Lagging Russia

From the MT:

"Russia Lags Behind U.S. in ‘Most Powerful’ Countries Ranking"

Russia is only slightly less powerful than the United States in the global arena, according to a new ranking published for the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos.The "Best Countries" report produced by U.S. News & World Report released this week ranks 80 countries across different metrics, including quality of life, civil rights and power. Russia placed 26th overall, while the United States came in eighth and Davos host Switzerland topped the ranking for the second year in a row. Russia scored well in the "Power" category, which the study describes as a country’s ability to “project their influence on the world stage” and “consistently dominate news headlines, preoccupy policymakers and shape global economic patterns." The report cited the country's strong military, political influence and leader. Washington topped the charts in terms of economic influence and international alliances but lagged behind Moscow in other categories. “The gap between the U.S. and Russia for the top spot in power narrowed from 2017 as the two countries had nearly identical scores from respondents,” the study says. Russia scored less well in the “quality of life” and “citizenship” categories, which assess property and human rights, economic stability and income equality.  It also came in last place in the “open for business” category, with the authors of the study citing corruption and bureaucratic hurdles. 

^ Russia doesn't receive respect from the majority of the world because they tend to be the bullies and aggressors to the world. They used that same tune from 1917-1991 and then when their country completely collapsed people who once feared them started seeing them as a "banana republic." Of course the 1993 coup didn't help things. Either did the mafia gang violence or the economic collapse of the 1990s. Putin has tried to show that Russia is a major world leader today through lying and violence. Putin has lied on camera about many things (like there being no Russian troops in the Crimea before its annexation or currently in the Donbas) and when multiple, reliable sources prove he is lying he simply shrugs it off as a joke. He's not a good liar which if odd because he was a KGB spy. The fact that ordinary Russians continue to live at or below the poverty line also leads to people not taking Russia seriously. I mean if they can't provide the basics for their own people then they aren't that powerful right? For all our faults the United States continues to be an extremely powerful force around the world. People in every corner of the world want to listen to American music, watch American movies and TV shows, buy American products, dress like Americans, use American English - especially as the sole International Language - and the list goes on and on. People around the world may criticize the US, but in the end they still want to be like us and come to the US for the American Dream (which has been around since the country itself.) Not many would ever say or what to do the same for Russian things or about Russia itself. ^

https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-behind-us-in-most-powerful-countries-ranking-60255