[Soft Cat]

(Original post by johnharris19944)
Gah getting a little frustrating posting this so much haha, India are not great at Olympics because their sporting system they have in place is extremely poor. USA, China, GB all have the right systems set up so follow up on having a decent pool of talent to pick from and develop them. India whilst having an extremely huge pool to pick from cant develop them well enough. Same problems for Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam. Having a big pool to pick from is the first step, having a good program to develop them well enough is the next. Not a rant aimed directly at you though

India will get better with time. The talent is out there it's just they haven't quite mastered the art of seeking out and nurturing that talent. But once they do watch out world!

[Malevolent]

(Original post by Soft Cat)
India will get better with time. The talent is out there it's just they haven't quite mastered the art of seeking out and nurturing that talent. But once they do watch out world!

Thats what they need to do, spot the talent then nurture them with a good sporting program! :P

[Spaz Man]

Let's not get TOO far ahead of ourselves here lol

[Historophilia]

(Original post by Rennit)
But you said yourself, it was merely a sideshow igniting pre-existing tensions. In the same way that THIS could be the trigger.

Revolutions happen not because of how badly a society gets, but relatively how bad a society gets to other socities, I think this is the key point you're missing. Russians only see their country and society being torn apart by Putin, and the gangster state of Russia is reverting back to the 1980s Soviet Regime.

The revolution in Russia is being driven by a young with no prospects or hope in life, similar to that in North Africa and Western Arabia.

There is alot of fuel out there for a big revolution in China and Russia, but the difference with Russia is the majority of its south western populus consider themselves muslims. Sound similar to situations elsewhere?

Its all well and good being historian and living in the past, but as to prediciting the future... Well, even economists and politicians predicted troubles in North Africa!

It was a sideshow yes. But I can tell you here and now that the tensions that have built up in Russia can in no way be compared to those in Europe pre-1914 and Russia pre-1917. The Olympics will not be a trigger because there is not enough "gunpowder" for any spark to set alight.

Look at Russia pre-Revolution, there had already been a near Revolution in 1905 and there had been violent local Peasant Revolts on a regular basis going back decades. In addition pre-1917 their were numerous mass mutinies of Russian soldiers who killed their officers and deserted. Where is the 1905 of modern Russia?

If there will be any "trigger" in Russia it is the trial of Pussy Riot. The Olympics has no impact on the lives of ordinary Russians but the trial is a symbol of Russia's problems.

And no Revolutions do not happen because of relative standards of living or political repression etc. they happen because of long periods of suffering over decades affecting the vast majority of society. The triggers for full scale uprisings are not trivial outside events such as the Olympics, they are events directly affecting people inside the country, for example WW1. Or in China, Civil War and the invasion of the Japanese.

And if your argument were to bear out surely there would be protests and marches already in Russia linked to the Olympics? Are there any? No. Revolutions do not come out of nowhere as I have said. Nothing does.

The situations in Russia and North Africa are very different. And in fact you are wrong about the numbers of Muslims in Russia. Russians Muslims in fact make up only 14% of the population. They also live mainly in areas where Putin's hold is not so strong (repression in Russia is greatest in Moscow, the difference even between Moscow and Petersburg is marked).

And Putin has not torn apart Russia. It was never healed. There is nothing to break because it was already broken. Russia has not healed from 70 years of Communism and never in fact healed from centuries of Tsarism. Putin did not cause the mess that Russia is in because the problems existed well before he came to power, because they have always been there.

And being a Historian is well and good because we build arguments on facts not fantasies. And the idea that the Olympics will trigger another Russian Revolution is just that, a fantasy.

You cannot understand the present without understanding the past. As Santayana said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". You only need to look at the war in Afghanistan to see this in action.

And your point at the end about North Africa is of no significance I'm afraid. They are very different places to Russia.

But I promise you here and now, and hold me to this if you like, the Olympics games will not trigger Revolution in Russia.

[Soft Cat]

(Original post by johnharris19944)
Thats what they need to do, spot the talent then nurture them with a good sporting program! :P

Well unless it's Cricket, Shooting, Hockey and possibly Tennis, it won't be any time soon.

[CLS94]

(Original post by Rennit)
It would be like if there was a football match between England and Jersey, and Jersey won, we'd all be pretty pissed at the team, and the manager.

Russia have always enjoyed a strong performance in the Olympics, and they love it over there! For them to be beaten by a small nation like us... well!

Yes, I imagine if England lost to Jersey the manager might be sacked, and tabloids would have a field day. But a revolution... it entails so much carnage, whether or not you support the concept many will die, homes and families would be destroyed; it doesn't just happen because a few athletes under-perform!

[H.Maleki]

Bronze

[Some random guy]

LOL at thinking Russia's olympics performance will trigger a revolution against Putin. Kids these days....

[Formerly Helpful_C]

(Original post by Ra Ra Ra)
So you're saying that if the Russians come below us in the medal table, it would cause the next Russian Revolution?

It would make for an amazing history module at school

[Formerly Helpful_C]

(Original post by Historophilia)
I think you need to go and read up on your history of the First World War and early 20th century Europe mate...

And your Russian history. Seriously.

Didn't you know that the Bolshevik revolution occurred as a result of Russia losing a chess match? Those peasants were really annoyed...

[Formerly Helpful_C]

(Original post by manchesterunited15)
I sort of understand what you're saying, it's just I hate the way people always say things are "unlucky" when they're not, if you get silver then you deserve silver.

What about Milorad Cavic, who beat Phelps - but, didn't hit the wall as hard? That was unlucky.

[manchesterunited15]

(Original post by Formerly Helpful_C)
What about Milorad Cavic, who beat Phelps - but, didn't hit the wall as hard? That was unlucky.

You mean this ? It's not he didn't hit the wall as hard, it's he didn't hit the wall first.

[Formerly Helpful_C]

(Original post by manchesterunited15)
You mean this ? It's not he didn't hit the wall as hard, it's he didn't hit the wall first.

He did.


“Cavic, he did a press conference in Rome for the World Championships. And he said, ‘I was first on the plate, but Phelps was pushing before me,’” Hurzeler said. “No, he did the biggest mistake of his life. He was ahead, he put his head up and he was waiting for the pad to come to him. Phelps he did a second stroke and with the stroke he was just touching the wall and he was ahead.”

[Freedom Writer]

The Empire Strikes Back