Russia Faces a Troubled Future

Russia of today is an oil-rich country controlled by corrupt politicians, mafias and wealthy elitists who buy foreign goods and keep their wealth in foreign banks; send their children to Western schools and universities; take vacations abroad; and even seek health care in the Europe and the United States.

Vladimir Putin exemplifies this focus on personal gain. Shlapentokh said the Russian president and his friends have gone so far as to merge Russian companies with foreign corporations for the promise of owning Western stocks. Further, while Putin indulges his personal whims – such as organizing expensive international sporting events – the country suffers from low-quality medical services, inept education, bad housing and many other problems...

...“This desire to secure their wealth abroad stems from the uncertainly that comes with living in a politically unstable country,” Shlapentokh said. _Michigan State University

This corrupt leadership style is similar to what one sees across the third world. While a corrupt leadership thrives on a nation's natural resources, the masses of people tend to suffer.

One should not be surprised, then to see the significant brain drain and ongoing capital flight out of Russia.

Putin cracks down on any opposition threatening his administration, with the Kremlin routinely suggesting protestors leave or face harassment or even imprisonment. Nearly 1.3 million citizens have left Russia during the past three years. Ultimately, the many problems facing Russia are collectively eroding the cultural beliefs and institutions that make a country united and strong, Shlapentokh says.

“This has put Russia in a weak position for resisting terrorism or potential attacks from her neighbors. In short, Russia is not in a position to be a major global force despite its nuclear arsenal, the size of the country, its natural resources, and its position on the UN Security Council.” _Futurity

Such corrupt, counter-productive, intolerant governing style inevitably creates a society where the masses of people avoid risk, and thus avoid taking chances in search of opportunity. It is an atrophying society, which goes along with the ongoing demographic atrophy of Russia's core ethnic Russian population.

Any gains seen in Russia's population are coming from a ballooning Muslim immigrant sub-population. This growing sub-population within the core population is already generating problems with crime, intolerance, and ethnic violence.

Russia's leadership is living it up as if there would be no tomorrow. And in a significant sense -- for the masses of ethnic Russians -- they may be right.