The temporary economic stabilisation which followed the 1998 crisis was possible only because of the soaring price of oil caused by the US and European booms, When these end, when the prices of Russia's raw materials tumble, then Putin will face his first major crisis. The crisis which Russia's worker's face is also not just one of economic hardship but one of leadership. When fulltimers are needed they should be paid the average wage of their members and they should at all times be subordinated to councils and committees elected from working members of the union. They also need an All-Russia workers' party. Putin is now proposing a new law on political parties that will restrict the number able to present themselves at the polls, to a mere handful .
Time is short.