Russia in no way experienced capitalism and democracy in 1991. What it actually experienced was the final chapter of socialism and forced collectivism - total corruption of the political class, naked gangsterism, extreme rent-seeking, and complete stripping of the economy to a maximum degree by cronies. It is something which America is also getting a small taste of now as well.
Hello PGR,
RATHER THAN understanding how democracy and capitalism actually WORK and embark upon the robust debates and sacrificing ordeals necessary to obtain and upkeep the corresponding institutions —> the Russian people decided “freedom” was too much for them, or a fraudulent concept to begin with at best.
Therefore, they chose to indulge in “Alternative History” as a way to forge a stable, national identity revolving around nostalgia for Russian Empire and USSR — and to unify around the purpose of avenging its collapse.
They willingly relinquished their freedoms in favor of Putin’s hard iron grip and control over every sphere of their society.
And chose things like territorial land-grabs (Crimea) and foreign military adventures (Syria) over the work of economic diversification and modernization.
I am tired, especially in the age of Trump and MAGA, of hearing Americans boo-hoo-ing everything here. Give the man credit he deserves and the American people for voting him into office. Freedom is a struggle, we fall sometimes and Americans understand this more than any people in the world. We’re not going to delude ourselves into some false utopia. The world has a lot to learn from our history and our capacity for examining our past objectively. (Or at least to know there’s room for debate.)
Thanks.