Before the Temprance Movement, Americans drank like fishes. Could Russians undergo a similar transformation? Perhaps. Peter civilized Russians (too soon, thought Rousseau) by ordering them to shave. Now Putin hopes to finish the job by turning them from Vodka and dice. Until now he’s ruled as a popular dictator. Will his popularity go up, or down? No betting either way.
June 30, 2009
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I was reading an article the other day by a longtime Russia observer who thinks that 70 years of Communism has fatally broken the Russian people. Their demographics are still in free fall, the messianic Red government failed every one of their hopes, and, in direct contrast to other stuff I’ve seen, this author claimed that the unifying power of the Russian Orthodox Church (without which there would never have been a “Russia”) was well and truly crushed behind the Iron Curtain. Plus, you know, skyrocketing alcoholism and ridiculously short male life expectancy.
The whole thing reminded me of a book I was reading a couple months back by Stratfor, which predicted the break-up of Russia and the rise of Eastern Europe upon its corpse. Crazier things have happened, I suppose.
Comment by Gabriel — July 1, 2009 @ 7:35 am
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200105/tayler
From 2001–perhaps a bit premature, “Russia is Finished.”
Comment by nekobijin — July 1, 2009 @ 8:26 am