Ex Spy dies

Man, I'm always 10 minutes behind.

I am not talking about what Russia says about itself but what research shows about Russia. Check the World Value Survey, check some articles by Richard Rose or James Gibson who have done intense research. Russian people are not that worse of. Look at the GDP/capita figure. It around 11 000$. Zimbabwe is 2000$. South Africa'S GDP is roughly 12 000 so pretty much the same...just for comparison.

Sometimes you should not put everything in the same big pot. Russia is not North Korea nor is it a 3rd world country.

And I see most of you are playing around with terms here. 3rd world used to stay for "ex-colonial" therefore Mexico or India re 3rd world countries whereas NEPAL for example (although WAAAAAAY poorer than any of those)is NOT.

2nd world used to be the Soviet Block which stopped existing as such after the end of the cold war. Nevertheless, 2nd world countries used to be very different...from Tito's Yugolsavia which was very liberal to Ceausescu's Romania which was a Stalinist republic. You can't really compare them beside the fact that they were authoritarian. The only regime in Europe that could maybe still be characterized as a 2nd world country is Belarus.

Now back to Russia. I must say I have lengthly analyzed this country for different purposes. It's astonishing that people in Russia trust each other more than Austrian's or Italians, more than any other ex-soviet nation. This would actually be an ideal prerequisite for a strong civil society to develop which then actually could sanction the government and Putin. There's no civil society, there's no NGO's whatever. Putin said that Russia has no middle-class and he will try to buld one up therefore he will take some more power(more or less that's what he said). Now the idea is right. No real middle class means no democracy. Whether he will actually do it or not is discussable and if a civil society will form with an arrival of a middle class as well. But trashin Russia for killing one ex secret agent is just stupid. I am sure plenty of this type of things happen every day. This time it all happened in the eyes of the media.

Is that reliable? I'm finding it hard to believe that Spain is on top of those

i'd say the economist is a pretty reliable source....

it takes alot of stuff into account and says that low voter turnouts and political participation in general in france and the UK lowered their scores....

the last spanish election turnout was pretty high from what i remember.

Is that from the booklet The Economist publishes every year?

Anyway, the turnout in the 2004 elections was very high indeed. They took place three days after the March 11 bombings.

Interesting point of view, Devilson.

The argumentation regarding Russia being a third war country feels very old and unfair, so I agree with you there.

It's very interesting ,though, that you bring up the argument that Russia, actively has chosen to take another way then the western world when it comes to institutional development.

In this matter I only partly agree, since Russia nowadays is just a capitalised as the most other countries in the world. The inefficiency that still remains in the Russian economy is actually due to the (more or less) impossible combination of this alternative way and capitalism.

In Russia only 24% (Rothstein) of the "requested" amount of taxes are actually paid, which shows that Russians seems not to believe or trust the government or the system of their society, this might have its explanation in the fact that institutions of the west world hasn't been integrated in the Russian society, which will, in the long run, cause problems. This is what many economists usually calls the “problems of trust”

well you know shit happens

but like he said

you can keep me quiet but...........

You are absolutely right here. This does not only cause problems in the long run but also in the short-run. It's very funny actually. Most of the Russians think that in Russia there is "NO RULE OF LAW" but most of the Russians also believe that "Russian law is to harsh with its citizens". Tax legislation is the perfect example. Because it is too harsh it is neglected therefore it doesn't exits :P...

The reason (IMHO) this particular one rose to such a high media coverage was because he was investigating the death of Anna Politskaja.

But the findings so far would seem to suggest that it's not just any old bloke who committed the murder (if it was a murder), the substance is radioactive, and not just anyone can manufacture that.

Even if the murderer is Russian/has Russian connections, doesn't mean to say it's Putin or one of his men.

i can see WW3occuring V.soon

and ill tll you this i aint fightin some twat from a different country . **** that
i think tony blair and the other PM should have a boxing match IMO

instead of bitcxhin