[QUOTE]Vlad is powerful but he isn't Stalin, too many people in Russia with too many millions/billions in or invested in the west for one single madman to put all that at risk.[/QUOTE
I hafta wonder about that. The industrialists in 1930s Germany had too much invested in their industries to allow "one single madman to put all that at risk," and yet "a single madman" was essentially responsible for the near complete destruction of Germany. The same can be said of Italy. And Japan. History seems to show that a highly ambitious political leader with near unlimited power can roll over even the high and mighty in the corporate realms of his nation.
And it seems that it is that highly concentrated power that is corrupting of the nation and the individual. Ensuring governmental power is spread out, although very inefficient, seems to be the only way to prevent a single madman from (ultimately) embroiling nations in war.
Last edited by KenV; 11th Aug 2015 at 13:03.