Mostly this depends on whether or not the Kremlin pulls off its project to modernize the economy, decrease the income differentials in the population, and reassert Russia as a great power. It's been pretty successful so far IMHO.
^^^^ CB: Decreasing the income differentials in the population would be going back to socialism, wouldn't it ? Sounds like they are tying to uncollapse socialism a bit.
Russia as a great power to what end ? to curb the power of the US ?
Modernizing the economy occurred in the SU too. Fastest growth in the history of industrial society to that point.
Maybe Putin is a Commie spy, double agent, undercover. :>) ( "How (il)-informed !" - Untimely Petey)
^^^^^^^
Most Russians I know have mixed feelings about the Soviet system, think that breaking up the Soviet state was a very bad idea, look back on the 1990s with horror, and think pretty positively about Putin if they are interested in politics. He's got a 73% approval rating at the moment (according to this week's issue of the mahazine Itogi).