washington. Granted, it is the federal center of American
politics, Washington still owes its power to representatives from throughout the country.
This is as opposed to a very concentrated, central power from Moscow that flows down to
the citizenry as opposed up from the citizenry. 
Both cities have had major economic and planning issues in the last decade. Their
leadership has definitely taken different approaches. For Moscow, there has been a level
of endorsed underground economics, filled with shady deals and understood corruption. But
no ne wants this changed, especially as long as Moscow continues to prosper. 
For Washington, autocratic leadership and results haven't been so easy. Dealing with
American norms of municipal leadership, processes have been slow and balanced. Whereas in
the Muscovite world, Mayor Williams can not decree that there be Christmas spirit. He can
of course do ribbon cuttings, tree lightings, and declare a festive day in Washington,
but never proclaim that every street be lit and every tree be trimmed. 
Marion Berry lead a downward spiral for Washington's crime, education, and overall
standard of living. Once reelected following the cocaine scandal, an aurora of
incompetence again shined above DC. Finally, with the election of Anthony Williams, DC
seems to have a definite vision and plan for moving towards this vision. Crime,
pollution, and a decaying infrastructure have slowly headed to a Washington that has been
selected as one of America's best largest cities. These changes came about at an
'American pace', with the authorization of a city council, referendum, etc. 
Changes in Moscow come about as Yuri Luzhkov pleases, with the wishes of the underground.
With an extensive underground connection and a system of favors and patronage, the wheels
of Moscow run like a mafia organization. Moscow has the same problems as Washington, such
as a infrastructure, crime, and education. But Moscow has also had to deal with the
collapse and establishment of an entirely new government and economic model. 
When Luzhkov took the reins of Moscow, he entirely took control. Dealing directly with
Yeltsin, he took control of companies and land, and the entire political machine. By
doing so, his city retains control only known in the Soviet Union, but still alive in
Moscow, the capitol of the 'New Russia.' There is no way, even with eminent domain,
Washington DC's municipal offices would imagine fiating control of property and
businesses. Then Luzhkov makes a national stance as leader of his own party; no third
party candidate could stand a reasonable chance of winning the mayor's office in DC, let
alone establishing their own party.
One of the greatest likeness/differences the executive officials of DC and Moscow deal
with is the push/pull of the federal center and the regions. In Russia, Moscow boasts of
its position on the hierarchy of national politics. Moscow is the center of Russian
influence, and by commandeering businesses, and taxing regional businesses headquartered
in Moscow, the city has set itself as different from the rest of Russia. Moscow is a city
that is on top of the food chain. While most of Russia starves (and some parts of
Moscow), Moscow taxes regional companies, keeping the money in Moscow, spending the money
on roads and skyscrapers. 
In Washington, the people are crying taxation without representation. There is a great
fear in crowning Washington as a city above other cities. They don't even have a voting
voice in the chamber that oversees much of its funding. Rather than dealing with CEO's
and mafia bosses, the mayor's office deals with a city council, Congressional oversight,
and he continued reinvention of a plagued city. 
In short, Washington, regardless of who lives there and what goes on, is still just a
city. Moscow is a Russian Mecca; the home of all power and good things. It is one of the
only jewels in a very tarnished Russian crown. Both Mayors know their positions, and both
use their power accordingly. For Anthony Williams, it is the fight for better schools and
an expanded Metro. For Yuri Luzhkov, it's bulling President Yeltsin into exempting Moscow
from major legislation, or condemning Allied bombing in Serbia. These truly are two
different worlds, with two very different types of leaders with two very different jobs,
regardless of their titles.