Here is a link to an extremely valuable conversation with a professional Russian economist now in exile
The interview is done on one of my favorite channels on youtube. Konstantin Samoilov, now living in Tashkent, knowledgably reviews what deep trouble Russia is now in economically, and how that relates to its very wobbly future. Best interview I have seen on the subject after much looking.
An excellent exposition indeed!
Corruption in Venezuela went along the same lines. A nephew of the president was bragging to a friend of mine how he got a 10 to 15% cut on many oil deals. The oil companies had been nationalized and merged into PDVSA by the previous president and, somehow, lots of people got into selling oil. During the previous presidency we got a government contract with the national dredging company and had to pay a ransom to a regulatory agency employee to get it approved despite the fact the client company had already approved our offer bribe free.
I also sympathize with the exiles having lost not one but two countries, my country of birth and my adopted country.
If the British empire could fall apart, why not the Russian Federation? There are noises about the UK falling apart.
Change is the only constant.
The Captain