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Right. Stalin's luxury was the functional luxury that anything would be done for him if he asked, if it was possible at all. Putin is much more like a monarch:

Right. Stalin's luxury was the functional luxury that anything would be done for him if he asked, if it was possible at all. Putin is much more like a monarch: rich to the point that almost nothing makes him feel rich. Which is why he's so desperate to pretend he excels at stuff: horse riding, ice hockey, shooting. (He probably does excel at shooting) Or perhaps he's more like an L Ron Hubbard with truly vast resources. Quixotic performative superiority.

Tuna-Fish 3y ago
> Which is why he's so desperate to pretend he excels at stuff: horse riding, ice hockey, shooting. That's not about his own psychology, but what the Russian people wanted to see in their leader. Near it's end, the USSR had long been led by decrepit old men, and no small amount of blame for the state of the state was laid on the way the country became a gerontocracy. Public displays of Putin's vigor and virility were important PR/propaganda. They came off as really weird in the west, but we were not the target audience for them.
- michaelt 3y ago
  Furthermore, every successful dictator has to project an image of excellent health. After all, if your finance chief is loyal because you let him steal $10 million a year and he expects you to be in power for the next 10+ years, that's $100M+ for staying loyal. If you're in poor health, though, and might only last 2 more years? Your finance chief is going to start thinking about who'll replace you. Earning that replacement's favour might be worth a lot more than the $20M he can expect from you. Your military chief and police chief and religious chief are having similar thoughts, and before you know it your successor controls the treasury, armed forces and religion and you're forced into retirement or dead. Granted, you can avoid the problem by having an obvious, powerful and deeply loyal successor. If Putin had a healthy young son he appointed the head of the armed forces he could be ill as much as he likes. But he doesn't have such a successor, so he's got to project an image of excellent health.
  - bemusedthrow75 3y ago
    He doesn't have a (politically-engaged) biological successor. But he does have his weird obedient puppy Dmitry Medvedev. Whose plane, I imagine, will have some engine trouble on day one of the post-Putin era.

Tuna-Fish 3y ago

> Which is why he's so desperate to pretend he excels at stuff: horse riding, ice hockey, shooting. That's not about his own psychology, but what the Russian people wanted to see in their leader. Near it's end, the USSR had long been led by decrepit old men, and no small amount of blame for the state of the state was laid on the way the country became a gerontocracy. Public displays of Putin's vigor and virility were important PR/propaganda. They came off as really weird in the west, but we were not the target audience for them.

michaelt 3y ago
Furthermore, every successful dictator has to project an image of excellent health. After all, if your finance chief is loyal because you let him steal $10 million a year and he expects you to be in power for the next 10+ years, that's $100M+ for staying loyal. If you're in poor health, though, and might only last 2 more years? Your finance chief is going to start thinking about who'll replace you. Earning that replacement's favour might be worth a lot more than the $20M he can expect from you. Your military chief and police chief and religious chief are having similar thoughts, and before you know it your successor controls the treasury, armed forces and religion and you're forced into retirement or dead. Granted, you can avoid the problem by having an obvious, powerful and deeply loyal successor. If Putin had a healthy young son he appointed the head of the armed forces he could be ill as much as he likes. But he doesn't have such a successor, so he's got to project an image of excellent health.
- bemusedthrow75 3y ago
  He doesn't have a (politically-engaged) biological successor. But he does have his weird obedient puppy Dmitry Medvedev. Whose plane, I imagine, will have some engine trouble on day one of the post-Putin era.