The myth of Russian humiliation

[slapout9]

Slap,

In your quote of her article, "potential" is the operative word. Unfortunately, Applebaum washes over entirely the chaos that constituted the Yeltsin period and set the conditions for the "revanchist, revisionist, disruptive" policies of the Putin administration. And, the question should be asked, from where do such policies and ideologies originate? It's easy to disregard the continuity of history but Russia since the 17th century has regarded itself as a 'great power', and when there's a deficit between a state's perceived status and ascribed statuis, it provides incentives for risk-taking policies. Applebaum acknowledges that the same kind of people in power during the Soviet era returned to power in a weakened Russia, but somehow concludes that these elites did not feel humiliation from the loss of superpower status?

AP,
I didn't post this davidbfpo did. Later Slap

[davidbfpo]

American Pride,

Yes Anne Applebaum does not include the Yeltsin era as contributing to the return of "old wine" in a new Putin-shape. One reason why I used succinct.

I am not a Russian observer, but my recollection is that in the Yeltsin era communist rule ended and the economy was looted by the oligarchs. In my opinion Russia - if there was such a collective identity - humiliated itself, that often happens after such a revolution. No wonder Putin was elected.