#eurasianunion

In recent years, Russia has been seeking to become a world leader.  Russia launched the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, and Vladimir Putin later announced the intent to expand it to a Eurasian Zone including most of the former Soviet Countries.  Armenia announced on the third of September that it would seek to join the Russian bloc (http://euobserver.com/foreign/121304) - many other former Soviet countries are in favor of the idea.  Russia has also chosen to flex its muscles in a way more familiar to the west; it opposes any anti-Assad action in Syria.  But how long lasting is this Russian resurgence?  Is it the start of a new historical player?  Or is it the last breath of a dying power?

(Proposed Eurasian Union; Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Euroasian_Union.PNG)

Power and influence, in the modern world, is predicated upon economic strength.  Raw military power, as frightening as it can be, is subject to the whims of the international community; even America, the world’s hegemon, cannot take whatever action it will.  Developing nations - such as Afghanistan or Iraq - can be safely invaded, but to attack even a relatively small country well within America’s sphere of influence, like Chile, would be political suicide.  Any long term power possessed by Russia, then, must be based on economic strength or it will prove fleeting.  Economic strength is directly related to economic size; demographics is a determiner of economic size.  Any serious analysis of Russia, then, is at least a two part blog - the first part will focus on the economy of Russia, and the second on its demographics.

I’ll upload part one this weekend.