I think Russia is looking to repeat hisotry...

[muy_thaiguy]

And not in a good way.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/ ... EXxQxZWVLY

[mrswdk]

And not in a good way.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/ ... EXxQxZWVLY

You're a fantastic weather vane for working out what it is that Western governments want their populations to think, ya know.

[BigBallinStalin]

Nothing in that article explains exactly how Putin is consolidating control over Russia. Another commenter claims that his hold is weakening without specifying how.

The second to last paragraph mentions that an unknown number of government officials were fired... really? That's it? And there was something about nameless oligarchs fearing something or another (yeah, it was vague).

The only thing being repeated here is terrible journalism. OHHHH!!!

[notyou2]

Fear mongering tripe.

[GoranZ]

And not in a good way.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/ ... EXxQxZWVLY

I guess you have no capabilities to figure out that you are not very smart...

In the whole Russian history Russians never had more democratic government then this one...

When is Russia the strongest? In Winter... every year(unfortunately for you Winter comes every year). French learn this the hard way, Germans also, maybe its American turn now.

[tzor]

In the whole Russian history Russians never had more democratic government then this one...

Well that doesn't say much for Russian history in general, does it.

Probably one of the reasons why they drink so much.

[Dukasaur]

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you."

Just because a really bad journalist writes a really bad article about the menace of resurgent Russian imperialism, doesn't mean that resurgent Russian imperialism isn't a menace.

[GoranZ]

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you."

Just because a really bad journalist writes a really bad article about the menace of resurgent Russian imperialism, doesn't mean that resurgent Russian imperialism isn't a menace.

And having democratic society doesn't ensures safety of its democratic citizens... actually it ensures that those democratic citizens can be targeted by undemocratic individuals or organizations virtually at any give moment... Like in Ottawa few days ago.
P.S. If Ottawa attacker was in Russia he might have ended digging oil somewhere in frozen Northern Siberia for good part of his life... yes undemocratic measure, but correct one

[gordon1975]

bollocks! Russia is still being the same old prick it always has,just like america,your both as scary as each other,twats!

[GoranZ]

bollocks! Russia is still being the same old prick it always has,just like america,your both as scary as each other,twats!

The jealousy in your post is amazing... I agree UK can never be what it once was

[gordon1975]

bollocks! Russia is still being the same old prick it always has,just like america,your both as scary as each other,twats!

The jealousy in your post is amazing... I agree UK can never be what it once was

im a a nationalist in scotland,i want trident gone and no part in the silly games the big boys play,its all nonsense,Syria ,Ukraine ,Iraq,Afghanistan, you all play it and all are just as guilty

[gordon1975]

you realy are dirty cunts! that dont look at us smaller countries playing ur stupid fukin games,!lets bomb somebodys babys!....know wat happpens please
u do fukin know that is what happens?lolo
kisds in iraq.syriai,help is aq joke

[mrswdk]

In the whole Russian history Russians never had more democratic government then this one...

Well that doesn't say much for Russian history in general, does it.

Probably one of the reasons why they drink so much.

lol yeah, people who don't live in a US-style democracy are all super depressed about the cruel, cruel world they live in.

[notyou2]

In the whole Russian history Russians never had more democratic government then this one...

Well that doesn't say much for Russian history in general, does it.

Probably one of the reasons why they drink so much.

You sound a whole lot of no fun and remind me of my deceased grand mother, except she hated Catholics.

[tzor]

You sound a whole lot of no fun and remind me of my deceased grand mother, except she hated Catholics.

I can be plenty fun. Then again, Russian history isn't supposed to be fun. You have to remember Russia goes from the Czar to the Soviet Union and then to the chaos of the Oligarchs.

It has nothing to do with not being a democracy, (communism and socialism generally sucks more economically than politically) but more with a multi-generational mindset of a people.

[mrswdk]

It has nothing to do with not being a democracy, (communism and socialism generally sucks more economically than politically)

lolwut. The opposite of democracy is socialism?

[GoranZ]

It has nothing to do with not being a democracy, (communism and socialism generally sucks more economically than politically) but more with a multi-generational mindset of a people.

Communism and socialism generally sucks more economically for whom? Absolutely true for the rich fat wallstreet guys. But for the general population it is usually not true.
The difference of wealth between rich and poor in Capitalist system is not comparable to anything that exists in Socialist/Communist system.

[mrswdk]

It has nothing to do with not being a democracy, (communism and socialism generally sucks more economically than politically) but more with a multi-generational mindset of a people.

Communism and socialism generally sucks more economically for whom? Absolutely true for the rich fat wallstreet guys. But for the general population it is usually not true.
The difference of wealth between rich and poor in Capitalist system is not comparable to anything that exists in Socialist/Communist system.

Indeed. Under Mao, wealth inequality in China was super low. Since a new age of capitalism began in the 1980s, inequality has risen dramatically to a level that now puts China on par with the US.

[notyou2]

You sound a whole lot of no fun and remind me of my deceased grand mother, except she hated Catholics.

I can be plenty fun. Then again, Russian history isn't supposed to be fun. You have to remember Russia goes from the Czar to the Soviet Union and then to the chaos of the Oligarchs.

It has nothing to do with not being a democracy, (communism and socialism generally sucks more economically than politically) but more with a multi-generational mindset of a people.

Socialism is NOT communism. Canada is not communist, neither is Sweden, nor any other democratically free country with strong socialist policies.

Apparently you don't understand the difference.

I don't see any communist countries on this list, neither do I see the US, but the countries I do see all have strong socialist tendencies.

http://lifestyle9.com/worlds-best-country-to-live-in-2013/

[mrswdk]

Socialism is an economic system under which the means of production are publicly-owned and controlled, and do not produce for a profit but rather to satisfy the needs of the population. Communism is where all property (including housing, clothes, food etc.) is publicly-owned.

Under true Marxist Communism there wouldn't even be money or a government, just people living together in collectives, pooling their labor and produce and consuming whatever is appropriate

[macbone]

It's not that democracy is inherently better than communism in all aspects, and most European countries blend socialism and democracy, so those two systems aren't mutually exclusive.

Look at Cuba. Sure, the overall wealth level is abysmal (doctors recently received a major pay hike to US $67 a month), but overall health indicators like life expectancy and infant mortality are on par with the UK and better than the US. (Not better than Hong Kong, though - life expectancy here is 4th highest in the world, and infant mortality is 8th lowest.)

[BigBallinStalin]

It has nothing to do with not being a democracy, (communism and socialism generally sucks more economically than politically) but more with a multi-generational mindset of a people.

Communism and socialism generally sucks more economically for whom? Absolutely true for the rich fat wallstreet guys. But for the general population it is usually not true.
The difference of wealth between rich and poor in Capitalist system is not comparable to anything that exists in Socialist/Communist system.

Yeah, cuz there was less wealth for the socialist governments to steal. Big deal.

[GoranZ]

It has nothing to do with not being a democracy, (communism and socialism generally sucks more economically than politically) but more with a multi-generational mindset of a people.

Communism and socialism generally sucks more economically for whom? Absolutely true for the rich fat wallstreet guys. But for the general population it is usually not true.
The difference of wealth between rich and poor in Capitalist system is not comparable to anything that exists in Socialist/Communist system.

Yeah, cuz there was less wealth for the socialist governments to steal. Big deal.

Oligarchs in Eastern Europe and rich people in China prove that there was more then enough wealth to be stolen.

[mrswdk]

Socialism is an economic system, democracy is a political system. So we can all stop comparing the two now, mm'kay thanks.