In general, those interested in doing business in Russia should be aware that there are huge risks associated with the emerging markets to be found there. Everyday life in Russia is much more primitive and difficult than that in the United States. The finest Russian highways between cities are overwhelmingly two-lane roads without shoulders. Faculty members at Moscow State University, one of the nation's most prestigious learning institutions, share a desk among three or more professors. The selection of consumer goods is limited and of poor quality, except for the wealthiest of shoppers.
Public buildings are in a state of decay.
Many of the people live in fear of the military and the police, who insist on being treated as superiors. The primary reaction that I had after visiting Russia was an increased appreciation of the limits and dangers of state control. There are tremendous lessons to be learned from the Russian experiment with putting their ultimate trust in government. Some of the information used to identify the accompanying photos came from Fodor's Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev '96 and the St. Petersburg Times.