I’d add to this that Putin doesn’t want Russians comparing their lives to economically more successful EU-member Ukrainians. Russians find it easy to explain Western European economic success in racial terms, and don’t readily compare themselves to Baltic states etc. But Ukrainians making more money than then would really rock the boat.
Fascinating argument. But for me the missing piece is - how does it explain where we are today? Let's say the EU is the main Russian fear. Does the regime really add decades to its life if it attacks Ukraine? What's optimal strategy for regime survival? Maybe there is no solution. Military aggression could make things worse. I'd like to hear Prof. Greene fill in this gap.
Along that line: it wasn’t so much Khordokavskiy’s interference in politics that got him in trouble, as it was his intention to impose GAAP accounting at Yukon. That rocked the foundation.
I’d add to this that Putin doesn’t want Russians comparing their lives to economically more successful EU-member Ukrainians. Russians find it easy to explain Western European economic success in racial terms, and don’t readily compare themselves to Baltic states etc. But Ukrainians making more money than then would really rock the boat.
Fascinating argument. But for me the missing piece is - how does it explain where we are today? Let's say the EU is the main Russian fear. Does the regime really add decades to its life if it attacks Ukraine? What's optimal strategy for regime survival? Maybe there is no solution. Military aggression could make things worse. I'd like to hear Prof. Greene fill in this gap.
Along that line: it wasn’t so much Khordokavskiy’s interference in politics that got him in trouble, as it was his intention to impose GAAP accounting at Yukon. That rocked the foundation.