Now you see Russian billionaires and millionaires.

Never thought that 30-40 years ago except for the party apparat.

Times have changed.

Most, if not all, of the Russian billionaires became so though cronyism. They paid pennies on the dollar for former state assets when they were privatized.

Pretty much this. There are entrepreneurs who didn't loot the state, but many did. I was in Moscow in 06 and I saw are more highend super cars in Moscow than any other major world city outside of the ME.

Also, during the USSR days, the Party elite lived high on the hog. They tended to be the ones who became rich afterwards. Bannana republics tend to have a small rich elite.

They didn't do it through brains or hard work.

It takes brains to get rich without doing hard work.


Just sayin'

We knew so little of Russia during the USSR days; we all were told about how they drove Urals that were from the 1950s and their food supply was for shit, and so on.
And it was mostly true. But, just the same, there are hundreds of millions of people there who ARE working, and are productive. They just were not ever going to get ahead; no opportunitiy.
What we did not really understand is the depth of resources Russia has. Oil, natural gas. PURE Water. Mineral deposits up the wazoo. Their world is bountiful, it just depends on how they utilize it.

Let's not forget Russia is rolling along with a ???12% flat income tax. So YEAH, investment, and growth are to be expected, as is room for wealth to be created and accumulated. Funny; the commies have a 12% income tax. They have US beat. Solid play. Solid, solid play on their part.

I must agree. We have become what we once held in contempt, as have they.

And ruthlessness and cruelty beyond your wildest dreams..

Child porn is HUGE in the old soviet republic,,, they'll savage their own babies for a buck.

The USSR was every bit as much Russian as it was Soviet.