Russia’s Woes

The polls in Russia appear to give Putin credibility among his countrymen. They believe him when he says the West has done in Russia’s economy. But then Russians don’t have unfettered access to global communications via the internet, Twitter, Google, Facebook and email. The Russian government ‘protects’ its people from the ideas and knowledge base of the rest of the world.

Under those circumstances it is easy for Russian leaders to forge public opinion and keep it disciplined. Not so in the West. Here we are free to explore, think and create in any manner that fits our interests and expertise. The process informs and enriches the person’s thinking machine so that entirely new thoughts and creations are possible. This is the progress machine of the future. And possibly Russia is missing out.

The West has had little to do with Russia’s woes. Russia continues to build a huge military and employ it throughout the globe for ideological reasons. It fulfills little functional task. But it costs a great deal.

So too is the overhead of such a society. Very costly. And with declining oil revenues, international trade flows and such, Russia’s cash register is struggling at the moment. It doesn't help that Putin has defined a singular role for Russia that continues to isolate it from the rest of its world partners. That’s the cost of going it alone. That’s the consequences of smirking his way through foreign affairs and sticking his tongue out at the rest of the world community.

This behavior may earn him support from his people, but it does not gain him any strength abroad. And he has only himself to blame.

Not the West. That’s just Putin’s way of dodging blame for the mess he has maneuvered his nation into.

I've said it here before many times. The global community requires each nation to give in order to get. We give up some sovereignty to gain participatory roles in a peaceful world. That is the objective. Not war. Not overwhelming influence. Not a victor’s dance.

The world community needs help. From all of us. It is not a begging proposition. It is a giving one. We want peace. We work for it. We share the load. We share the cost. We share the leadership. We build trust among the global community. This is not an easy route. It takes discipline and humility.

Perhaps the latter is what Putin lacks?

Influence is not demanded. Neither is respect. Both are earned. Vlad, it’s time for you to step up. Stop the war games and impish pouts. The adult world requires cooperation and collaboration. Your people are proud and talented. Allow them to show their merit and participate in the new world order.

The first step is not blaming others for your problems. Rather, the first step requires you to admit the need to work with others.

Might we welcome you aboard?

January 9, 2015