The short time horizon in the Russian mind

Another important factor is the power and readiness of the particular actor to influence the future of society and its institutions, not to mention their own lives. When people believe that it is impossible to change the future, or the fate of their nation, they become either fatalistic, or tend to violate social norms, resulting in crime, corruption and violence. The leadership and the elites in the country play an important role in influencing whether the masses believe that something can be done to change the nation for the better.