Why Russia is the biggest country in the world is also why it had no chance against the US (even controlling for economic systems):
1. The US is naturally well defended.
Russia is completely exposed
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1. The US is naturally well defended.
Russia is completely exposed
[1/5]
2. The US has the best piece of real estate in the world, the Mississippi Basin: a massive, flat, fertile area.
Russia is frozen, and can only support agriculture in its southwest.
Russia is frozen, and can only support agriculture in its southwest.
3. The Mississippi Basin has more navigable rivers than the rest of the world combined. Trade is easy and cheap, connected to the rest of the world.
Most Russian rivers flow from south to north, and freeze part of the year. You can't easily trade anything out of Siberia.
Most Russian rivers flow from south to north, and freeze part of the year. You can't easily trade anything out of Siberia.
4. The US has amazing access to oceanic trade.
Russia has one warm water port, Murmansk—in the Arctic. The rest either freezes in winter or can be blocked by other countries (Denmark/Sweden, Turkey, Japan).
Russia has one warm water port, Murmansk—in the Arctic. The rest either freezes in winter or can be blocked by other countries (Denmark/Sweden, Turkey, Japan).
With less fertile land, Russia's agriculture is weaker—& feeds fewer ppl.
With worse communications, crops spoil before trading—and no wealth builds up.
With worse natural defenses, Russia must obsess about its integrity—and spend accordingly.
It never had a chance.
With worse communications, crops spoil before trading—and no wealth builds up.
With worse natural defenses, Russia must obsess about its integrity—and spend accordingly.
It never had a chance.
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