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When I watched the Alexei Navalny documentary about Putins' massive villa I kept on having somewhat similar thoughts - he's so loaded already, has way more than he can spend on anything, pretty much even toilet brushes are made of gold in that villa - why can't he just keep status quo and enjoy it?
These wars are to boost his ratings, I get it, but it doesn't feel like he's losing grip on power anytime soon. All the oligarchs would probably be interested in keeping the status quo.
As of dictators retiring - not sure but it struck me a little bit that Gorbachev and Yeltsin who were prominent figures of the Soviet Union were (edit - sorry, Yeltsin is no longer alive) still alive and just casually chill somewhere in Russia. They probably were not as evil as their predecessors but they were still strongly involved with the whole evil empire.
Yeltsin practically handed power to Putin and everyone supported him back then because they thought it's finally a leader that will lead them to bright future.
P.S. this is the documentary by Alexei Navalny about Putins' villa for the ones who haven't seen it and got time. English subtitles and dubbed versions are also available https://youtu.be/ipAnwilMncI
dau-
Gorbachev and Yeltsin who were prominent figures of the Soviet Union are still alive and just casually chill somewhere in Russia.
Yeltsin died in 2007.
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why can't he just keep status quo and enjoy it?
Because the wealth is a happy accident from the thing he actually enjoys doing - running the show.
Also managing a load of money is a massive ball ache - better to run the show and have the show manage your money for you
If he just maintained the SQ he would be deposed and probably killed or at least hobbled / isolated and his legacy would come to nothing - his story would be that of a sad ( in his eyes) end.
or something
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Yeltsin died in 2007. Gorbachev is a very old man now and was instrumental in the peaceful end of the Cold War, so I think he is owed some gratitude.
All the oligarchs would probably be interested in keeping the status quo.
This is probably our best hope.
andyp
Howard
rodan
That is something I have always wondered though, he is suspected to be the wealthiest man in the world but can he ever retire and enjoy it? Can any authoritarian/ semi-authoritarian leader ever step down and not expect to be bumped off once they have lost control of the all military and security forces. Imagine his options are limited to forever paying someone like Wagner Group to protect him or hope somewhere like Saudi or UAE let him retire there but neither allow for much freedom. And if you don't fancy those options and decide you will die in office, I guess it allows you to take different types of decisions.