Is Russia a dictatorship ?

th3 s1aught3r

MOSCOW – The judge who convicted Mikhail Khodorkovsky did not write the verdict and read it against his will in the Moscow courtroom, the judge's assistant said Monday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_russia_khodorkovsky

Never hear much real opposition to Putin from the West (US, Europe)
Putin has clung onto power in Russia for years now beyond his official term as president.
Is there any stopping this guy ?

phasers

Is there any stopping this guy ?

Hell no, he's a judo master.

RichieC

well it's certainly not one of the freer nations, though, neither is the US, who would probably be the loudest critics.

Kasabian

phasers wrote: »

Hell no, he's a judo master.

Maki would sort him.

MrStuffins

Kasabian wrote: »

Maki would infract him.

FYP

Duggy747

In Soviet Russia...

















...you can visit many of the delightful sights Moscow has to offer.

Gunsfortoys

Russia has a stranglehold over a lot of countries due to its vast oil reserves which they threaten to switch off every so often.

Monty Burnz

It is more or less a dictatorship. The people don't seem to mind though

ejmaztec

I don't think that the Russians have ever been ruled by anyone but a dictator of one sort or another throughout the country's entire history. Some of them, even now, think that Stalin was a great bunch of lads.

UglyBolloxFace

Monty Burnz wrote: »

It is more or less a dictatorship. The people don't seem to mind though

Anna Politkovskaya was the only one of note that I can remember - and she was killed by Putin because of it.

th3 s1aught3r

Monty Burnz wrote: »

It is more or less a dictatorship. The people don't seem to mind though

No they dont. They really like Putin and the vast majority adored Stalin, despite his murderous madness
Maybe they find the western idea of democracy unappealing

pickarooney

Russians seem sort of averse to freedom, if you ask me.

Badgermonkey

It's a Mikhail Mouse state

Fremen

pickarooney wrote: »

Russians seem sort of averse to freedom, if you ask me.

Ah but eez zis freedom from, or freedom to?

Dyr

ejmaztec wrote: »

ISome of them, even now, think that Stalin was a great bunch of lads.

Was Stalin a band or something

humanji

Monty Burnz wrote: »

It is more or less a dictatorship. The people don't seem to mind though

It's more a case that those who speak out are rounded up and imprisoned, and other countries never really cover it.

Sanjuro

It's not a dictatorship, but more of an oligarchy.

ejmaztec

Bambi wrote: »

Was Stalin a band or something

Yeh, a super-group made up of the Grateful Dead and Nine Inch Nails. It had them rocking in the gulags.

Shryke

ejmaztec wrote: »

Yeh, a super-group made up of the Grateful Dead and Nine Inch Nails. It had them rocking in the gulags.

That's some good taste you've got there.

JohnathanM

phasers wrote: »

Hell no, he's a judo master.

Three words:
Chuck. F'cking. Norris.

--Kaiser--

I don't think many Russians are under the misapprehension that they live in a democracy. Most that I have talked seem to think they need a strong leader, but don't necessarily have to elect them

ejmaztec

JohnathanM wrote: »

Three words:
Chuck. F'cking. Norris.

I think that Putin would chuck senile old Chuck out the window with one arm tied behind his back.:P

De Dannan

You hardly hear a peep out of the US about the fact that Putin is more or less a dictator and has a massive nuclear arsenal.
When it comes to other dictatorships such as North Korea or Iran, the US never stop criticising them. Double standards I think

ejmaztec

De Dannan wrote: »

You hardly hear a peep out of the US about the fact that Putin is more or less a dictator and has a massive nuclear arsenal.
When it comes to other dictatorships such as North Korea or Iran, the US never stop criticising them. Double standards I think

The Americans have supported a lot worse than Putin.

th3 s1aught3r

ejmaztec wrote: »

The Americans have supported a lot worse than Putin.

Like he said, double standards

markesmith

It's Russia. We wouldn't understand.

tricky D

Dictatorship
Kleptocracy
Oiligarchy
Plutocracy
Mafiacracy
Dead Journalistsocracy
Vodkacracy

take your pick, mix and matching allowed

fred252

i've worked with a few russians. they seem to respect a strong leader and feel its the only way for russia. as the previous poster pointed out many of them still revere stalin. its odd because in a lot of ways they are moderate, reasonable and intelligent. its doesn't seem compatiible with veneration for a murderous tyrant. i did try to challenge them on it.

Hail 2 Da Thief

Long live communist russia !!!!!

th3 s1aught3r

fred252 wrote: »

i've worked with a few russians. they seem to respect a strong leader and feel its the only way for russia. as the previous poster pointed out many of them still revere stalin. its odd because in a lot of ways they are moderate, reasonable and intelligent. its doesn't seem compatiible with veneration for a murderous tyrant. i did try to challenge them on it.

Thats amazing that they still revere Stalin even today, when they all know of his evil doings. At the time you may have forgiven them as the majority of people have been unaware of what he was up to then, but not now.
It doesnt really make any sense. Revere a strong leader, fine, but a murderous dictator is pushing it