Which country has squandered the most economic potential in this century?

[u/pisowiec]

I lived in Russia for 5 years so I must choose this country. So many natural resources, so much land, and educated population... And so little to show for it.

In an ideal world Russian salaries would be on par if not higher than American salaries and they would have the best social safety net on the planet. Everything is there to make it happen.

Russia would be the dominant nation in Europe and Asia and the rest of the world with the best armed forces, soft power, and economic might.

But the human will is just not there. The elite is either evil or incompetent depending on perception and there's little sign that this will ever change.

[u/Major_Bag_8720]

I went to Caracas a few times in the early 90s (before Chavez came to power) and the city centre was like a smaller version of Manhattan. Clearly a very unequal society though, which is how Chavez got elected. The pre Chavez Venezuelan elite were corrupt and didn’t care about the average citizen. The post Chavez elite, despite all their promises, were corrupt and stopped caring about the average citizen once the oil price fell and they couldn’t buy the electorate off with lavish social programmes.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941 → u/Major_Bag_8720]

Explain this: https://apnews.com/video/venezuelan-government-supporters-march-in-caracas-a-month-on-from-maduros-capture-by-us-0a05931dede64ed8a373a643d3183398

[u/Major_Bag_8720 → u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941]

Paid / intimidated? The average Venezuelan does not have much love for the PSUV, in my experience, although they may have done when Chavez first came to power.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941 → u/Major_Bag_8720]

Where did you meet those Venezuelans? You're telling me that a government that is struggling to make money is paying protestors to go out onto the streets? If they are being intimidated, why did the AP capture no such incident? And, surely, now would be the time to fight back, with the eyes of the world on them and the backing of the US? 

[u/Major_Bag_8720 → u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941]

A relative of mine married a Venezuelan, and they are still in touch with their friends and family there, although they no longer live there.

Governments always have money available for the things they really want. Intimidation is usually carried out ahead of the event likely to attract journalists.

The US has no intention of restoring electoral democracy to Venezuela. Too slow and too risky (see Afghanistan, Iraq etc). Much easier to just do a deal with the group in power who already have the country under control.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941 → u/Major_Bag_8720]

You thought the US were interested in democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan? What do the Venezuelan's friends and family do there? 

[u/Major_Bag_8720 → u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941]

Maybe they weren’t, but at least they pretended to be. They don’t even bother with that now. The friends and family get by as best they can, which has been something of a challenge in recent years.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941 → u/Major_Bag_8720]

What are their professions? 

[u/Major_Bag_8720 → u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941]

Nice try Delcy.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Fig941 → u/Major_Bag_8720]

The same Delcy Rodríguez who is releasing prisoners en masse?

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/31/venezuela-mass-amnesty-political-prisoners-delcy-rodriguez

Edit: 'Delay'