Quote Originally Posted by maxmixiv View Post
Yes, wasted, the same happens when engineers at Sony and Panasonic concurrently try to enhance the same technology. At first glance, it seems, that it does not make a sense: they could union efforts and complete the task better and faster. In reality... if the only party is not afraid anything, then it could stay in relaxed state, and without serious efforts, the things can only be getting worse.
Предоставленные сами себе события имеют тенденцию развиваться от плохого к худшему. (Как это будет по-английски? )
Of course, if 2 parties are sure that they will last forever, then there is a similar problem.

Regarding modern Russia. For me, nothing has changed. Yeltsin retired when he was "tired". Our governor had been sitting for 20 years before he got tired, Putin will be in power as long as he wishes, too. They all are Tsars, be them local or nation-wide. Only aliens could plan here "a government that cares about the people and listens".
I should have thought about that. Lord Acton said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

@ iCake:
The same problem is in the US too. That's why I think that living in Russia wouldn't be different than living in the US. Yeah, there would be different issues but the way the government deals with the issues would be the same.
What would be different is the people, the space program, and snow. We almost never get any snow here.
Examples in the US:

1. The city has been calling my parents about a vote for an increase in utility rates. The vote won't be till this weekend but our utility bill already went up by about $12. The last time they wanted an increase, they said they needed to build a new water treatment facility. They never built it. They used the money to help build a new golf course and keep it watered.
Also, the people voted against that increase so they increased the rate anyway. If the rate increase loses this time, it will still be increased.
2. There are lots of people in the US working for a lot less than minimum wage. That wage only applies to some jobs and even those employers can cheat.
3. The US and the State can both tax tobacco. Our State taxed it twice. When some citizens complained and wanted to know why they doubled the tax, the State government just said "because we can.".
4. Everybody wants the corporations to label GMO products, especially foods. Ain't gonna happen.

The US government only listens to the people if they agree with them on issues. And dad said that the Democratic and Republican parties are the same party. The only difference is some small social issues. They both have the same agendas.
Oh, and people have to buy a permit to have a protest and they can refuse to give them a permit. That permit tells them how many people can be at the protest, where the protest can happen, and how many people can be there. If anyone breaks any of those rules then they will be arrested. And even if they don't break the rules, they can still get pepper sprayed by the police. It's dangerous to get very close to a protest cause the police can call you a protester and spray you.

So maybe there aren't really any democracies anyway.

@ Lampada:
Our country thinks it has both. Great wealth in the hands of a few PLUS a democracy.

@ Юрка:
I've never read anything by Karl Marx. What books did he write?