Paul Robinson — Russia: both malevolent and super-efficient?

For what it’s worth, my own take on the issue is as follows. First, the idea that Russia is innately aggressive and expansionist if false. While Russia has certainly acted aggressively on occasions, its historical record in that regard isn’t obviously any worse than that of other major European states. Second, there’s no clear connection between regime type and aggression, either in Russia’s case or more generally; current East-West tensions owe much to clashing interests and the structure of the European security system, factors which won’t change no matter who rules in the Kremlin. And third, Russia shows no signs of being particularly brilliant in terms of strategic planning and integrated government; rather, it’s thrashing around in an often incoherent fashion, not in accordance to some master plan but in reaction to others and in an often improvised way. The idea of Russia as both malevolent and super-efficient may be useful as a way of scaring people, but it has very little to do with reality....

Irrussianality
Russia: both malevolent and super-efficient
Paul Robinson | Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa