It makes little difference whether the elections were fair or not - the Russian people would have voted for Putin in their droves anyway.

Which other political figure (or party) can offer them a taste of democracy, consign the humiliation of the 90s to the dustbin and remind the world of their strength? Russia is essentially a world player again, and as far as the Russian people are concerned they've only one person to thank for that.

^ Yeah and that person's name is George W. Bush.

Many parties can offer them democracy - but they are simply shut out of the political process, they are not allowed to rally, they are not allowed media presence on radio, TV or newspapers, they are demonized by the Kremlin funded United Russia and it's youth contingent. They are simply silenced.

But who's to say full democracy is what the Russian people want at the moment?

The country came out of 70 odd years of authoritarianism into massive economic and constitutional crises less than 20 years ago - I'm guessing many Russians are quite happy to have an effective leader ensuring Russia's place in the world and providing reliable utilities and public services.

The democratic process will likely be a concern that comes later.

I disagree with your first statement but agree with your second statement.

Democracy was given over to the Russian people with collapse of the USSR, since Putin coming into power he has reined back freedom of press, freedom of peaceful protest and changed the electoral rules to favor continuous power shifts to his government, when I say Putin I mean the whole former KGB and now FSB mafia that rules the country. These legislations and changes mean that in the long term there is no possible way for the people to create a democratic government later.

With regards to Putin giving Russians what they wanted, all they wanted is stability and economic growth both which started to take place once the reforms of the early to late 90s had their effects seep into the economy, bolstered by the high oil and gas prices that let Russia's economy expand.

If authoritarianism over 70s years means that the people only know control, how will democratic process ever take place? Even now the Russian people are being reeducated on the benefits of 'managed' democracy, not by their choice but by Putin's choice.

I agree that what Putin is doing is insidious and that he has taken full advantage of the circumstances, but to be honest I'm not sure the democratic process that we recognise in the west will become institutionalised in Russia for a long time.

I'm generalising, but Russia has always done things her way and in nearly all cases that has meant the state is the power and the people are the tools. I just think that it would be very hard for any population to completely break from that political tradition in a short space of time. I was tempted to say that the Russian people have been under one form of authoritarian regime or another since the first Tsar.

I agree that breaking free of a political tradition is hard for a nation that has been under state control since the Tsar times, the problem is that Putin has all but assured that tradition will only continue for the next 10 to 15 years (though probably even longer).

Today Russia is doing well with regards to recovering from the turmoil of the early 90s, but what will happen tomorrow when economic shocks occur when the food prices rise (currently placed on hold via political pressure from the Kremlin), the oil and gas prices fall or any other shock to the system? Will Putin and his FSB cronies simply stand aside in view of public disapproval or clamp down hard on political dissenters?

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