4 ms·

But not a temperate climate over its whole geography or stable government structures over the last 200 years.

• WalterBright 6y ago
  The USSR was stable for 70 years. Long enough. The problem was lack of free markets. Free markets are the common thread among successful economic powers. Not population, not resources, not rivers, etc.
  • fighterpilot 6y ago
    Agreed on the free markets point. Anything else is a nonstarter.
  • emteycz 6y ago
    Huh? I don't think there was a single moment of stability anywhere in the whole Eastern bloc (was born there). Especially not political stability, and much less economical. People and businesses were continually deliberately destroyed on massive scale the entire time. Though yeah, free markets are key.
  • random314 6y ago
    As well as colonialism and puppet governments in Latin America.