[CodeGlitch]

> no use when your citizens want TVs and jeans.

So I wondered this as well... Given the vast resources within Russia there's no reason why they can't build their own TVs or make their own Jeans. Obviously that's currently not the case, but a society that has a space programme can surely achieve this?

[Schiendelman]

A fairly large amount of the Russian space program was designed (and maybe built) by Ukrainians in Ukraine. Russia doesn’t have much capability to update their designs anymore.

[SyzygistSix]

There's little incentive to start a business when the government or mafia-like oligarch can shut down or take your business or profits at their whim. Also capitalism and startups are a culture. People who don't grow up around others that think like that don't ever learn how to think in that way.

[CodeGlitch]

> the government or mafia-like oligarch can shut down or take your business or profits at their whim

That's up to Putin. I think the Oligarchs have perhaps lost there power and leverage within the last 10 days.

> Also capitalism and startups are a culture. People who don't grow up around others that think like that don't ever learn how to think in that way.

This is where China steps in. They offer to build factories / infrastructure in exchange for oil & gas. This is what they have been doing in Africa.