Like Iraq, Russia may be a country inherently incapable of a representative democracy, the rule of law, and free social institutions. The 70 years of Communism and 300 preceding years of absolute monarchy have made any idea of a market economy and free institutions coming any time soon unrealistic. In comparison, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic eliminated Communist influence within a few years of the collapse of the Warsaw Pact. Unlike Germany or Japan, nations that had a viable middle class and an organized, orderly society, with a relatively short period of tyranny (12 years in Germany’s case), Russia does not have the human infrastructure to establish what has never existed there.
In comparison, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic eliminated Communist influence within a few years of the collapse of the Warsaw Pact. Unlike Germany or Japan, nations that had a viable middle class and an organized, orderly society, with a relatively short period of tyranny (12 years in Germany’s case), Russia does not have the human infrastructure to establish what has never existed there.
None of those countries have super power delusions. As this article shows, a kleptocractic petrostate like Russia will never be a super power because Putin’s mafia will steal the nation’s wealth before it can grow into a vibrant economy. Russia has no economy, no hope and no future. Sad, really.