Is Russia Poor?

[jankren]

In my mind, Russia is one of the first world countries.

But on the other hand, I keep hearing poverty stories coming from Russia that I do not hear from other first world countries like Britain, France, or Germany.

So how wealthy Russia is actually?

[Heathen Hammer]

That depends. Some regions are very rich and some are very poor.
Russians economy has a lot of potential, which would show it it wasn't ruled by a bunch of oligarchs who just steal the money from selling resources for themselves.

[Lord Mandelson]

It's neither filthy rich nor starving poor (although it has both). I would not call it first world, but then it's hardly an LEDC either. Kinda "1.5 world".

It could become hugely rich again if it's massive industrial output were properly tapped, though. (a la China).

[jankren]

Governmentally, Russia seems no different than a third world country. Still I wonder why? Why dont the 'ethics' of Western Europe spread to Russia?

[Heathen Hammer]

Governmentally, Russia seems no different than a third world country. Still I wonder why? Why dont the 'ethics' of Western Europe spread to Russia?

Governmentally, Russia is an oligarchy. Most of western countries do not show their ruling financial elite directly, while Russia still does, thats the main difference. I do not really believe in "democracy" or "freedom", IMO they are just ideological concepts.
It is an interesting detail, that before coming to power Yeltsin and other democrats actually used "western ethics" in their ideology, as opposed to communist "totalitarian regimes". Ironically, even by today they haven't reached same levels in things like standards of living, as "communist dictatorship" did.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

it has the most valuable natural resources of probably any country.

but there is still a lot of poverty

[Gelgoog]

it has the most valuable natural resources of probably any country.

but there is still a lot of poverty

Yea its got its fair share of resources, but it still does not compare to the US.

[Banana Jelly]

Possibly because 70% of Russia is in Asia, and that the asian part of russia isn't very industrialized and more farms. Many farmers are poor.

[Oldgamer]

I don't know how rich ... or not ... Russia is, at the present time.

However, I just bought one of their surplus military rifles. It's a beautiful 1929 Mosin-Nagant M91/30 7.62x54R, and I am certain ... due to its condition ... that it was never issued. There's no pitting, the stock is almost perfect, and the bore shows no wear whatsoever. I took it to the range today and placed a series of tight groups at 100 yards, over iron sights. Sweet!

I guess you could say that I'm helping Russia's economy!

[CiviC]

Russia is a very polarised society. The rich are wealthier then the rich in the West and the poor much poorer then the poor in the West. There is a significant middle class, but most of them would pass as poor if compared with middle classes in the West.

Also, historically Russia seems a country incapable to be governed democraticaly with a free society. Russians always love to have a "daddy" to handle them in a dictatorial/authocratic manner. And they have this imperial/paranoid complex, the need to submit other countries/peoples but also the sense that external enemies are at the gates.

Thanks God there is hope for Europe to reduce the dependency on Russian gas so less blackmail from the Tzar. In Romania at least more and more people are installing solar panels so they don't have to buy anymore the Russian gas at exorbitant prices and suffer shortages exactly in the middle of the winter when it's needed more.

[jankren]

Russia is a very polarised society. The rich are wealthier then the rich in the West and the poor much poorer then the poor in the West. There is a significant middle class, but most of them would pass as poor if compared with middle classes in the West.

That sounds pretty third worldish to me. No different than India or Indonesia where some people can afford Lamborghinis while the others live in mud huts.

Also, historically Russia seems a country incapable to be governed democraticaly with a free society. Russians always love to have a "daddy" to handle them in a dictatorial/authocratic manner. And they have this imperial/paranoid complex, the need to submit other countries/peoples but also the sense that external enemies are at the gates.

I think Eastern Europe in general is more collectivistic in culture unlike Western Europe.

So....on the grand scale of things Russia has about as much economic clout as France, or alternatively....New York.

I dont think GDP is a fair measure of national wealth though.

[xcorps]

Russians always love to have a "daddy" to handle them in a dictatorial/authocratic manner.

I knew my wife had some Russian ancestry.

[Strelok]

Russia should abolish it's authoritarian roots, abolish the hopeful attempts at reestablishing the full-fledged Communist ideology (for now) because the result has not been Communism at all and the existence of class is more pronounced than ever. They should adopt a pragmatic form of Socialism that has a similar capitalist mode of production but without the "capital" part of it. They could increase their wealth and standards of living this way.

[Caelius]

Some food for thought.

Here's a good map that represent's Russia's size in hard economic terms:


And another that compares countries to individual state economies within the US:


So....on the grand scale of things Russia has about as much economic clout as France, or alternatively....New York.

[Valandur]

Some food for thought.

Here's a good map that represent's Russia's size in hard economic terms:


And another that compares countries to individual state economies within the US:


So....on the grand scale of things Russia has about as much economic clout as France, or alternatively....New York.

I don't get it, is Florida good?

[administrator of yackady]

I don't get it, is Florida good?

That map is useless because it doesn't take into account population. Of course Texas is going to be a "better" country than somewhere like Wyoming purely because it has 50 times the number of people.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

Some food for thought.

Here's a good map that represent's Russia's size in hard economic terms:

that map doesn't show how rich or poor a country is, only its GDP. Nominal GDP on its own is a meaningless statistic. GDP at purchasing power parity per capita is a meaningful statistic.

[corpse helvetica]

russia it is not poor but resources are poorly used.

[CiviC]

russia it is not poor but resources are poorly used.

Indeed Russia isn't poor, but Russians are.

Pavlik, I'm glad to see a Russian with a very realistic perspective, not contaminated by ideologies or dumb nationalism. As in Romania, I guess the problems in Russia are rooted deep within.

[vlach]

Words cannot emphasise enough what a catastrophe the past 60 years have been for eastern europe. First we are turned into dependent caged animals then when the cage collapses we have to relearn how to survive again in an enevironment that makes few provisions, in a world half a century ahead of us. Only countries with a pretty well established civilisation before that time, one that would take longer to destroy, could recover quicker to the pre dark age state. But in the former SU where stalin made damn sure to transform the population into the party's whipping boy people are still unable to recover from that imposed mentality.