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If you want Grand Engineering, why not get behind the Soviets? Their progress to space outclasses any other non-US country. So why is Russia a second world coun

If you want Grand Engineering, why not get behind the Soviets? Their progress to space outclasses any other non-US country. So why is Russia a second world country, with world-class math, science, and comp-sci talent? Further: the 'softer' half of any Tech-accelerator - consumer apps or anything ad-based - would be a non-starter for venture capital if it were based in Russia. But Russians do have the ambition and skill to execute these concepts. The reason for this disparity is worth considering if we want to make Thiel's techno-vision our first principles for economic growth. I'd propose: it was not the big projects in rocket science but the crass day-to-day business of ordinary people to meet ordinary peoples' needs that led the US to develop into the wealthiest country. The idea that having a bunch of users that never pay you money is a symptom of an affluent society like ours, and although it seems kind of disgusting when you thing about it, is probably more essential to our economy than whatever DARPA and NASA are cooking up right now.

adrianN 12y ago
Russia is a second world country because its economy is bad and corruption and cronyism run rampant.
nhaehnle 12y ago
Russia is a second world country because the terms "first world" and "second world" originated during the Cold War, with first world countries being aligned with the US and second world countries being aligned with Russia/the Soviet Union by definition. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World The common use of these terms has since shifted in meaning. To be honest, I haven't really heard people use the term "second world" in a long time.
- tsotha 12y ago
  Even back then people hardly ever said it. You used to hear "first world" and "third world" a lot, but most people said "the Soviets" in lieu of "second world". Never really thought to wonder why at the time.
masklinn 12y ago
> So why is Russia a second world country Because the First/Second world distinction was about being aligned with (and getting financial, technical and cultural support of) respectively the US and the USSR, with the "third world" being unaligned and unsupported "battlegrounds" countries.

adrianN 12y ago

Russia is a second world country because its economy is bad and corruption and cronyism run rampant.

nhaehnle 12y ago

Russia is a second world country because the terms "first world" and "second world" originated during the Cold War, with first world countries being aligned with the US and second world countries being aligned with Russia/the Soviet Union by definition. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World The common use of these terms has since shifted in meaning. To be honest, I haven't really heard people use the term "second world" in a long time.

tsotha 12y ago
Even back then people hardly ever said it. You used to hear "first world" and "third world" a lot, but most people said "the Soviets" in lieu of "second world". Never really thought to wonder why at the time.

masklinn 12y ago

> So why is Russia a second world country Because the First/Second world distinction was about being aligned with (and getting financial, technical and cultural support of) respectively the US and the USSR, with the "third world" being unaligned and unsupported "battlegrounds" countries.