The real significance of the Russo – Ukrainian War (2014-?) is that it has demonstrated the weakness of oligarchy as a system of power that has been in place in the post-Soviet territory since 1991.
First, Ukrainians said, “Enough of this suicidal transfer of everything the country has or produces to the oligarchs.” And now there are isolated voices in the traditionally much more conservative Russia that are questioning whether it really makes sense to keep holding on to this system.
Ukraine has been blessed by having no oil or natural gas. Its oligarchs weren’t able to reproduce the trick that their Russian counterparts are using so effectively. They couldn’t throw enough crumbs to the plebs to keep it from questioning the system.
The reason why oligarchy has been so successful in the post-Soviet space is that it provided a cushion from the capitalist and democratic realities. In a way, this system follows the Soviet model in that it allows the majority to take no responsibility for their lives while the tiny minority lives in the lap of luxury.
The greatest war the Ukrainians and the Russians are fighting is the war against themselves. Their real enemy is the passivity, the fatalism, the meek acceptance of corruption that were inherited from the USSR and promoted by the oligarchy.
Clarissa's Blog 
In a way many former Soviet citizens (most of my experience is in Kyrgyzstan) remind me of those long term prisoners who can not adpot to life outside of prison after being released. They are “institutional” men and women who need to have everything directed and provided for them. I don’t know how many generations it will take to overcome this, but I am guessing at least a couple more.
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That’s exactly how it is, exactly. This legacy can’t just be shrugged off. But before things change, somebody needs to start trying.
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“They are “institutional” men and women who need to have everything directed and provided for them.”
Otto, this is the exact description of the generation of my parents in Hungary – where the situation was much better than in the USSR (we had “only” 40 years of communism 1949-1989 and the system wasn’t that strict). Most of my generation (people in their 30s) is the same though. Those who are not like that already emigrated.
“In a way, this system follows the Soviet model in that it allows the majority to take no responsibility for their lives while the tiny minority lives in the lap of luxury. ”
Clarissa’s description is also great. Our winning political party is always that one who mimics the former Soviet model the best – which collapsed already 25 years ago, so the whole thing is just sad. Even our far-right party has a strong (post)communist value system. The other communist heritage is the ingrained hatred towards real entrepreneurial values (I don’t talk about the typical corrupt Eastern European “entrepreneur” here) – that’s why there was no hope for me :-(.
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“The other communist heritage is the ingrained hatred towards real entrepreneurial values (I don’t talk about the typical corrupt Eastern European “entrepreneur” here) – that’s why there was no hope for me”
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“But entrepreneurs meet with an uneasy reception everywhere.”
The Brits like entrepreneurs – or at least the SUCCESSFUL businesses we create. However most people may have an uneasy attitude towards the entrepreneurial attitude indeed. But in Eastern Europe this antipathy doesn’t only exist on a personal level, but it also leaks to the level of legislation. In the UK I haven’t met yet deliberate and senseless administrative obstacles and sick overtaxation. In Hungary … well … the sick company overtaxation is over 80% in total, plus the communist-style administration and the senseless rules that many times even contradict to each other … you either start to cheat or close your business. We have a joke about that: we have a Scandinavian taxation system with a Balkanic welfare system. Well, in fact it’s true.
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“In Hungary … well … the sick company overtaxation is over 80% in total, plus the communist-style administration and the senseless rules that many times even contradict to each other”
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I’d like to ask about the historical origins of the oligarchic system in Ukraine and Russia, as it’s always puzzled me. I guess it didn’t start in the 20th century and has deeper roots, but I don’t know anything about it.
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