'Beggar thy neighbor' continues: BoE, ECB, Sweden cuts rates

[unlucky]

Re: 'Beggar thy neighbor' continues: BoE, ECB, Sweden cuts rates

From the outside, Russia looks like it has become nationalistic and defensive. In a sense that's understanable because of what happened during the 1990s. But it's also a pity, because most nations outside Russia are not actually out to get the Russians. (Except possibly some minority elements in the US govt).

Putin is no doubt a strong national leader, but he had made it clear to foreigners like me (not personally, mind you) that he will poke me in the eye if he thinks I am an obstacle to Russian power. Just because of that, I am anxious to reduce any dependence on Russia whatsoever, either at personal or national level.

As for economic issues, Russia's economy is still tied to the price of oil. I'd say that's short term bad (global recession), medium term wonderful (peak oil), and long-term awful (post-oil world). Russia needs to figure out what it's long-term plan is - otherwise Russia will re-visit the same catastrophe that fell in the 1980s.

[VIT]

Re: 'Beggar thy neighbor' continues: BoE, ECB, Sweden cuts rates

From the outside, Russia looks like it has become nationalistic and defensive. In a sense that's understandable because of what happened during the 1990s. But it's also a pity, because most nations outside Russia are not actually out to get the Russians. (Except possibly some minority elements in the US govt).

Putin is no doubt a strong national leader, but he had made it clear to foreigners like me (not personally, mind you) that he will poke me in the eye if he thinks I am an obstacle to Russian power. Just because of that, I am anxious to reduce any dependence on Russia whatsoever, either at personal or national level.

As for economic issues, Russia's economy is still tied to the price of oil. I'd say that's short term bad (global recession), medium term wonderful (peak oil), and long-term awful (post-oil world). Russia needs to figure out what it's long-term plan is - otherwise Russia will re-visit the same catastrophe that fell in the 1980s.

1. I like this "long-term post oil" . Russia has 1000 years history 90% of which was without oil. There is always something to sell .
2. "poke me in the eye" - this is more or less true for every president.
3. "Russia needs to figure out what it's long-term plan is - otherwise Russia will re-visit the same catastrophe that fell in the 1980s" - there is a understanding of that in "presidents" heads. It was put in agenda: steady evolution next 20 years. There is no luck of understanding what needs to be done, the problem as always how ;).


The great problem with Russia today is that state still perceived to be more important than person. It does not depend on Putin. This thinking was doing well for first 800+ years of the history. Its long time as this should be changed, here the second problem of Russia - too slow to change. This makes the another implication - revolution development instead of evolution. 3 revolutions in 100 years seems to be way too much (1917,1917, 1991).

"Being determines consciousness". Some history: Mongol invasion, Napoleon invasion, WWI, WWII. Now its NATO and US expansion. Even if the brain tells you it does not really matter you still feel some bad about this :confused:.

My point is when you look on Russia the good way to understand some moves is to put everything in prospective. Otherwise you could be in trap evaluating Putin (or whatever) by your own grades. Like somebody saying Putin is too autocratic - unfortunately that is what 70% of population wants. He is too autocratic by western means, he is just ok by Russians means, he is too liberal by all "___stans" states. See the pattern after USSR collapse: Baltic states vs Russia+Ukraine+Belorussia vs Uzbekistan+Kazakhstan etc.

[Kcim67]

Re: 'Beggar thy neighbor' continues: BoE, ECB, Sweden cuts rates

Hear Here! Master Shake. Only 30% of American citizens own passports Hmmmm

[Kcim67]

Re: 'Beggar thy neighbor' continues: BoE, ECB, Sweden cuts rates

Are you a Slavophile, BlameAmericaFirster, or a little of both.

It's not a matter of tarring Putin with Stalin's legacy. Russia doesn't have any legacy except autocracy and totalitarianism going back to the Czars (and even the Tsars). I don't see Putin and his henchmen as the Russian equivalent of the Founding Fathers.

That'll be Hamilton the original shyster who started the robbing of ordinary american citizens at the outset of your united states!

[GRG55]

Re: 'Beggar thy neighbor' continues: BoE, ECB, Sweden cuts rates

Hear Here! Master Shake. Only 30% of American citizens own passports Hmmmm

And what percentage of Russians own passports? And have actually used them?

[phirang]

Re: 'Beggar thy neighbor' continues: BoE, ECB, Sweden cuts rates

And what percentage of Russians own passports? And have actually used them?

Russian passports? I thought you just ran across the border, dodging bullets as best you could.

:eek:

[c1ue]

Re: 'Beggar thy neighbor' continues: BoE, ECB, Sweden cuts rates

Actually all Russians own a passport: you are required to have an internal passport.

External passports are separate.

Having the external passport doesn't help much though - it can be a pain in the rump travelling most places outside of Russia/Belarus.

On the other hand, even though I think the UK is removing the visa waiver, Brazil just instituted a visa waiver exchange with Russia.

Wave of the future? (Brazil has no visa waiver with the US)