> I do not understand how it is "colonization" that free people choose a more democratic, freedom- and market based route for their country - as opposed to an

> I do not understand how it is "colonization" that free people choose a more democratic, freedom- and market based route for their country - as opposed to an autocratic, Soviet-inspired style of rule. Yeah but wait: Russia today is very capitalist and market based. Yet very autocratic. The two can well go together. And that is the case of Kazakhstan as well. > Large parts of Eastern Europe had a choice after the collapse of the Soviet Union and chose the way of the west/Europe, with all its challenges and shortcomings, because almost any system is better than living under the thumb of autocratic leadership. No, they had no choice, because there was no alternative, not even in Russia. And today we are dealing with this lack of alternative. I think you are prone to believe that Putin is the Soviet Union 2.0: that's far from reality. Putin is the product of this lack of alternatives of the 90s.