Reply To: Russian Tensions

TS – “the Somalis what it’s like having no state.”

The Somalis actually have more than one state.

Or do you refuse to recognise the legitimacy of the breakaway republics Somaliland and Puntland?

I note no mention of the Kurds in Syria and their movement to create an independent state from Syria.

Just as you rightly criticise the Ukrainian government of discriminating against Russian-speakers, Syria forbids the use of the Kurdish language.

TS – “Socialists can and do have states. Where you got the idea that states must be capitalist”

If by your earlier definition socialism means “An economy organised around providing for peoples’ needs rather than maximising profits for the capitalist class.”

Would you care to name these non-capitalist states?

You offered an example: “Yes, Gazprom makes a profit but the shareholders are the Russian people, not a select group of capitalist investors.”

But individuals who own Gazprom stock do receive dividends from profits made, not the Russian people. Last September Gazprom shareholders had a dividend payout totalling 1.208 trillion roubles ($21 billion) – 50 roubles per share. Half the shareholdings are not owned by the Russian government but by individuals and foreign corporations .

I also take it you understand the nature of buying government bonds. The income derived by the government from Gazprom partly goes to repaying the Russian bond buyers and the interest due to them.

The ordinary Russian citizen does not benefit directly from the state ownership of Gazprom as you presume.