Viktor Erofeyev has an interesting column running in the International Herald Tribune today about the unsaid, accidental theme of Putin’s presidency: the rise of private life.

Let the good times roll, for Russia’s sake By Viktor Erofeyev In a recent interview, Russia’s chief Communist, Gennadi Zyuganov, called the new president, Dmitry Medvedev, a liberal who, in Zyuganov’s opinion, reflected the sentiments of only 5 percent of the population. The rest of the people, the Communist leader said, continue to believe in the ideals of collectivism. This is profoundly wrong. An active process of internal modernization is underway in the Russian population. Medvedev’s cautious first steps reflect the new reality: He is apparently seeking to strengthen the middle class by freeing small and medium businesses from the tutelage of the state; he is battling the ever-more-tiresome corruption and the excessive influence of the siloviki, the powerful ministers.