TheLibertarian said:
Mr Khan said:
Soleron said:
Mr Khan said:
Oddly, Putin himself was asking that they be treated leniently. |
It's a show. Putin has absolute control over whether they are released or not, he' s just trying to look like the good guy and it's fooling no one.
Russia's real problem is that the downturn has shown how weak they actually are. In astrong economy, authoritarianism can be glossed over (China, 1930s Germany, Saudi Arabia etc.)
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Actually it's the other way around. A strong economy will heal political tensions in the short run, but in the long run it spells doom for dictatorships. Economic weakness is the one that's bad for democracy, and good for dictatorships. Look at Cuba: Communism there has persisted because the government's narrative of "America is out to get us" is graciously made true by the Americans thanks to the embargo. If we had dropped the embargo at the end of the Cold War, they'd've been democratic by now, but the perpetual poverty keeps people looking towards Communism.
In Russia's case, economic collapse would either validate Putin's position, or lead to the rise of the far left or far right.
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Applause!
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Joining the applause
Also, in the examples of China and Germany - it's the other way around - Both Mao and Hitler took advantage of the economical and social crises of their respective countries.
