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My feeling is that certain kinds of governments create certain kinds of administrative cultures, and sadly, post-soviet states often end up with gangster klepto

My feeling is that certain kinds of governments create certain kinds of administrative cultures, and sadly, post-soviet states often end up with gangster kleptocrats, whether or not they are Russian. The fish rots from the head down, and so soon, everybody starts thinking like a gangster. (I mean, Stalin was literally a gangster, so you can see how that would trickle down). Boris Johnson is not that bad by any means, but I still worry about politicians that test the boundaries of what you can get away with. Johnson has pushed that boundary further and further, and so far, he's been able to stay in his seat. It sets a bad precedent - before long, you end up with all the rules not mattering, and a jackass like Victor Orban in power.

simne 4y ago
> certain kinds of governments create certain kinds of administrative cultures Not exact. - Yes, you are right in that police is SUBsystem of government, so if government changes it will become strong factor causing changes of all subordinated organizations, but exists one huge nuance. - Nuance is that ALL government subordinated organizations are by definition large - it is non-sense, to create small government organizations. And ALL large organizations are very conservative in their administrative cultures. And near ALL government organizations of post-soviet states are in fact, soviet government organizations, just subordinated to new government. This is so huge strong factor, that governments change their habits to better fit in system. I know only two exceptions at the moment: after revolution 2003, Georgia THREE times fired all police and recreated it from zero, before achieve adequate habits; Greece and Georgia after step into financial crisis, made first for few DECADES audit of their pension funds and found near 50% of dead souls, so half of their pension funds where plundered, and after that they very fast implemented new regulations and created new pension systems. In Eastern Europe, things better, because after disintegration of USSR, they was extremely dependent from EU donations, and EU commission used the situation for 100%, to destroy old government organizations there and to rebuild new from zero. In Baltic countries happened even more - they after become independent, declared that 1946-1991 where occupation, and all laws issued by occupation forces are now annulled (all returned to before 1946), and all people, who live there and have not relatives lived there before 1946, declared occupants or successors of occupants (and they become non-citizens, with limited rights). And then they conducted elections with only "old" citizens participated, and fired all officials who where not "old" citizens. There was some smell on these, but mostly EU close eyes, because these measures was effective, and because they conducted huge works on REintegrate people declared occupants into new society (after law checks, and learn national language, and pass exams, they got passports). In ALL post-soviet states except Baltic and Georgia, just saved old system. Ukraine is new exception, for many reasons, the most important being Russian invasion (which started in 2014), and Ukraine being a nation after about 2008.

simne 4y ago

> certain kinds of governments create certain kinds of administrative cultures Not exact. - Yes, you are right in that police is SUBsystem of government, so if government changes it will become strong factor causing changes of all subordinated organizations, but exists one huge nuance. - Nuance is that ALL government subordinated organizations are by definition large - it is non-sense, to create small government organizations. And ALL large organizations are very conservative in their administrative cultures. And near ALL government organizations of post-soviet states are in fact, soviet government organizations, just subordinated to new government. This is so huge strong factor, that governments change their habits to better fit in system. I know only two exceptions at the moment: after revolution 2003, Georgia THREE times fired all police and recreated it from zero, before achieve adequate habits; Greece and Georgia after step into financial crisis, made first for few DECADES audit of their pension funds and found near 50% of dead souls, so half of their pension funds where plundered, and after that they very fast implemented new regulations and created new pension systems. In Eastern Europe, things better, because after disintegration of USSR, they was extremely dependent from EU donations, and EU commission used the situation for 100%, to destroy old government organizations there and to rebuild new from zero. In Baltic countries happened even more - they after become independent, declared that 1946-1991 where occupation, and all laws issued by occupation forces are now annulled (all returned to before 1946), and all people, who live there and have not relatives lived there before 1946, declared occupants or successors of occupants (and they become non-citizens, with limited rights). And then they conducted elections with only "old" citizens participated, and fired all officials who where not "old" citizens. There was some smell on these, but mostly EU close eyes, because these measures was effective, and because they conducted huge works on REintegrate people declared occupants into new society (after law checks, and learn national language, and pass exams, they got passports). In ALL post-soviet states except Baltic and Georgia, just saved old system. Ukraine is new exception, for many reasons, the most important being Russian invasion (which started in 2014), and Ukraine being a nation after about 2008.