Putin's Russia is not democratic

My response to your points: "This is not an example of an undemocratic state, it is merely an example of elements of coruption that go on in political fields, although a deal more potently in in the Russian Federation than in other countries." Yes, it is an example of corruption, but with relation to my argument it is more than that. This particular corruption affects the election in such a way that it is inherently biased. This is rigging. Furthermore, governmental tampering with regional elections IS an example of an undemocratic state. "A poltical party letting its campaign finace interests influence the way it governs? Could it be? Are you saying this problem is void in other parts of the liberal-democratic world? Its not like Big Oil or the major Pharmatceticals have any influce in Washington..." First, the way Western countries operate has no bearing on this debate; this debate is solely about whether or not Putin's Russia is democratic. Anyways, the issue is not that campaign finance interests influence the way a government operates, but that the government coerced funds and BLOCKED funds from opponents. This isn't a matter of politics being influenced by money, this is an instance of the government preventing the opposition from acquiring finances through force. This is a blatant example of rigging an election! Imaging if the US IRS started cracking down on any group that helped financed an opposition candidate. People would be furious and would rightly claim that the government was setting up an unfair election. All your evidence from international agencies just refer to the direct voting process. My argument is that you can rig an election without altering the voting process. Indeed, the most effective and intelligent way to rig an election would be to do it in this way. "Media was not completly restricted to the opposition, although the Kremlin did have a little extra time putting their own views through state-subtized advertising. But Canadian taxpayers paid for anti-sepratist rallies durign the 1995 referendum and Americans launch many PSAs relating to public, interest, and it is not unknown for a partisna slap to come out occasionally." Once again, your comments on Western politics are irrelevant. You already conceded that Russia does not have a free press. This is a bit of a change of stance on your part. Anyways, Russian control of the media was more than "a little extra time putting their own views through." Putin's government harassed and shut down those who supported opposition or were critical of his party. Putin directly controlled all the national news agencies. Putin essentially worked to silence the opposition, to make the opposition an invisible party. This is more than an infringement of freedom of speech, it puts the opposition at a distinct and unfair disadvantage. It is an instance of the government working to control the election. The government acted on a policy which directly made it more difficult for its opposition to win the election. This is rigging. There are more ways to rig an election than simply tampering with the physical votes. Putin is not a dumb man; he knows this. I know that he knows this because he did it. Putin rigged the election by using government power to suppress dissent and make his opposition invisible. Putin rigged the election by using government power to coerce finances and block campaign funds from opposition. Putin rigged the election by tampering with local politics and forcing support from local politicians, forcing them to switch party lines and campaign for politicians of Putin's choosing and against Putin's opposition. Putin rigged the election by creating a political climate that was impossible for opposition to survive in. Rigged elections are not democratic elections. Putin's Russia is not democratic.