I’d be willing to bet a beer that Russia has much better national pride than we do even if they are not a rich nation from the outside looking in.
What you say about much of the economy running below the radar is most likely correct. Also; Russia is much much older than we are. To judge them by American ways, I almost said values but that wouldn’t be correct, would be a mistake. They have their way and we have ours.
I bet they see us as weak, spoiled, and clueless. In many ways I would have to agree. Our melting pot has weakened our national pride. How can we have a national pride when any given grade school in NYC speak 160 different languages or when such a high percentage of people are on food stamps and other forms of welfare?
Now, with the invasion of not only Hispanics but Islamists, we are diluted even more.
Moscow Is the Largest Muslim City In Europe, Russian Parliamentarian Says