I'm sorry if this seems like a dumb question, but my history education was severely lacking and there is a lot I don't know

From what I understand, the US and Russia are both capitalist but they both oppose each other, while there seems to be greater cooperation between the US and EU + Britain. Why's this the case? I would extend this question out to China but from what I understand from the struggle sessions is that we don't fully know yet where China stands (feel free to correct me)

Again I'm sorry if this all sounds dumb, I'm very ignorant of history and of the world outside the US

  • quartz [she/her]
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    edit-2
    4 years ago

    The gangsters that Amerikka rigged the election for against the communists didn't turn out to do everything the western boug wanted, and took the opportunity to enrich themselves rather than their western masters. I think they were hoping for some other gangsters more tenable to building a puppet state, or something, also.

    Anyway, they turned Russia into their own playground instead of turning it over. They're mad that those gangsters have the riches, rather than their gangsters.

    • OhWell [he/him]
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      4 years ago

      They’re mad that those gangsters have the riches, rather than their gangsters.

      Many of those Russian billionaires have investments in the US too. They buy up million dollar penthouse suites and apartments all in the big east coast cities and drive investments here.

      America is as much of their playground to exploit and stack their pockets with riches, just as it is back home for them in Russia.

      Check out American Greed sometime. There are constant episodes of moron bankers and other billionaires who get involved with Russian oligarchs who do business in the US and have same interests. AG is also a fun show as it proves how stupid some of these capitalists are with getting busted by having this attitude that they don't care if they get caught.

  • AlexandairBabeuf [they/them]
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    4 years ago

    Russia has an enormous nuclear arsenal. The US doesn't get to tell them what to do. The US doesn't like when countries don't do what they'd like.

    It comes more from a place of 'i want to exploit those people instead of you' place than ideology

  • gramsciezethemeans [he/him,they/them]
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    edit-2
    4 years ago

    They are competitors in terms of oil production and in weapons sales.

    The US and Russia were plenty in line during the Yeltsin years as he followed what the US and Oligarchs in Russia wanted but as far as I understand the split in foreign policy that we still see between Russia and the US goes back to Putin's unwillingness to support the Iraq War.

    There is also a lot of carry over from the cold war. The expansion of NATO into eastern Europe being an especially large part of the tension between the two countries.

  • OhWell [he/him]
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    4 years ago

    They're competitors on the stage of world superpowers.

    Russia really has been turned into a capitalist wild wild west since the 90s. Over 30% of ALL the country's wealth is owned by just 110 billionaires. So many towns and cities across the country that used to have industrial factories and jobs just sit there rotting away in existence. Nostalgia for a return of the USSR is real by the common people and makes complete sense; everyone had a job, housing and food on the table back then. The "economic liberation" was just capitalists coming in and robbing the country blind. The government there is no better than the US at serving the interests of the ruling class. It always makes me laugh to see Putin made out to be some James Bond villain when in reality, he's just a puppet for their ruling class the same way US presidents are.

    In terms of conditions, America is starting to resemble that. We have tons of de-industrialized small towns and places just rotting away in decay and poverty. All the big jobs now are in tech or in big cities on the east coast while the rest of the country rots away.

    But not to get off topic; they oppose each other for being competitors. There is no unity on the world stage. None of the big superpowers really want to work together cause they all have their own interests they are pushing for.