Russia: Better off then or now?

[Arc]

Its been nearly 14 years since the USSR dissolved. All of the former states have had varied degrees of success in being set “free”, both socially and economically.

Russia was the foundation of the USSR and still remains the dominant former state or country on the world stage. There is no doubt that Russia is still a player but nowhere near the level it enjoyed during the existence of the Soviet Union.

We all know that Russia is very different now than it was in 1991. But although dramatically different is a better of now than it was then. Why or why not.

And what direction both internally and on the world stage is the Rodina heading?

I don’t know. I’ve half-given up on her and certainly have given up trying to figure out what her problem is. But a part of me has a very deep and strong feeling that somewhere down the road Russia is going to be a key nation in some powerful world events. In many ways she is a sleeping giant. The only questions are when will she awaken and what will she do?

Finally, part of me also is always asking, "Who the heck is in charge there?"

Thought or comments?

[ethics]

Short answer is that no one knows, not here, not within Russia itself. It is still trying to look for its soul it lost a long time ago. Everyone alive during that period has been long gone and no one is offering to take the reigns and guide Russia to a better world, whether that means befriending US and the West or not.

I won't say that Russia is weak, too many thought that and paid dearly for it, but I am not going to say that Russia today is motivated by anything except following the West.

As in Muslim backward countries, what needs to happen is the old people to go bye bye and the new to start anew.

[John R. Beanham]

Old Dog,



"Who the heck is in charge there?"

As far as I can see, every bloke running the show in Russia is an 'ex-KGB' or 'ex Commissar' or ex General Secretary' or whatever.

How can they put the ship into a 180 degree turn when they have pre-programmed automatons at the helm?

It will take a generation at least.


John.

[ethics]

Here's a glimpse from <i>Noviye Izvestia</i>, OD. Last week some political scientists started a discussion about possible <b>amendments to the Russian Constitution</b>.

Stanislav Belkovsky's Institute for National Strategy has come up with the most radical project, which would relieve the president of all responsibility for the socio-economic situation in the country and leave him as a kind of a <b>monarch</b>, notably, with an unlimited term of office.

The director of the Institute for Applied Politics, Olga Kryshtanovskaya, on the other hand, believes the Russian authorities have "specific plans to make the transition to a parliamentary republic" by discarding popular presidential elections and adopting the German model with a strong chancellor (or prime minister in Russia) and a weak president.

The strong premier would be Vladimir Putin. The only question is when this will happen. The Kremlin seems inclined to see 2007 as the date, which means three chambers - the Federation Council, State Duma and the Public Chamber - will endorse the president after the parliamentary elections. Sort of a mix-and-match between British system and American.

[Mr Xer Kibard]

The Russian Federation was better off fifteen years ago. The loss of Moscow's superpower status is still very much felt today by Russians.

However, I'm sure the majority of people living in the other former Soviet republics are glad to be free of Moscow's control, despite the economic hardships of the 1990s.

[Swamp Fox]

The Economist expects Russia to grow by 5% this year, which is low for a developing country (which Russia definitely is). But at least it's growing. It just needs time.

http://www.economist.com/countries/Russia/profile.cfm?folder=Profile-Forecast

Of course, I've been told that, in Moscow, there is a lot of suburban development and a growing number of BMW's and affluent people, so things may be better than that 4% - ie, black marketeering is not counted in that 4%.

[ethics]

What do you call an American Oligarch?

A CEO. :P

I have nothing to say about the growth except that Russian statistics keeping is wanting.