Putin follows the trajectory of many tyrants. He began by doing some good for his country - restoring civil order, investing some money into crumbling infrastructure, having some sensible financial advisors stabilize the banking system, etc. Once this was accomplished and his popularity was assured, he could increasingly consolidate power and enrich himself and his cronies to his heart's content while wreaking havoc with (increasingly ineffectual) dissenters at home and perceived enemies abroad. When the policy of theft and repression causes the economy to collapse, he can then scapegoat domestic and foreign enemies while making himself look like the people's champion.
This was more or less the path followed by other tinpot dictators like Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Joseph Mobutu, Suharto, Juan Peron, etc: do some good for your country and people to build trust, but then give yourself absolute power and rob your subjects blind once you have it.
This was more or less the path followed by other tinpot dictators like Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Joseph Mobutu, Suharto, Juan Peron, etc: do some good for your country and people to build trust, but then give yourself absolute power and rob your subjects blind once you have it.
Spot on. I have long thought of Putin as a tin pot Czar. His behavior fits right in with the rest of that crew.