I never voted for Putin, having regarded him as unfit for office from day 1. However, if he stepped down after two terms in 2008, perhaps - and that’s a big perhaps, given the deeply worrying trends of his first eight years - history would still give him a C.
Years later, Russia still lacks viable institutions, still deeply mired in corruption, still dependent heavily on the export of oil and gas. Russia has lost all moral authority. It has become a pariah state. Questions are being posed about its leader being possibly deranged.
How did we get here? Bad political choices. Cowardice and greed of the few and the indifference of the many. And who is to blame? We ourselves are. And, yes, many bravely opposed this hideous regime, and have paid the price. But most have been ‘fine’ with it.
Because, you see, it’s better than the ‘chaos of the 1990s.’ Questions will have to be asked after this is over: deep, probing questions, about who we are, and how we allowed this to happen.
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