Will Russia become a Superpower once again?

Just wondering, there is much ado about China these days, but Russia has been quietly catching back up to the USA for the last decade now. Not only does the country have vast resources it has yet to tap, but it is fast becoming one of the major exporters of energy on the planet, a vital industry. Not to mention that global warming, at its current rate, will likely open up a Northwest Passage in the next fifty years - meaning that Russia will finally have easy access to the sea for its navy.

In addition, Russia is still maintaining parity technologically with the USA in most aspects, and has been a power on and off again historically. Sure, their economy needs some improvement, but that is fixable (and exporting oil is not hurting it). The only real challenge that I see is widespread corruption, but it seems that the Russian people are starting to stand up for themselves and fight for true equality and fairness in government.

So, do you think that the Bear might make a surprise appearance in the upcoming decades?

Will Russia become a superpower again? Well, with Europe and the US going off the political and economic deep end and China too focused on its internal strife to really press them, I can see it.

The real question is whether or not Brazil and India will rise above regional power status, not whether or not Russia as it is today could again become a superpower...

I am now known as Flyboy.

I hope so. The US doesn't deserve to be a superpower at all. It never did!

Maybe if Russia becomes a superpower, the push for a communist/socialist dominated society worldwide could emerge. The US could benefit from this, seeing as the majority want it in place of crony-ass Capitalism, or at least of balance of THIS and some massive reforms of the current system (which is hurting the US, anyway).

Personally, I'd rather we be dominated by communism and socialism, anyway - something that works and benefits EVERYONE, as well as puts the rich/corporates in their miserable place!

I'm looking forward to Russia making the world a better place for all, especially if we Americans can't get off our asses and fight back against our problems hurting us domestically first...

This is where I, the Vampire Mistress, proudly reside: http://liberal.nationstates.net/nation=nova_nacio

While the state of the United States is not quite ideal, I would not say that a Soviet-era Russia was automatically better.

I don't see what stops Russia from being a superpower, honestly. I'm just not informed enough about that side.

edited 5th Dec '11 4:19:42 PM by abstractematics

Now using Trivialis handle.

Rich people aren't part of everyone? (Leaving out the argument that how much people are helped matters at least as much as the distribution of that help)

Sex, Drugs, and Rationality

I see somebody consumes too much revisionist Cold War... "non"-fiction.

The US was rather bad in the Cold War. In fact, we were terrible. But up until around... well, the Vietnam War, really, we were far better than the Soviets, and after that we were still marginally preferable until perhaps the '80s.

The Soviets and their particular brand of "communism"—AKA authoritarian socialism—were particularly bad, and the economic system they espoused was useless for anything but waging a cold war in the first place. Modern Russia's economic system is broadly similar to the United States' as well, so there would be little functional change in that regard.

In other words, please step out of communist-anarchist fantasy land, because you've gone in quite a bit too deep. I'd think even Savage would call that nonsensical, unless he thinks the Soviet atrocities were a good thing...

I am now known as Flyboy.

Russia never was a superpower. It was a peasant backwater, than the Commies beat the people into production with violence. Now it's a glorified second-world with a reigning oligrachy, courtesy of the free market economy.

I'm a skeptical squirrel

Oh my, oh my! I'm at a loss. It looks like it would be too easy.

Good thing USAF did my job here. (Though for personal reasons I won't agree with the idea that the US stopped being better anytime.)

edited 5th Dec '11 4:26:47 PM by lordGacek

"Atheism is the religion whose followers are easiest to troll"

1922 called, they want their potential back.

If you're going to espouse socialism, Lost, you need to pick a far, far better example than Russia's communist government. It was terribly oppressive, took away your right to choose a religion with its official atheism, and many minorities were purged for several reasons, paranoia among them. Soviet Russia is not a good example of what would benefit the world.

Anyway... I guess it depends on what happens to them internally. Apparently there's some shake up going on, but who knows how that will play out in the long run. Certainly Russia could regain a lot of its influence again if they play somewhat nice with the rest of the world, but they're going to have to use a softer hand than before.

If we want warmer relations with Russia, we ought to dissolve NATO. Let them pummel the Ukraine if they please. (I don't approve, but we're in no place to chastise)

I'm a skeptical squirrel

If we want warmer relations with Russia Putin must leave power. He started this whole cool down of relations, he's the one antagonizing again, he's the reason why US-Russian relations are at their lowest point since Soviet days.

Because the US is a guiltless saint.

I am now known as Flyboy.

Didn't we only have three Russian leaders since Soviet Union collapsed?

Now using Trivialis handle.

Well, Putin is not a nice man. At least our government isn't puppeted by shadow President.

I'm a skeptical squirrel

Well as far as I could understand, plenty of Russians are rather pissed, to put it lightly, about Putin, and in recent elections his party lost seats. And there are multiple complaints about the elections being rigged in Putin's favor.

edited 5th Dec '11 6:41:21 PM by EarlOfSandvich

I now go by Graf von Tirol.

Well, maybe this is the beginning of political activism in Russia. (My general impression is that people have been too disillusioned to care.) Maybe now they're too angry to not participate.

Also, Tom, political relations are a two way street. There has to be efforts on both our sides if relations are to improve. Don't deny our own responsibilities.

Okay, Tom has a point America ahs been very smart about its Rusian relations.

@OP: it already is. The Eurasian Union goes online on January 1, 2012. Russia has ebgun to create new organizations that in controls majorities of that run various things in Central Asia. Not saying it's a bad thing, but a new Central Asian bloc, similar to the EU, is growing.

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.

Perhaps Russia will learn from the mistakes of the European Union and avoid creating a common currency until/if it has an actual federal government with the smaller powers to control fiscal and monetary policy for all the countries involved.

I am now known as Flyboy.

I'd rather the EU become the new superpower rather than Russia.

We're heading towards a Pacific Century, fellas.

edited 5th Dec '11 7:48:46 PM by TheWesterner

I was wondering why frisbees got bigger as they got closer then it hit me.

It isn't going to do that. Despite what some weary of New Russia, the other countries do consent to all this. The Central Asian countries do benefit from stronger representation internationally, these days little countries can't do much without unions.

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.

The way Europe is acting now and with its historical record with power, I wouldn't be particularly enthusiastic or optimistic about a superpower EU.

At least with Russia we know what we're getting; there isn't a whole lot of depth to Russia, or at least, to its government. It does its thing, it builds up little buffers around it to keep other people out, and it intervenes when its significant interests are threatened or precedents for interventionism may be set. Learn how to handle such a power—which isn't particularly difficult or challenging—and it's not that difficult to build, if not a friendship, then an accord with Russia.

Simply put, a friendly Russia is probably more reliable than the EU, even if I would prefer the latter to the former. It doesn't hurt that they're in a good position to be leveraged against China, too.

I am now known as Flyboy.

@USAF Don't be so anti-Chinese.

I was wondering why frisbees got bigger as they got closer then it hit me.

There are four things in the world I do not trust, no matter what you may say:

• Scientists, usually biologists and physicists.
• Transnational corporations.
• Private military contractors.
• The People's Republic of China.

Though my level of distrust for each of these groups isn't necessarily in that order...

I am now known as Flyboy.

1. Stereotyping Russia.

2. Viewing as China as an enemy.

3. Assuming Russia will antagonize the US enough to force an accord.

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.