The belief that Russians desire an authoritarian leader is also misplaced. To be sure, even as 2014 ended, Putin’s approval ratings remained high (though they are no more reliable an indicator than Russian budget projections, political pronouncements, or gas deliveries). But, even if the polls are accurate, his popularity is largely irrelevant: dictators do not rule through a social contract, and neither his position nor his legitimacy derives from popular appeal.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 20:11:17 +0000
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