[Cronos]

El --> Russia was badly hurt during the Yeltsin years. During the 90s, the US under Blinton could have helped them transition, but Clinton didn't. The EU helped central europe transition, but Russia was not helped.

I don't think they had that chance in the 2000s under the oligarchs. Putin provided them the self-pride they wanted.

Russia did not have the advantages of China. China has a far stronger economy and in the 90s was strongly held, while Russia did not have that advantage

Russian society is not so defective to be non-democratic --> why do you say so?

[elhombrelibre]

If you need Putin to feel proud, you may not have self-respect, respect for others, common decency, a sense that no man is above the law, an ignorance of how much more important the individual is than the state, and an irrational longing for autocracy. Those are just a few obvious points. You may not have learned the lessons of autocracy under the Czars and the communist either.

[bert]

Aspirin, ibupropin, vice grips, panty hose and on and on and on