8+ decades of hardcore civilian oppression, declining opportunities, and constant propaganda are what has brought them there, and we aren’t far behind them.

Gestures wildly at every capitalist oligarchy masquerading as a “democracy”

I mean, Russia’s objectively worse in 100x ways, but corruption is accepted everywhere. It’s fuckin wild what rich pepper can get away with. Putin’s just at the point where he doesn’t have to hide it because if you complain he will have you murdered.