Thread by @kamilkazani

Moscow non-ruling elites may declare themselves "Putinist" or "anti-Putinist". But they are all closely tied with friendship, colleagueship, kinship. More importantly, they share a strong corporate interest in guarding their privilege, much like the non-ruling nobility did

https://twitter.com/sumlenny/status/1561310406802563075

When you think about the non-ruling elites of today, think about the non-ruling nobility of the early modern period. Many French noblemen had zero saying in how the kingdom was governed. Still, they enjoyed the ultra privileged position, were aware of it and wanted to guard it

Darya Dugina belonged to the non-ruling nobility of Moscow and the said nobility viewed her as one of their own. Her death terrified them. Nobility is not much interested in sufferings of peasants, but suffering of another noble - that what is truly appalling

Now much of the non-ruling nobility is discussing how immoral it is to rejoice at someone's death. What they truly mean is that nobles should be untouchable, no matter what they do. Notice that even "opposition" members are deeply upset. Because a woman of their circle just died

Putinism/anti-Putinism - it's game. It's not real. There is no barrier between Putinists and anti-Putinists. You can easily switch your position, and then do it again. In both camps you will enjoy high status and income. Social class is more important than political affiliation

That's why so many "opposition" members are in shock now. That is far worse than an attack on their (fake) political affiliation. That's an attack on they social group (real), on their social status

Nobleman's or noblewoman's privilege includes the right to change the camp at will and enjoy the high status in both. If Darya was indeed killed for her political position and actions, it means that noble privilege has limits. They're touchable after all. That's hard to swallow

Many are writing about how "insane", "unbelievable", "hard to conceive" was Darya's death. But why? Darya openly called for mass slaughters in Ukraine and for purging the discontent in Russia. But for the Moscow nobility it was all game. It was not real. She was in her own right

Today she's advocating for the total war in Ukraine. Tomorrow she'll change her position and will be embraced by all the liberal media. "She reformed", they'll say. Both as a Putinist as an anti-Putinist she'll hang out with the same people, frequent the same places as they

But now she won't. If Darya is not untouchable, it means they may not be untouchable, too. It means that under certain conditions they may face the consequences of their actions and be held responsible for them. Their class privilege has its limits. That is indeed hard to swallow