Time names Stalin, err, Putin "Man of the Year"

[iluvfreebeer]

TIme thinks the modern day Stalin is the most influential person of the year.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/personoftheyear/

[Popov]

he's not stalin

stalin was a genocidal maniac who didn't mind sacrificing hundreds of thousands, or even millions of his own people for the greater good

there's no way you can put him on the same level as js

i agree with the title of the article - "A Tsar is Born"
i can see putin as a contemporary tsar, but he can't be compared to soviet era dictators because the nature of contemporary russia differs greatly from that of the USSR - the political system is similar, and the anti-opposition tactics bear some resemblance, but the economic system is way different - no more collectivization, the gap between rich and poor is ginormous, luxury is not a problem

russia is somewhat like modern china, and bears resemblance to some elements of the former ussr, but it's a LONG, LONG, LONG way from stalin's Soviet Union

[iluvfreebeer]

Putin is already having his political foes sent to mental asylums.
Sounds pretty Stalinist.

[Buzzy]

You have to remember how many decades it took for the purges in the USSR to come to light. How long will it take before we find out what Putin is really doing. Personally I think the man is as evil as Stalin but only the future will tell.

[Bilbo Baggins]

You have to remember how many decades it took for the purges in the USSR to come to light. How long will it take before we find out what Putin is really doing. Personally I think the man is as evil as Stalin but only the future will tell.

I'm pretty sure with the media freedom today (even in Russia) we would know if Putin was killing millions of people through famine or purges. He's definitely not Stalin, as he's still subject to the law and Russian constitution (flimsy as it is). Most influential man of the year? Probably, he's certainly presided over a period of Russian resurgence (for good or bad), and the economy isn't as bad as the Yeltsin years (though its still a mess in some areas). Some interesting runner-ups; Gore, Petraeus, Jintao. Would have been nice to see Gore at the top, even if it is just to see how angry you guys would have been.

[Buzzy]

Always remember that while the purges were going on people world wide didn't believe it was possible either. But it was and now were starting to hear about people critical of Putin's government dying, being jailed, put in mental institutions. Take a look at how much less "free" the press in Russia is these days under Putin. No, millions aren't dying.... yet, maybe never but freedom is dying there every day. Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of thought! Isn't that bad enough?

[Bilbo Baggins]

Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of thought! Isn't that bad enough?

Yeah, it definitely is bad, but we were arguing whether he was another Stalin, which I think we can agree he's not. Lets remember that the criteria Time has for its Person of the Year selection is mainly based on their world influence, and Putin is certainly a significant international player.

[Buzzy]

Well alGore came in second so maybe he's Stalin and Putin is even worse.

Stalin didn't start out killing millions, it took some time to work up to it. Putin is getting a good start and we'll see how many he kills to keep himself in power.

By their own measurments I guess that Time would have listed Adolph Hitler as man of the year even as he was building his extermination camps. I find that more telling than anything.