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I don’t know. Maybe it’s conspiracy minded, but in my opinion Putin will publicly pretend to be hurt by the sanctions (and acknowledge the depressed ruble and s

by hbosch 5y ago

I don’t know. Maybe it’s conspiracy minded, but in my opinion Putin will publicly pretend to be hurt by the sanctions (and acknowledge the depressed ruble and so on) as a so-called “act of war” so that the world can hear him acknowledging NATO countries as “doing something.” This serves many ways: Putin projects as vulnerable, sanctions are optically seen as successful measures, NATO countries get to say they’re helping, and all the way Russia gets to keep bombarding Ukraine… I’m inclined to believe the former opinion that gas price hikes ultimately affect the average person and elite persons need not care. Putin and his inner circle operate at a level of power that is above even money. To an oligarch money is a toy thing, the power they have is above any short term economic concern. I’m reminded of that old Weibo thread of Chinese people posting symbols of their wealth, one upping each other over and over, until the ultimate show of “wealth” was posted as being an invite to a dinner with the president (or something like that) which not even billionaires have access to. All this to say that theatre and public relations is a major tool of war and power, as much as soldiers and bombs.

CuriouslyC 5y ago
When the average Russian on the street has had enough, Putin's time will be over. He doesn't have the rapidly increasing standard of living that China has to cover his sins, he just has the threat of violence to scare people, which will stop working when their lives are so shit that they don't care anymore. If he doubles down on violence, the government under him will unravel as the good (or at least not evil) people stop obeying his orders. That will lead to mob justice unrestrained by the disillusioned Russians tasked with enforcing Putin's will.
- ARandomerDude 5y ago
  Death threats kept impoverished Soviet citizens subdued for 70 years. Sadly, fear can be a very effective tool for tyranny.
  - rad_gruchalski 5y ago
    The difference is that many of those Russians have seen the world outside and now know it can be different. It’s not 1950’s anymore.
  - Retric 5y ago
    Less than 70 years after the last revolution. The USSR was extremely politically significant, but really didn’t last very long.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
jjeaff 5y ago
As far as Russian oligarchs go, without their money, their power does not extend outside of Russia. Which leaves them limited to a rather poor country with the gdp of Italy.

by hbosch 5y ago

CuriouslyC 5y ago

When the average Russian on the street has had enough, Putin's time will be over. He doesn't have the rapidly increasing standard of living that China has to cover his sins, he just has the threat of violence to scare people, which will stop working when their lives are so shit that they don't care anymore. If he doubles down on violence, the government under him will unravel as the good (or at least not evil) people stop obeying his orders. That will lead to mob justice unrestrained by the disillusioned Russians tasked with enforcing Putin's will.

ARandomerDude 5y ago
Death threats kept impoverished Soviet citizens subdued for 70 years. Sadly, fear can be a very effective tool for tyranny.
- rad_gruchalski 5y ago
  The difference is that many of those Russians have seen the world outside and now know it can be different. It’s not 1950’s anymore.
- Retric 5y ago
  Less than 70 years after the last revolution. The USSR was extremely politically significant, but really didn’t last very long.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

jjeaff 5y ago

As far as Russian oligarchs go, without their money, their power does not extend outside of Russia. Which leaves them limited to a rather poor country with the gdp of Italy.